The soft fragrance of melting wax, the flickering of live lights, the magical aura of romance - candles can create a special atmosphere in the house, cheer you up or relieve stress after a hard day. They charge the dwelling with the power of the natural elements and protect it from negative energy. Scented candles, created by you according to the sketches of your own imagination, have even more power, because they concentrate the warmth of your hands and the miracle of creation.

Fire has a magical effect: it can be destructive and life-giving, burning and warming, dazzling and illuminating. It is believed that a person can look at him forever. Accompanied by the flame of a candle, religious and witchcraft rituals take place - exactly the same as accompanied by incense. Aroma candles - a beautiful tandem of smell and light, are in special demand among mystical, dreamy and sensual natures. And if they also carry a high decorative value, then how can you do without them at all?

Handmade candles will allow you not only to throw out your creative potential, but also provide pleasant gifts to all your friends and relatives. And, who knows, maybe this exciting activity will turn into an easy source of income for you?

Making candles at home: materials and equipment

Everything you need for an exciting process of candle making can be purchased at needlework stores and art shops. Making candles at home is not too expensive, and for the first experiments you can get by with a minimum number of necessities.

To place original accents in the interior and create a pleasant atmosphere, you will need:

Wax, paraffin, stearin

Both pre-assembled cinders and a special candle mass will do. Ten to twenty percent stearin added to paraffin will give it hardness and reduce "weeping" when burned. Natural wax for candles can be bought from beekeepers - by the way, they will certainly have foundation for the textured finish of your creations.

Wick

You can make your own candle wick by twisting it from thick cotton threads. You can also use floss. However, it is much easier to buy ready-made in the store - the price is more than affordable. An important point: the thickness of the wick greatly affects the quality of the burning of the candle. Too thin will give a weak light, which will go out, choking on melted wax. Too thick - a guarantee of excessively intense burning and soot.

Dishes for melting wax

It must be heat resistant. For a small candle, any tin will do - the main thing is that it is convenient for you to work with it (remove, hold, tilt).

Saucepan or bowl for water bath

There is only one requirement - it should be wider and lower than the dishes for melting. Sustainability is welcome.

Special dyes or wax crayons

Pigments for coloring candle mass can be in the form of a powder or solid granules. Ordinary wax pencils from your child's artistic arsenal will adequately replace them. Water-soluble dyes are not suitable categorically!

Essential oils

You can also make scented candles with your own hands at home using synthetic fragrances, but, you see, this will reduce magic to zero. Essential oils have powerful therapeutic properties, the range of their aromas is rich - it will not be difficult to choose a composition that is pleasant and useful for you. If desired, you can get by with vanilla, cinnamon, and ground coffee available at home.

thin sticks

They will be required to fix the wick exactly in the middle of the candle, to stir the dyes and flavors in hot paraffin, and also to apply the original “scratched” ornament to the finished candle.

Candle molds

Specialty shops will surprise you with the choice of molds for pouring paraffin, but making candles at home does not require any extra expenses. Real masterpieces "with a twinkle" will be obtained with the help of an aluminum beer can, a tetra-pack bag, a glass of yogurt.

Napkins for decoupage, coffee beans, dried flowers, beautiful spices, beads, rhinestones

If you already make candles with your own hands, then certainly original ones. Decorative elements - offered by the store or found in your home treasures - are a source of inspiration for creating a unique author's work. And special candle glues, varnishes, contours and markers will allow you to create the most elegant and colorful work. But keep in mind: only candles with a large diameter and a thin wick can be decorated with flammable paper, fabrics, herbs.

Scented candle at home: work sequence

This process requires, above all, caution: hot wax spilled on a towel, clothes, skin can cause fire and burns. But otherwise - an aromatic candle at home - it's simple, interesting, exciting!

Think over the design and aromatic composition for the future candle. Measure the required amount of pigments, select the decor. Prepare the mold and wick.

