Candle Making Jars

If you’re a candle maker, your first stop should be at a jar store to look for candle making jars you can use in creating your beautiful candles.  Jars are reusable and can be cleaned properly after use.  These are also the safest containers to use for candle making.  In an ordinary household, you might see some decorative jars that have been filled with wax and put on display.   Some are really ornate, while others are minimalistic or plain.

Jars are different from candle making molds because the former is meant to permanently contain the candle wax, while the latter may only be used to shape the wax.  Some jars may be used as molds because of their beautiful shape or size, but for the most part, you should use candle making jars only when you intend to create container candles.  One of the perks of creating candle making jars is that you’re not only selling functional candles, you’re also selling elegant decorations that people can use as décor, whether or not they burn the candles.

If you don’t want to spend too much time placing dyes on candles, you can still artistically “theme” your candles by using motif jars.  Plain paraffin candles will look like high-end Christmas decorations when contained in a Holiday-themed glass jar.

Before you start mass producing jar candles, there are some things you need to know about candle making jars.

  • Specialized candle crafting jars don’t really exist.  Any functional jar that is able to withstand heat can be a great vessel for your candle wax.  In most cases, even plastic jars that are durable enough are good for jar candle making.  There may be really nice jars out there that have been specifically designed to hold candles, but in reality, the jar you choose depends entirely on your aesthetic taste.
  • How about non-heat resistant containers?  For safety reasons, I suggest you refrain from using containers that melt at high heat.  Candle wax can be extremely hot when melted.  Most candle makers prefer using glass or earthenware.  Clear glass jars will showcase the beauty of your candle wax, particularly if you took the time to dye your wax to increase its aesthetic appeal.
  • When using jars for candle making make sure to clean the jar beforehand.  You must also dry the jar to prevent wax from coming into contact with water that might be present inside the jar.  Dirt or stains inside the jars will also mar the beauty of your candles, particularly if the container is see-through.  One good way of drying the jars is to microwave them for a short duration before usage.  Some candle makers simply expose the insides of their jars to air so that the liquid inside these jars can evaporate.
  • Qualify the jars you are going to use for candle making.  Check for cracks inside and outside the jar containers.  Cracks and dents on jars that are not meant as decorations may become bigger when you pour the wax, or when the wax expands.  Chips on your candle making jars may also let the wax seep out during the cooling process.
  • Preserve the beauty of your candle jars by pouring just the right amount of wax.  I’ve seen jars that overflow with candle wax and cringe.  If you inadvertently pour too much wax inside one of the jars, scoop out the extra wax before it solidifies.

Candle making jars will make your production experience more pleasant.  You can unleash your creative side by simply decorating the jars you’re going to use for candle making.  Place stickers, draw patterns and tie ribbons around your jars to make them look better.


Oil Candle Making

Oil candles have been around for ages, but people are more familiar with the wax type of candles.  This is because most oil candles are more often called “lamps”, which is quite fitting if you consider how oil candles are made.  Oil candle making is not a lost art.  There are more people making them now than ever, with the growing demand for cheaper lighting options and the soaring electricity rates in most cities in the world.

Why do some people prefer oil candles to wax candles?  Oil candles are cleaner burning than wax candles.  They are also convenient and cheap.  Business minded individuals like oil candle making over wax candle making because of the low cost of oil candle making supplies.

Oil candles also have a consistent flame height, which means you don’t have to spend time trimming the wick in order to get the flame you want.  The best feature of oil candles is longevity.  These oil candles can last for a long time, regardless if you use them 24 hours a day and seven days a week.  This is because of the refillable nature of oil candles. If the oil level is low, you can simply pour more oil and keep the container. 

Wax types last long, but you will be left with a lump of misshapen wax after a few hours of burning.  In a sense, oil candles are lighting fixtures you can really use.  They’re not just for decoration.

But some individuals have found ways to turn ordinary oil candle lamps into quaint decorative items!  Some ways of doing this include putting seashells inside the glass containers, placing colored rocks at the bottom of the containers or using containers with beautiful patterns engraved on them.  Oil candles provide a low-maintenance way of decorating your homes during special occasions.  You only need to buy a particularly exquisite piece, use it for years, and pass it on to the next generation.  Because of the long-lasting nature of oil lamps, some families use the same lamps for decades.  Like wax candles, oil candles can be manufactured at home.  What’s more, you can design your handcrafted oil lamps to your heart’s content.

Here are the basics of oil candle making.

