Find out how to make beeswax candle recipes with essential oils, and learn why you should consider swapping out store-bought candles for homemade!
It’s not only fun to make candles, it’s better for your health to make the switch from store-bought scented candles to your own naturally scented homemade ones.
Did you know thatmost store-bought candles are as bad for your family to be around as second hand smoke!Yikes, right?!
Paraffin wax, which releases chemical toxins when burned, is the most common wax used in store-bought candles. And the strong scents used in these candlesemit harmful substancesincluding formaldehyde!
Luckily, beeswax candles made with essential oils are a great alternative! There are so many scent recipes you can make to mimic your favorite candle smells.
Nothing says “cozy” to me quite like a beautiful little glowing candle smelling like Autumn on a rainy day.
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What You Need To Make These Recipes For Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils:
ingredients
- beeswax pellets– eitherwhiteoryellow beeswaxwill work for candle making. I have tried both and prefer the white because it has less of a strong beeswax smell.
- coconut oil– bothunrefined coconut oilandfractionated coconut oilwill work totally fine for this project.
- essential oils–this is the brand I use. Its affordable and gives off a nice strong scent.
supplies
- candle wicks– for candle recipes that use essential oils, its best to usewicks that burn nice and hotso that the candle gives off as much scent as possible.
- small glass jars– choose a jar or container that isn’t too curvy on the sides so that the wax burns evenly. I used the leftover jars from Oui yogurts.
- hot glue gun– for securing the wicks to the bottom of the jars.
- scissors –orwick trimmersfor trimming the wicks.
- candle wick centering device(or wooden clothes pins) –wick centering devicesare great for holding the wick in place while the wax hardens, but you can always use wooden clothes pins like I did.
- melting pot (optional)– making candles is messy, and whatever pot you use is going to be very hard to clean afterward. Using amelting potmakes it easier to pour the wax into the jars without dripping it everywhere (been there!). It is optional, so if you’re only making a few candles, don’t worry about purchasing one.Check your local craft store for a better deal.
FAQ About Making Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils
can you add essential oils to beeswax candles?
Essential oils may smell strong straight out of the bottle, but they aren’t going to smell as strong when burned in a candle so you will need quite a bit of it.
For every 4 ounces of wax, you will need to use at least 60 drops of essential oils when making homemade candles.
Certain essential oils will throw a stronger scent:
- pine
- rosemary
- orange
- cinnamon
- clove
- eucalyptus
Of course you can use any essential oils you like though!
why put coconut oil in beeswax candles?
- Coconut oil used as an ingredient in beeswax candles can help them burn more evenly and prevent tunneling.
- Coconut oil also helps homemade candles scented with essential oils to smell stronger while they are burned
how much essential oil do you put in beeswax candles?
As a rule of thumb, you will need at least 60 drops of essential oils for every 4 ounces of wax blend. You can use more, though. For a stronger scent use 2 teaspoons of essential oils in a 4 ounce candle.
how do you make stronger scented beeswax candles?
1. Choosing the Right Wax:
Use beeswax since it is a slow burning wax and will hold on to the scent longer and release it slowly as it burns down.
2. Choosing the Right Wick:
Make sure to use a good quality wick that burns hot. These are great for candles made with essential oils.
3. Using Enough Essential Oils:
Use plenty of essential oils. 2 teaspoons of oils is the recommended amount for every 4 ounces of wax when candle making. You can definitely use more, but essential oils are not cheap and your candle making can get pricey the more you use.
4. Letting the Wax Cool:
Add the essential oils when the wax has had a chance to cool a bit. Letting the wax get down to 180 degrees will help ensure the scent in your oils is not destroyed by the heat of the wax.