If you are pouring wax into a mold, make a small hole in the middle of its bottom. Thread a wick into it and tie a knot on the outside of the mold - later this will be the top of the candle. Pull lightly so that the knot fits snugly into the hole. Lightly grease the mold with vegetable oil or liquid soap. Put it on the bottom, and put two sticks on the upper walls - in diameter or diagonally. Fasten the wick between them so that it is stretched exactly in the middle of the candle.

Prepare a water bath. The water in it should not boil. At the bottom of the dish, you can put a cloth napkin. Cut (break, grate) the candle mass into small pieces, place them in a heat-resistant dish and set to melt. Add stearin if needed.

The maximum temperature to which paraffin can be brought is 75 degrees.
Add pigments to the melted mass, and then flavors. Mix thoroughly.

Carefully, without moving the wick, pour the wax into the mold. Leave to harden for 15-30 minutes. The time depends on the thickness of the candle.

Untie the knot at the bottom of the mold, gently pull on the wick and remove the candle.
If the candle does not give in, send it to the freezer for 15 minutes, then it will easily slip out of the mold.

Cut the wick (the one at the bottom) to a length of 1 centimeter, and the bottom one to the root.
Your scented candle is ready! Now you can make a carved ornament on it, wrap it beautifully with twine or decorate it using decoupage technique.

By putting crushed ice in the mold before pouring the wax, you will get fantastic openwork candles.

You can make a candle in a glass jar, a pretty jar, coconut shell, dried orange peel - in this case, you will need a special metal wick holder. It must be glued to the bottom of the selected vessel.
Natural beeswax is much more suitable for scented candles with essential oils: unlike paraffin, it does not emit harmful substances during combustion, but saturates the air with useful ones.

Striped candles are easy: just pour layers of multi-colored wax one by one after the previous one has hardened.

Rose essential oil has a very intense aroma. To many, when burning a candle, it may seem suffocating.

The most popular air fragrance oils:

• Citrus fruits: orange, tangerine, bergamot, grapefruit, lime, lemon - improve mood, help overcome depression, are useful for increasing body tone and preventing SARS.
• Lavender, mint, sandalwood, myrrh, storax - relieve insomnia, relax, clear the mind.
• Jasmine, ylang-ylang, patchouli - aromas of a romantic evening.
• Fir, cedar, pine, tea tree, vetiver, eucalyptus - will help you get rid of colds faster, destroy microbes and viruses in the air.

Making candles with an exquisite aroma has a therapeutic effect in itself. Creativity distracts from bad thoughts, reveals the soul of a person, brings meaning and satisfaction to his being. After creating your fragrant wax masterpiece, light it up, focus on the flame, relax and think: "Life is beautiful."

Candle making at home is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. This is a very interesting and simple activity, having mastered the basics of which you can always surprise your friends or colleagues with a small but pleasant gift. You can also decorate the interior of your home with interesting handmade candles. In this article, the author invites you to try your hand at candle making with a minimum set of materials and tools, you do not have to buy any special devices or components. And if you are fascinated by this activity, then you will already be experimenting with dyes, flavors and shapes.

To get started, prepare everything you need:
1. Paraffin ordinary candle.
2. Small knife.
3. An empty juice or milk bag.
4. Pencil.
5. Dishes for a water bath. Since the dishes are very difficult to put in order later, it is recommended to use inexpensive dishes, which will later be used for such purposes.
6. Small sieve.
7. Coffee beans.
8. Small decorative elements to decorate the candle (optional).

Before starting work, carefully read the safety precautions for working with paraffin !!!
1. Paraffin is a flammable substance, so it is not worth melting it directly on a fire or in a microwave oven. You need to melt paraffin only in a water bath, while the fire should not be too strong. In the process of melting, paraffin can be stirred with a wooden stick or spatula and in no case should paraffin be left on fire unattended.
2. When pouring the paraffin into the mold, be careful, if you use a bowl with an iron handle to melt the paraffin in a water bath, then do not forget to use an oven mitt.
3. Also, when pouring paraffin into molds, be extremely careful and make sure that the melted paraffin does not get on the skin.
4. Keep a pack of open baking soda handy for emergencies. In case of fire, paraffin should not be extinguished with water, only with soda.
So let's get started.