  • Fill a simple glass jar or an ornate decorative glass bottle with special candle making oil.  Put a wick in a glass tube, preferably positioned using a wick holder.  Make sure that just 1/8 of the wick is protruding above top of the jar or bottle.  Let the wick absorb enough oil before you light the candle.
  • There are several types of oil candles, but for your oil candle making business, you can try the most common type.  Get a refillable glass container and fill it with paraffin oil.  Be mindful of the initial oil level, which should at least reach the middle part of the container.  Also, you need to install a special wick to finish creating your oil lamp.
  • One of the most important aspects of oil candle making is deciding on which type of wick to use.   Go for cotton types, with a good braiding design.  You can also try wicks that combine hemp and cotton for a longer lasting burn.  If you’re going all out with your oil candle making, try the fiber glass wicks with holders attached.  Most oil candle making kits include a glass flame protector that you can place over your oil candle jar to prevent the wind from putting out your flame.  This is convenient for those who use oil candles or oil lamps to light their doorways during a power failure.  After you learn the basics, you can try creating scented oil candles by simply adding essential oils to the candle oil.  Some people go one step further and place rose petals inside the oil bottles for better aesthetic appeal.

Candle Making Equipment

How did the ancient people develop candles?  Why did candles get invented?  What candle making equipment did these ancients use? These are the questions in every candle enthusiast’s mind whenever they ponder on this ancient art that modern day artistes have developed.  The candles of old were used to carry flame from one place to another.  Most people relied on torches to heat up their homes, and a small flame on a candle wick is hardly thought of as necessary.  However, for religious ceremonies, a flame on a sooty, crudely made torch is not appropriate.  And, so candles are developed.

Soon, people started making candles in bulk.  With the advent of so many religious practices, candles have marked their place in history as a part of every holiday and spiritual event.  But people have found more uses for candles.  They can be used to beautify a room, make another person’s heart leap with joy, and help weary workers deal with stress.

Not only the function, but the procedure for making candles has also evolved.  From makeshift wax melting equipment (think cauldrons or pots) to fancy double boilers created specifically for candle making, people have used modern technology to mass produce beautiful candles that sell in so many markets.

If you’re a candle enthusiast or if you’ve even thought of creating candles for a living, here are some candle making equipment tips for you.

  • First of all, set up a stage for your art.  Devote an area in your home for creating candles.  The flooring must be furnished with non-slip mats that will help you move around your work room without worrying about slipping while you’re handling hot, melted wax.
  • Next, make sure you have the right cooking equipment for your candle making; namely, a stove with moderate flame and a double boiler for melting wax.  In some cases, you don’t need a double boiler (like when you’re making soy candles), but it’s best to have one at home just in case you’re short on soy wax and you have to use paraffin.
  • One school of thought tells us to keep kitchen utensils and equipment away when you’re handling candles.  This is to prevent using the same equipment for processing food and wax.
  • You can easily guess what equipment you need by taking note of the difficulties you’re having during the actual candle-making process.  If you’re not comfortable handling the inner container of your makeshift double boiler (a smaller container inside a larger one), you can get a pouring jug to help you transfer wax from the boiler to the containers or molds.
  • Next, you will need an assortment of containers.  You can look around your house for decorative tin cans, or even old food containers for inspiration, but if you really want to produce candles that stand out, go to a hobby shop and choose from a wide array of specialized candle containers.  The best thing about buying special candle containers is that you can get them personalized.
  • Molds can either be made of aluminum, rubber or plastic.  If you want to keep using the same molds, you can go for aluminum ones, which stack well and will last long.  Rubber molds are convenient in that the cooled wax can be taken out of the mold easily, but the rubber can leave a certain smell on the wax in some cases.  Plastic molds are cheap and can be bought by the hundreds, but some plastics crack easily and won’t last long.  If you’re using molds instead of containers, you will need to find some special equipment to help you release the solidified wax from the mold.  These are called releasers.
  • Wick placement is another thing to consider.  Get some wick pins to help you center your wick on your candles.  There’s nothing more annoying than purchasing candles with wicks located to the side or too far from the center.

Don’t buy too many utensils at the onset.  You will soon learn which equipment you can do without.  It’s better to stick with the basic ones so that you can start on your business fast and sell more candles, before you need to upgrade your stock of candle making equipment.


How to Make Soy Candles

Soy candles are the easiest to make.  You don’t need special equipment like double broilers because you can melt soy wax in a simple pan.  However, as you learn how to make soy candles, you must grasp the basics.  For instance, the methods of using containers and molds to create the final product vary.  The size and type of wick to use also needs careful consideration.  Basically, it’s a lot like making paraffin candles.  The only difference is that soy wax is low maintenance and easy to use, while paraffin needs a lot of careful handling and preparation.

Making a soy candle is as simple as melting the wax and then choosing a wick to use and placing the melted wax in containers to cool.  The resulting product will be functional, with the natural beauty of soya making the task worthwhile.  But it doesn’t stop there.  Once you realize that soya can hold scents well, you will start thinking about using fragrance oils and dyes to enhance the natural elegance of your homemade soy candles.