Seasonal Essential Oil Recipes For Beeswax Candles:
Spring
eucalyptus + peppermint + rosemary
lemon + orange + spearmint
cedarwood + lavender + tangerine
grapefruit + pine + bergamot
Summer
lavender + lemon + grapefruit + peppermint
rosemary + peppermint + lime + lavender
lemon + basil + spearmint
orange + lemon + eucalyptus + peppermint
Fall
peppermint + eucalyptus + lavender + orange
nutmeg + cardamom + clove + ginger + pine + cinnamon
orange + lemon + cinnamon + clove
orange + juniper + cedarwood
Winter
rosemary + eucalyptus + orange + cinnamon + clove
clove + cinnamon + orange
orange + pine + cinnamon
pine + peppermint + grapefruit + cinnamon
How To You Make Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils – Recipes:
Prep– Using a hot glue gun, secure the wicks to the center of your jars.
Melt– Using a melting pot or makeshift double boiler, melt the beeswax over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until it is completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut oil until there are no chunks left.
Add Oils– Let the wax cool to 180 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature. Stir in essential oils of your choice.
Pour –Carefully pour the melted wax into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the tops.
Cool – Using wick centering devices or a clothes pin, make sure the wicks are all centered in the wax. Let cool until the candles are completely hardened. Trim the wicks to 1/4 inch above the wax.
Tips:
The First Burn: let the candle burn until the wax is completely melted across the top for even burning.
To Use: make sure the candle wick is trimmed to 1/4 inch every time you burn your candles.
Store: to keep the essential oil scent strong, cover or seal your candles between burning times.
Common Candle Making Mistakes and How To Avoid Them:
1. Sinkhole
Wax shrinks as it cools and when it cools too quickly it can cause holes in your freshly made candles. The way to keep this from happening, is to allow the wax to cool just a bit before pouring it into your containers.
Using a candy thermometer, just check to make sure the temperature of the wax isn’t over 180 degrees before you pour it. If you don’t have a thermometer, just give the wax a few minutes to cool after melting it.
2. Drowning Wick
Drowning wick can happen for a number of reasons:
- you used a container that isn’t straight enough on the sides
- the wax comes too close to the top of the container, not leaving enough room for the wax pool; to form
- your container is too wide for one wick or the size of wick you chose
Unfortunately candle making is a learning experience and we just have to learn from our mistakes as we made them.
3. Tunneling
Tunneling can happen if you don’t allow the candle to burn long enough each time you light it. (this can happen to any candle you buy too!) Try burning your candles until a pool of melted wax forms across the entire surface before blowing it out.
4. Candle Top Not Smooth After Cooling
Homemade candles can end up with little holes after cooling is the wax was poured too cool, or if any water got into the wax while it was melting. Using a melting pot can keep this from happening. If you do use a double boiler, just be very careful not to splash any water into the wax.
More Handmade Ideas You Might Enjoy:
If you liked this tutorial, I think you’ll really enjoy these other homemade ideas on the blog!
- Handmade Gingerbread Whipped Body Lotion
- Homemade Honey Oatmeal Soap – With Pink Clay
- DIY Strawberry Lip Balm
- Homemade Orange Blossom Face Wash
- Handmade Orange Lip Balm
If you try making homemade beeswax candles with essential oils yourself,I would love it if you use the recipe 5 star rating in the comments below! It helps me so much!
Recipe For Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils
Yield: 4 - 4 ounce candles
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Homemade beeswax candles with essential oils are such a fun thing to make and give as gifts, or just use throughout your home!
Ingredients
- 1 pound beeswax pellets
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 240 drops of essential oils or 8 teaspoons for a stronger scent
Instructions
- Prep - Using a hot glue gun, secure the wicks to the center of your jars.
- Melt - Using a melting pot or makeshift double boiler, melt the beeswax over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until it is completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut oil until there are no chunks left.
- Add Oils - Let the wax cool to 180 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature. Stir in essential oils of your choice.
- Pour - Carefully pour the melted wax into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the tops.
- Cool - Using wick centering devices or a clothes pin, make sure the wicks are all centered in the wax. Let cool until the candles are completely hardened. Trim the wicks to 1/4 inch above the wax.
Notes
The First Burn: let the candle burn until the wax is completely melted across the top for even burning.
To Use: make sure the candle wick is trimmed to 1/4 inch every time you burn your candles.
Store: to keep the essential oil scent strong, cover or seal your candles between burning times.
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