1 step.
With a knife, carefully make shallow cuts along the entire length of the candle without cutting the wick. We break the candle into pieces, carefully remove the wick. We will need it in the future. We grind the paraffin from the candle with a knife and put it in a previously prepared container for melting. Now we take a pan of a larger diameter, pour water into it and put it on gas. From above, into the water, we put a vessel with finely chopped paraffin. When the water in the pan boils, the paraffin will begin to melt in a water bath.

2 step.
Until the water boils, prepare the form for the future candle. To do this, take a bag of juice and cut off the top with a knife. Now we take the wick previously removed from the candle and wind it around the pencil. Then place the pencil with the wick strictly in the center of the form.

3 step.
Now let's get back to the paraffin. The water boils, and the paraffin begins to slowly melt in a water bath. After the paraffin has completely melted, pour a handful of coffee beans into it.

4 step.
Now pour all this mixture into the previously prepared form. This will be the first, decorative layer of the candle. Now you need to give the paraffin mixture in the form a little time so that it freezes.

5 step.
Then again melt the paraffin in a water bath and pour it into the form with a second layer. Since this layer is already made without grains, any impurities are undesirable in it. Therefore, you can use a strainer and pour the paraffin into the mold through it, sifting out unnecessary impurities.

6 step.
Now we patiently wait for the paraffin to finally harden. Then, with a knife, we cut the juice bag, which served as a mold for the candle, and carefully remove it. The candle can be decorated with special candle stickers or simply wrapped with tape, which will need to be removed when it's time to light the candle. Here is a great result at a minimum cost.

And if you choose a wider shape and wind several wicks on a pencil, you will get such a wonderful candle with several wicks. And in order for it to be a pleasant coffee color, it is enough to add an ordinary brown wax crayon during the paraffin melting process. I hope you enjoyed your new experience and you will enjoy learning a new useful hobby. Successful creativity!

In recent years, the manufacture of candles from mass production has slowly migrated to the home workshops of needlewomen, turning into a creative activity.

Candles, which some century ago were not only the main source of light, but also a kind of indicator of family well-being, used in wealthy homes instead of a smoking torch, have long lost their original meaning. Today, it is important to make candles with your own hands at home in order to use them in a completely different way - as an element of exquisite decor and an invariable attribute of creating a romantic mood.

Making decorative candles as a hobby

Thanks to the simple technology of creation and a large selection of materials for work and decoration, now every craftswoman can open a miniature "candle factory" at home, which will not only bring pleasure from creativity, but can also become an additional source of profit.

The advantage of this type of hobby is that the activity is simple, not boring, and a beautiful result can be obtained quite quickly. For these reasons, making candles at home will appeal to needlewomen of all ages, both venerable and not yet very experienced.

What is needed for creativity

The best part is that you need a minimum set of materials to get started:

• candle gel, wax or paraffin;
• wick or cotton threads without synthetic impurities for its manufacture;
• form for pouring a candle;
• elements for decoration.

Wax or paraffin can be used from ordinary household candles, but it will not be difficult to remove the finished wick from them. Candle gel is also easy to make with your own hands. Instead of an expensive form, you can take any suitable refractory container - a beautiful cup, jar, tin box. In a word, starting a new hobby will not be very expensive. We can say that this is one of the.

Based on the main material used to make candles, two basic technologies are distinguished - wax and gel, which are similar in many respects, but, nevertheless, have their own nuances in work.

The secrets of making candles from wax or paraffin

In the process of creating a product from wax, the most important moment is the melting of the material. Here you will need good skill and speed of action, since melted wax or paraffin cools quickly, besides, it is very hot and can easily burn.

