Learning how to make a candle with a long-lasting fragrance can be a fun and rewarding experience. That’s especially if you love the relaxing ambiance of scented candles. With the right ingredients and simple steps, you can create candles that not only smell amazing, but also burn evenly and last for hours.
Source: Pinterest
In this guide, we’ll walk you through an easy process to make your own candles, ensuring they emit a lasting fragrance.
1. Gathering Materials
The first step is gathering all the necessary supplies. You’ll need soy wax flakes, fragrance oils, a candle wick, a heat-safe container, and a thermometer. Soy wax is ideal because it burns cleaner and holds scent longer than paraffin wax.
Source: Pinterest
You can also experiment with different fragrance oils to create unique scents for your home or as gifts for others.
2. Choosing the Right Wax
The next step is choosing the right wax. Soy wax flakes are a popular option because they burn cleaner and longer than traditional paraffin wax.
Source: Pinterest
Additionally, soy wax holds fragrance well, making it an excellent choice for ensuring your candle has a strong, lasting scent.
3. Preparing the Candle Wick
When making a candle, don’t underestimate the importance of the candle wick. A properly placed wick ensures your candle burns evenly and releases a consistent fragrance throughout its burn time.
Source: Pinterest
To achieve this, choose a cotton or wood wick depending on your preference. Attach the wick to the bottom center of your container using a bit of melted wax or a wick sticker, and ensure it stands upright.
4. Melting the Soy Wax Flakes
Melt your soy wax flakes using a double boiler. This ensures the wax melts slowly and evenly, preventing it from burning. Stir the wax gently as it melts. Once it’s fully liquid, remove it from the heat.
Source: Pinterest
Make sure the wax is melted at the right temperature, which is usually around 170°F. This is to allow for easy mixing and to ensure the fragrance oils blend well.
5. Adding Fragrance for Scented Candles
As a fragrance lover, this is your time to shine! One of the most exciting parts of making a scented candle is choosing your fragrance oils. To create scented candles with a lasting fragrance, add high-quality fragrance oils to your melted wax.
Source: Pinterest
The general rule of thumb is to use 1 ounce of fragrance oil per pound of wax. Stir the oil thoroughly to ensure it’s evenly distributed throughout the wax.
6. Pouring the Wax
Once your wax and fragrance oils are blended, carefully pour the mixture into your container. Leave a bit of space at the top to prevent spillage when the candle burns. As you pour, hold the candle wick upright to ensure it stays centered.
Source: Pinterest
Allow the candle to cool and harden at room temperature. The cooling process is crucial for ensuring the wax sets properly and that the scent is locked in.
7. Centering the Wick
While the wax is setting, use a wick holder or a simple household item like chopsticks to keep the candle wick centered. This step is key to making a candle burn evenly.
Source: Pinterest
A wick that leans too far to one side can cause tunneling, leading to uneven burning and poor scent release. Also, let the candle harden for several hours, or ideally overnight, to ensure it’s fully set.
8. Trimming the Wick for Better Burn
Before lighting your candle for the first time, trim the candle wick to about ¼ inch. A long wick can result in an overly large flame, causing it to burn too quickly and release too much soot.
Source: Pinterest
Trimming the wick is one of the easiest scented candle tips to ensure a clean, even burn.
9. Allow the Candle to Cure
The next important step is allowing the candle to cure. After your candle has fully hardened, let it sit for a few days to a week before lighting it.
Source: Pinterest
This allows the fragrance to bind with the wax, ensuring a stronger and longer-lasting scent when you finally burn it. The longer you allow the candle to cure, the better the scent throw will be.
10. Testing the Candle’s Fragrance
Once it has cured, light it in a small room to test the scent. This will give you an idea of how well the fragrance fills the space.
Source: Pinterest
If you followed the recommended ratios of wax and fragrance oil, your scented candle should provide a pleasant, lasting aroma throughout its burn time.
Enjoy Your Custom Scented Candles
Now that you’ve mastered the whole process , it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Light your candle, sit back, and relax as the soothing scents fill your home.
Source: Pinterest
Whether you’ve made these for personal use or as gifts, your homemade scented candles will bring warmth and comfort to any space.