Creating your very own soy candles is a very gratifying hobby… and the fun is just starting.

There are two ways of starting to create soy candles.  You can buy the materials separately from craft shops in your area or over the internet.  You can also get a pre-supplied soy candle making kit.  If you’re a beginner, I suggest going for the second option.  Your enthusiasm for candle making will greatly increase if you have all the basic materials in front of you.

Use a candle kit to practice creating your first soy candles.  Once you get the hang of the process and the tricks to creating better candles, you can start visiting specialty stores and even thrift shops for more containers, candle molds, bargain soy candle waxes and wicks of all sizes and types.

Check your kit for the following materials:

  1. Soy wax in granules, flakes or in blocks.  Check for the amount of wax present.  Usually, beginner’s  candle kits contain a pound of wax and a container that can accommodate that much wax.  From experience, the granule type is easier to use for obvious reasons.  It’s easier to melt and you don’t have to worry about cutting up a block to fit your container.
  2. Check for the presence of the wick.  At the onset, you might even forget to place the wick in the container before pouring your candle, which is fine. But having the wick positioned very close to the container in your work area will make sure you don’t repeat the same mistake.  Don’t worry if you create a wickless candle… you can always melt the soy wax again and start over!  You should also check for the material of the wick.  Usually, cotton is the wick material of choice.  If there’s a wick, check if the wick is primed.
  3. Most candle making kits contain fragrance oils.  This is one way of ensuring that your first candle experience will be awesome.  Think of making a scented soy candle on the first try!  It will also prepare you for what’s ahead in your career as a candle maker.  You will soon be curious about which scents go well with which dye and what containers are suitable for a certain candle design and motif.
  4. Wax dye.  Your candle’s color will dictate what your motif is.  It will even be the basis of what scent you will use for your candle.  A purple dyed candle asks for a lavender scent, an orange candle needs a citrus scent, and so on.

Making your soy candles is easy.  At medium heat, melt the soy wax in a pan.  This will remind you of melting butter.  You have to stir every once in a while.  Lower the flame and keep stirring while you add the fragrance and the dye.  Gently pour the melted soy wax inside your jar or mold with the wick in place.  Trim the wick, and in less than 24 hours, you can light your first homemade soy candle!


Soy Candle Wax

After centuries of using only paraffin wax for candle making, craftsmen in history have stumbled on several sources of natural waxes with which to make candles.  The green movement might also have contributed to the use of organic material to create candles.  The bottom line is that not many people can stand continually washing sooty black residue from candle holders, walls and ceilings, so crafting cleaner-burning candles has become a necessity.

Organic materials such as soy wax and beeswax melt more slowly compared to paraffin.  As a result, beeswax and soy candles last fifty percent longer than a paraffin candle.  Candles made of beeswax and soy candle wax also emit less sooty smoke compared to candles created using paraffin wax. These factors contributed to the increasing popularity of soy wax and beeswax candles, making them the standard materials for creating high-end, beautifully designed handcrafted candles.

Soy candle wax is beloved to many candle makers who are looking for alternatives to bee’s wax.  Bee’s wax is a good candle making ingredient, no doubt about it, but it is rare and costly.  Soy wax, on the other hand, is made from soya oil, which was processed by hydrogenation.  As the name implies, soy wax is a byproduct of soybeans, the same plant that produces tofu.  Soy wax is now available in most craft stores and online hobby shops.  Soybean oil is abundant in most soybean-growing regions. Not only did the candle makers find a less expensive alternative to create organic candles, they also found a way to create a thing of beauty from a regular commodity.

Soy candle wax has an extremely low melting point, which makes it the ideal wax for container candles.    You can use an old tea pot to hold your soy candle wax and you can light the candle every night while you’re having your tea without worrying about excessive wax spills.

Needless to say, this type of wax is ideal if you’re creating candles for ornament or for creating a romantic, surreal ambiance inside a room.  You really don’t want to keep changing the candle sets in your living room while a formal party is in full swing, do you?  You can create tiny tea lights using soy wax and watch them last the whole night during your event.

For longer lasting candles, trim the wick or use braided wicks for your candle crafting.  The combination of good wick style and low melting soy candle wax will make sure your candles last for a long time.
Soy wax is also highly prized by aromatic candle crafters.  Scented soy candle wax emits aromatic scents easier.  The raw material holds fragrance oil well, without diluting the fragrance. When you light a lavender-scented soy candle, you will smell the lavender fragrance more poignantly than when you light a lavender-scented paraffin wax candle.

Perhaps the biggest benefit to using soy wax for your candle production is the fact that you don’t even need a double boiler to melt soy wax.  You can melt soy over direct heat without worrying about the wax burning.