Also, before making a candle with your own hands, it is important to choose the right thickness of the wick: if you make it too thick, the candle will melt and smoke too much, and a very thin one will constantly go out. The twisting density of the wick also plays an important role - for wax and paraffin candles, the threads must be twisted slightly loosely so that the flame does not go out.

There is no universal advice here - the optimal thickness and density of twisting of the threads for the wick will have to be derived only from personal experience, by trial and experiment. Each master eventually develops his own formula and the secret of successful work.

DIY gel candles

To make beautiful transparent candles that do not emit any smell or smoke, you can use ready-made gel wax, or you can prepare consumables yourself. In the latter case, you need to purchase ingredients such as glycerin, tannin, gelatin, distilled water and mix them, boil over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated.

This technology is somewhat more complicated than wax, but the result is worth the effort - the products are very elegant and unique. During cooking, the mixture may become cloudy, but this is a temporary phenomenon that disappears immediately after the gel cools down.

The gel opens up a lot of different possibilities for decorating. For example, shells, pebbles, starfish, dried citrus fruits or flowers filled with transparent wax look very beautiful. Women who are looking for can make candles with their own hands at home in this way, since no harmful substances are released during work.

Making scented candles at home

Separately, it is worth mentioning aroma candles - they are also easy to make at home. The advantage of home-made scented candles is that you can be 100% sure that the scented components are environmentally friendly and harmless.

Why learn to make candles

Designers and decorators often use beautiful interior candles to create false fireplaces in houses and apartments. They can also be a good gift or a romantic souvenir, so if you learn how to make a high-quality and original product, then it’s quite possible to make good money on your favorite hobby.

Especially if on the eve of major generally recognized holidays, products with thematic design are made. Handmade products can also be offered to restaurant owners, who often use candles to create an intimate atmosphere in the restaurant in the evening or to give a special festive atmosphere.

Step-by-step master classes with photos

To help those who are just trying their hand at creating "home fires", we have prepared unique master classes with step-by-step photos. Detailed instructions will help you understand the intricacies of craftsmanship and master difficult moments.

You are on the verge of an amazing discovery of the world of candles.

In order not to throw a bunch of materials for making candles in the trash, you first need to study their properties.

• How to save your time?
• How to avoid beginner mistakes?
• How to save on materials and not throw away the money spent on materials and their delivery?
• Want to learn how to make candles yourself?
• Do you want a new hobby that you can earn money from?
• Then read the article to the end!

Of the many materials for creating candles, it is not easy to choose the right ones for you. There are a huge number of articles on candle making on the Internet, and, to put it mildly, not all of them are true. Often online stores that sell materials for candles (or for soap and candles) sell them and give the wrong advice, or simply try to sell you more (in other words, to make money on you).

It is necessary to take into account the properties of each material and separate the necessary from the secondary.

Candlemaker's desktop

Your work table, where you will make candles, should be protected from paraffin, dyes and everything with which you will create.

The table needs to be covered.

It can be an old newspaper and a magazine divided into sheets, polyethylene, old cut bags.

It is very convenient to use silicone baking mats (blue and red are mine).

Of course, before starting work, put on an apron or clothes that you don’t mind. If paraffin drops on clothes, then it will be almost impossible to return it to its original form.

Why is silicone mat so good?

Drops of paraffin that have fallen past the mold easily depart from it.

It is easy to wash.

Easy to fold, roll up and put away.

It is soft and pleasant to the touch.

Water bath accessory

The very first thing you can't do without is water bath.

All candles are made from candle mass melted in water bath, otherwise it cannot be melted. No way! In no case should you melt the candle mass in a microwave, double boiler, slow cooker ...

Otherwise, the paraffin will instantly overheat and ignite!

If you do not want a fire, then strictly follow these tips.

Only a water bath!

What is a water bath?

