Introduction
Soy candles are an excellent eco-friendly alternative to traditional wax candles because of the renewable and biodegradable materials used to make them. Making soy candles is also easy and enjoyable, and adding lavender essential oils can make your homemade candles even more special. Lavender essential oils add a beautiful aroma that may help promote relaxation and a natural sense of balance in any environment.
To make a soy candle with lavender essential oil, you will need several supplies including: a container or jar of your choice, melted soy wax flakes, wicks with bases, surgical scissors, tweezers or wire cutters, measuring cup or bowl for melting the wax, an oven mitt or hot pad for handling heated items (such as the wax!), fragrance oils such as lavender, and an optional double boiler if you’re not comfortable melting directly on the stove. Begin by prepping the wick and container: move the end of each wick into its base until it’s securely fastened at the bottom; then place it in the center of your container. Use chart numbers from common size jars recommended for determining both how long to make your wick and which type of wick works best. Next up: melting!
Place measured amounts of wax pieces in a large enough bowl/cup that allows room for stirring after being placed on top of a low-heat simmering pot filled with 2-3 inches of water (this works only if it fits securely). As soon as it’s all melted”except for flavorings/scent like lavender essential oils”it’s time to add these elements; stir heavily afterwards to incorporate them evenly throughout the mix. Finally pour liquid wax gently over the prepared wick while making sure hot chunks don’t hit it! After pouring all mixture slowly but surely into desired shape holders/jars allow cooling down overnight before burning safely for many hours and enjoy esthetic effects it produces!
Natural Origins of Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil has a long, fascinating history. It is believed to have originated from the Mediterranean region over 2500 years ago and can be found in ancient Roman and Greek literature. Lavender was thought to be a symbol of purity and nobility and its popularity soon spread throughout Europe, particularly England and France where it is still widely used today.
The essential oil of lavender is extracted through steam distillation, primarily from the flowers of the lavender plant. The oil is rich in anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties which makes it ideal for many therapeutic applications. It appears in many aromatherapy products such as face creams, body lotions, soaps and oils, incense sticks and diffusers as well as ear candles. Lavender oil can also be used to make a soothing soy candle that releases a pleasant aroma into the air when lit. In addition to its pleasant scent, soy candles are known for their natural ability to burn cleanly – meaning there’s no toxic smoke or residues like with regular paraffin candles – making them an ideal choice for use in the home or office.
The beautiful scent of lavender mixed with the natural burning benefits of soy wax creates an ambient atmosphere which can help to relax and unwind after a stressful day. For this reason, many people choose to use lavender scented soy candles when meditating or doing yoga to create a soothing environment that helps encourage connection with one’s authenic spirit.
Advantages of Using Lavender Essential Oil in Making Soy Candles
When used in candles, Lavender Essential Oil imparts a pleasing, calming aroma. In addition to providing a pleasant smell, this particular oil also acts as an aromatherapy agent, allowing your candle to aid relaxation and maximize stress relief. Further, as soy candles burn at lower temperatures than paraffin-based candles, the scent of lavender essential oil lasts longer when added in the mixture – making it ideal for creating unique and long-lasting aromas.
In addition to scenting the air with its pleasant aroma, Lavender Essential Oil can also improve the flame itself. By including this particular oil in your candle mixture, you can actually create less smoke, a bigger flame and cleaner burning wax ” all great benefits for those who want their candle to be as attractive to look at as it is calming to smell.
Different varieties of lavender essential oils can also give each of your unique batches an individual touch whilst still delivering powerful and lasting scents into the air – from sweet smelling English Lavender to light French varietals. Inclusion of these oils will likely bring interest from buyers who desire premium natural scented products and that in turn allows you the flexibility to increase prices – deepening your profit margins even more!
Preparing the Soy Candle
Once the wax has been melted, it is important to cool it down properly before adding any essential oils or fragrances. While the wax is cooling, stir in both the essential oil and/or fragrance oil of your choice. Fragrance oils should be added at a rate of approximately 1 ounce per pound of wax. For essential oils, a slightly more generous amount can be used and mixed in thoroughly until combined. When filling jars with the soy wax mixture, use an appropriate pouring jug and fill each jar up to just below the neck of the jar. Wicks should preferably already be seated in their position prior to filling with wax, as this provides a much more even distribution when poured. After allowing the candles to cool off for several hours on a level surface, trim off any excess wick that protrudes from the top. Your Lavender Essential Oil Soy Candles are now complete and ready to enjoy!
