How to make a scented candle without wax?
Discover the steps involved in creating DIY wax-free candles and the benefits of these candles in this article.
When we buy a candle in the shops, it’s not always easy to know all the products it contains.
Synthetic fragrances, chemical colorants, other unknown ingredients… The solution? Make your own DIY (Do It Yourself) candles for a healthy atmosphere.
How to make your own candle?
To make a homemade candle, make sure you have the following materials:
- Wax: this can be of animal origin, such as beeswax, vegetable such as soy or palm wax, or mineral such as kerosene.
- A 100% cotton candle wick.
- A glass vessel (jam jar, jar…) to serve as a container, but also to make the shape of your candle.
- Skewer picks to hold the candle wick straight.
- Scented essential oils (lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, olive oil, rosewood oil, ylang ylang oil, etc.) as desired.
- A saucepan.
Steps to making your own candle
- First, you’ll need to melt the wax in a bain-marie, then add any fragrance you like, using essential oils suitable for candle-making (about 10 drops for 450 grams of wax).You can also add color to your DIY candles with coloring tablets that melt into the wax, or with liquid colorants specially designed for candles.
- If you want a more natural or organic colorant, you can add colored spices (such as turmeric), tea bags (red fruits), which are usually available in the kitchen, or even Henna, which is another alternative.
- Once the wax has been melted, the color chosen and the fragrance of essential oils determined, simply pour this preparation into the glass container of your choice. Beforehand, you’ll have glued a cotton wick into your glass jar, enabling you to light your DIY candle. Once you’ve poured the wax into your glass jar, you can use wooden sticks to hold the cotton wick upright while the wax cools.
Can I make a DIY candle without wax?
Surprising as it may be, it’s perfectly possible to make a candle without wax. To do so, proceed in the same way as for a traditional candle, simply replacing the wax with edible fat (sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.). So, how do you make a wax-free candle?
What’s the point of making a wax-free candle?
Numerous studies have revealed that the use of wax in candles can have quite harmful effects on our health. In fact, once consumed, wax can cause irritation of the respiratory tract or even the nose, as well as certain carcinogenic cells. There is even talk of banning certain indoor candles. So making a wax-free candle is far from pointless.
How long does a DIY wax-free candle last?
The lifespan of a DIY waxless candle is more or less the same as that of a conventional wax candle. The burning time can be between 2 h 30 and 3 h, depending on the size of the candle. What’s more, as soon as the candle becomes liquid, it goes out and you’ll have to wait for it to cool before relighting it.
However, there is a little trick to prolong the life of your candle: the more essential oils a candle contains, the quicker it will burn out. Conversely, a less scented decorative candle will take longer to burn out, but will give off less scent.
Candle wax: where to find it?
Making candles when you don’t have any wax at home is therefore perfectly possible, provided you don’t miss any of the steps outlined above. Alternatively, if you like to make your own candles at home, because you enjoy this hobby and want to use it to set the right mood in your home, you can choose candle wax on the Internet. They’re very easy to find, and they’re good products that allow you, without too much effort or too many fumes, to make a pretty series of candles, which you’ll light in the evening to create a softer atmosphere in the living room, or at the table. Ideally, you should also stock up on candle fragrances, to give your creations that extra touch. Here you can choose from a wide range of fragrances, all of which add something special to the ambience of the room.
Candle wax and fragrances
With candle wax specially designed so that anyone can use it to make candles for the home, and a selection of the most prestigious fragrances – we’re talking about Grasse perfumes! – All you have to do is set aside some time in your free time to start creating candles. As with any craft, cooking or other activity that allows us to use our hands to create something pleasant and useful, we have a great time making candles and giving them a special fragrance. Afterwards, we’re delighted to have succeeded in creating decorative elements that offer a delicate fragrance thanks to homemade recipes.
