Candles were actually one of the first natural items I made for my home. Fresh out of college, I would wander the aisles of Target and dream about buying things for my apartment. The candle aisle was always one of my favorites but since I was too poor to afford anything, I’d just smell them one by one and put them back on the shelf. The day I got my first paycheck, I went straight to the craft store and bought a bunch of supplies to make my own essential oil candles. And I’ve been doing it ever since.
Truth be told, they weren’t really all that natural (or pretty) at first. I was using paraffin wax and chemical scents because I couldn’t afford the nicer ingredients (the thought of it still makes me cringe). But as I began learning about essential oil candles and their health benefits, I slowly started to swap out synthetic fragrances and toxic waxes for more natural ingredients like essential oils, soy wax and cotton wicks.
Switching over to natural ingredients can be a bit of learning curve, especially since they don’t always look and smell like the store-bought candles you’re used to. Figuring out the best kind of wax to use, how much oil to add, and when to add it can take a lot of trial and error. But with years of candle-making under my belt, I’ve made all the mistakes in the book and I finally know what works–and what doesn’t–when it comes to making candles with essential oils.
Here’s a complete guide to making candles with essential oils, so you don’t make all the mistakes I did.
Guide to Making Essential Oil Candles
1. Choose the Right Wax
When it comes to natural candles, there are only a few options for wax. I’m a huge fan of beeswax because it burns slowly and releases a soft honey-like scent, but it’s also expensive. Soy wax, on the other hand, is easy to find and inexpensive, but it burns quickly.
But waxes hold scents differently, and if you want to make candles that smell amazing and retain their scent, I would opt for pure soy wax. (And wax chips are super easy to work with.) Soy wax holds onto natural scents longer and releases them slowly while the candle burns, so your candles smell better, longer.
2. Pick Your Oils Wisely
There are seriously hundreds of oil combinations to choose from. When choosing oils, take into account personal preference as well as the potential health benefits of the oil. It also helps to choose inexpensive oils that smell strong right out of the bottle. That way you can reap the aromatherapy benefits without a major hit to the pocketbook.
My favorites are:
- Lavender – Anti-inflammatory and relaxing
- Lemon – Stimulating and uplifting
- Sweet Orange – Refreshing
- Eucalyptus – Improves respiratory conditions
- Thyme – Relieves stress and anxiety
- Peppermint – Stimulating and uplifting
Not only are they strong scents, but they mix and match nicely so you can combine them in a number of different ways. But since oils have medicinal properties, you should always do research beforehand and choose the oils that suit your needs. And if you have children or pets, always make sure they can be used safely without any adverse effects.
3. Use the Right Amount of Oil
Since oils don’t smell as strongly as synthetic fragrance oils, you need to use a lot in order to obtain a noticeable scent. A good rule of thumb is:
200 drops oil for a 4-ounce candle
You can easily adjust this ratio for different container sizes. For instance, if your candle container is 8 ounces, then use 400 drops instead. This ratio will give you a roughly 6% dilution, which is said to be the optimal amount for getting a noticeable scent without any of the side effects.
If you would prefer not to count drop by drop, you can always add your oils in bulk to save time. While not exact, I measure my oils using a kitchen teaspoon.
100 drops essential oil = 1 teaspoon
If anything, this ratio might err on the side of too little oil. So if needed, adding an extra ½ teaspoon or so should ensure you have a 6% dilution.
4. Add Oils at the Right Time
To get the most scent out of your oils, you need to add them when the wax is the right temperature. If the wax is too hot, it can destroy the active compounds in your oils and dampen the scent. Too cool and the oils might not evenly disperse throughout the wax.
You want to add the oils when the wax is approximately 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Since soy wax can catch on fire easily, always melt soy wax flakes in a double boiler and measure the temperature every couple of minutes until melted. I use an old kitchen thermometer for this and then simply wipe it off when I’m done.
5. Maximize the Scent
Once poured, you’ll want to let your candles cool (cure) completely before burning. And always cover candles tightly with a lid between uses so the scent doesn’t fade.