Adding the Lavender Essential Oil
The correct measurement and addition of Lavender Essential Oil is pivotal to making soy candles. Too much, and the smell of the candle will be overpowering and unpleasant, whereas too little will make it too faint and unnoticeable. To ensure that a candle smells great, adding between 10-15 drops of lavender essential oil for each 200g of wax needs to be taken into consideration.
When it comes to adding the lavender essential oil to soy candles, there are several options available. Firstly, you can simply add the oil directly to the wax before melting it, as that will couple both components for an even distribution and smell. Alternatively, you could dissolve the oil in 1 teaspoon of either sunflower or fractionated coconut oil before mixing it with the melted wax when at a cooler temperature. Another recommended way is immersing a cotton strand/wick in the essential oil before allowing it to dry entirely; this method makes it so that as time goes by, more scent will be released from wick instead of all being delivered upfront like when added directly to wax.
Creating the Scent Profile
When creating soy candles with lavender essential oils, it is important to understand the right way to do so in order to create the perfect scent profile. The amount of oil used and the ratio when combining different fragrances need careful consideration. Too much or too little of certain scents can change the entire outcome. Additionally, essential oils should be stored properly to prevent permeation and maintain their potency.
The proper oil-to-wax ratio depends on what type of fragrance is wanted; light and delicate or more potent. Generally speaking, a 1-3% dilution ratio is recommended for a medium level of fragrance concentration. This means for every one cup (8 ounces) of wax you will use 6 to 18 drops of essential oil. If more intensity is desired, up to 7% can be used but not more than that as it may be overpowering and perfumey. Any leftover essential oils should be stored away from direct sunlight in an airtight container for maximum efficiency.
Also keep in mind that some pairing fragrances clash so test small batches first before committing to large amounts of materials as adjustments may need to be made afterwards in order to achieve the desired scent profile. With all these variables at play, having knowledge about each ingredient, its smell, strength, and reaction when blended together, is key when designing soy candle scents with lavender essential oils.
Final Touches
Packaging & Displaying: Soy candles look great when presented in containers that complement the scent. The amount of wax used will determine which type of container to use. Pouring too much wax into a jar can cause it to overflow or crack while burning, so be sure that the jar you select has enough depth and width for the intended material. When packaging as gifts, use organza bags or cellophane wrap to add a special touch. Consider designing labels with your fragrance choice and any additional creative ideas you’d like to include.
Optimizing Burn Time: When preparing your candle for use, allow it to burn for about 2-4 hours before extinguishing. This allows time for an even melt pool to form and prevents wastage from tunneling when continually relit over time. Once an even pool is formed, extinguish the candle, trim the wick, and relight after about 30 minutes and enjoy up to 15 hours of burn time without having to worry about sooting or smoke marks staining your walls or furniture!
Troubleshooting Issues: Should your candle start smoking on relight or during burning, simply trim the wick and/or snuff out the flame. The flame should never be left unattended and should always be placed out of reach of children, pets and flammable materials. To avoid a smokey appearance while burning once extinguished, ensure that your wick remains short (approximately 6mm). If smoke continues despite the above steps simply wait until stone cold before handling, discard any blackened wax off of your wick before relighting again!
Conclusion
The use of Lavender Essential Oil when making soy candles is an excellent choice due to the natural properties and benefits that this oil provides. Not only does lavender essential oil leave a pleasant aroma, but it also has proven health benefits. It can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, reduce inflammation and headaches, provide anti-viral protection, increase energy levels, and even promote hair growth. Additionally, using lavender essential oil in combination with soy wax can create an eco-friendly candle option since both materials are sustainable products that have environmentally friendly attributes such as biodegradability and renewable resources for production. Furthermore, Soy Candles tend to last longer compared to traditional paraffin wax candles resulting in fewer resources being needed overall. An eco-friendly home filled with the calming scent of lavender while burning soy candles is not only great for your environment but also provides numerous positive physical and psychological effects.
Welcome to my candle making blog! In this blog, I will be sharing my tips and tricks for making candles. I will also be sharing some of my favorite recipes.