Lemon Lavender Essential Oil Candles
Yield 1 4-ounce candle
Ingredients
- One 4 ounce glass or tin
- 100% cotton wicks
- 2 cups pure soy wax flakes
- Saucepan
- Old glass jar or aluminum can for melting wax
- Old kitchen thermometer
- Tape or popsicle sticks to hold the wicks
- 100 drops lemon essential oil
- 100 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- Place the soy wax flakes in an old glass jar or aluminum can.
- Bring one inch of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and place the can with the soy wax in the center. Allow the water to simmer until the wax melts completely.
- Remove the can and place your kitchen thermometer in the hot wax. Check the thermometer every few minutes until the wax cools to 185 degrees (it doesn't have to be exact, but a slightly lower temperature is better than higher).
- Add your essential oils and stir to combine.
- Place the wick in the center of the tin and use tape or popsicle sticks to keep it upright.
- Lastly, pour the wax into the tin and allow it to cool for 24 hours before lighting.
Great article! The link that leads to Amazon soy wax chips… is that the brand you recommend? Or did you put that link just to show what wax chips are? I’m looking for the perfect soy wax for my candles.
Yes, those are the ones we use.
In your photos it appears you have tunneling… is that something you know how to correct or is it just something that doesn’t bother you?
Hello, it’s because of the wick. I the candle is tunneling meaning it’s under wick.
Thanks for writing this great article! It’s very informative, and you included some great points to the equally great article. Now you can easily <a href="https://aquariangardenscolorado.com/diy-essential-oil-aromatherapy-bath-bombs/buy essential oils online store, Thanks again for sharing this post with us!!
I am soooo thankful for this article! I have searched and searched the internet for some advice regarding making soy candles with essential oils. I have spent a lot of money purchasing ingredients, experimenting and failing. I mostly read that essential oils give poor scent throw, which is upsetting, then I came across this and all your helpful advice. Thank you!
I understand that some essential oils, when burned (even in a candle), are toxic and should not be used for candle making. Are the oils you mention safe for burning in a candle? Are there others that are safe to use?
Hi Stephanie, thanks for the insightful article above on making homemade candles. My partner and I are trying to do the same, but it seems the hot throw isn’t quite that strong… We are using pure essential oils only (no fragrance) to keep things all natural. What do you recommend? And also, with pure essential oils, should we still be adding at 185F?
Thanks!
Hi Jon. I’m a complete beginner and wondering if you got a reply or have since found out more please? I realise from the article that i’m using far too little pure essential oil and also i am using a coconut and rapeseed eco friendly wax. I am surprised at the temperature of 185F to add the oils ie 85C as i was adding them at 40 – 45C. If you have any top tips for me that would me much appreciated! Best wishes, Jane
Has anyone mixed pine and lavendar? If so how did it turn out?
I’ve mixed cedarwood and lavender (with geranium and ylang yland). That worked quite well.
what is the burning time on the candles?
This is a great article, it is very helpful. One correction though, if an essential oil brand is TRULY 100% pure…200 drops is about 10x too much, and that is not an exaggeration. Unfortunately the term “100% Pure” is not at all regulated and most essential oil bottles falsely claim this. However, 20 drops is more than enough for a 4oz candle if the oil is in fact, 100% pure, and free of ANY additional ingredients.
I’m working on making my own candles and I had a huge fire hazard with the first test batch I made…primarily because I used Tea Tree Oil in one of the candles in a much larger quantity than I should have. I’ve been researching on the internet looking for a resource that can determine which essential oils you should avoid for candles to not create fire hazards and I’m having trouble… your article was so well written I figured I should ask to see if you have any thoughts or suggestions! Thanks!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING. When experimenting with blends can you suggest the least wasteful way to do this? I.e can you determine blends without puring into wax?
Hi Stephanie. I am a complete beginner and using RCX eco friendly coconut and rapeseed wax – would your advice for this kind of wax be the same as in your article please? I realise I must not be using nearly the right amount of pure essential oils and I’ve been adding at a much lower temperature ie 104F/40C.Best wishes, Jane