You will need an old metal saucepan (you will not use it anywhere else) and a smaller ladle, preferably with a long handle.

Water is heated and boiled in a saucepan, heating the candle mass in a ladle. Gradually, the mass melts. The paraffin will never reach the boiling point in this way. This means that harmful vapors will not be released into the air you breathe.

Make sure that the melted candle mass does not drip onto the stove.

Paraffin in contact with a hot object (or when boiling) evaporates, releasing harmful fumes. Do not confuse! When melted in a water bath, paraffin does not emit anything!

My pans look like these two photos. I bought one ladle in a specialized online store in the USA, I bought the second one from my hands. It is more convenient with a plastic handle, because does not heat up.

Food paraffin (P-2)

Why is paraffin called food grade? It is used in the food industry, for example, in the coating of cheeses to slow down product spoilage.

Paraffin is in shavings (loose, photo on the left), and sometimes lumpy (below in the photo). Buying paraffin in a briquette (layer) is cheaper.

• Paraffin is a product of petroleum distillation.
• The substance is white in color with a crystalline structure, in the molten state it has a low viscosity.
• Melting temperature t pl \u003d 40-65 ° С.
• Density 0.880-0.915 g/cm³ (15°C).

Pay attention when buying paraffin for its labeling. There is also technical paraffin (marked T), which contains a large% of technical oils, from which food grade paraffin is cleaned as much as possible!

It is cheaper to buy paraffin in briquettes, but in this case you will have to buy 5 briquettes in a bag, and each factory makes about 5 kg. I have already got used to it and buy paraffin in bulk, 25-45 kg each.

At retail, paraffin is most often sold in shavings (flakes), since it is easier for the seller to pour and weigh it.

What else is needed, besides paraffin, for candles?

You can only make candles from paraffin. Then you get this effect, as in the photo. After the candle hardens, the surface is obtained with bubbles, veins, or "snowy" - as someone says - that is, heterogeneous.

• This comes from the fact that the paraffin needs a so-called "plasticizer" because the paraffin hardens unevenly.

The snow effect is great for holiday candles!

What to do if we want to avoid this effect, we will analyze further.

In the meantime, check out how you can use the effect!

An important property of paraffin is shrinkage

Due to the fact that paraffin molecules have a weak bond, there is no surface tension, such as that of water, or, for example, a molten soap base. It is weak. Thus, when the paraffin hardens, firstly, it settles, and secondly, a funnel is formed, as in the photo.

• How to remove this funnel?- the most frequent question. Don't get scared at the sight of a funnel and don't think it's your fault. This funnel always appears. It's important to just hide it. But how?

It is necessary to pierce the hardening surface with a long knitting needle or a stick during the paraffin solidification process in order to remove excess air and open voids.

And then top up.

Thus, the funnel can be hidden.

Stearin

Remember we talked about the "snowiness" effect? It can be removed. Stearin can serve as a plasticizer, a binder for paraffin molecules.

That is, if you put paraffin and a little stearin in a water bath, then the effect of snowflakes will disappear, the color will be even.

Stearin is used in the production of candles as an additive to paraffin (10-20%) or in its pure form.

Solid, translucent mass, greasy to the touch.

• Melting point t pl 53-65°C.
• Density 0.92 g/cm 3 (20°C).

Stearin candles burn evenly and do not melt, they do not change their shape during thermal exposure.

But making candles from pure stearin is quite expensive. Therefore, it is better to have stearin and add it to paraffin, so that the candle mass shrinks less and the candle "flows" less.

The formula for the production of candles from paraffin and stearin:

• 80% paraffin + 20% stearin. Try it!

Natural beeswax*

*For adherents of all natural, it is possible to make candles from bees, soy (etc.) wax.

When I purchased a natural large natural beeswax briquette, I fell in love with this material at first sight! Why do we need all these artificial flavors when there is the most fragrant honey beeswax? Ehhhh...

Beeswax is a waste product of bees. Registered as a food additive E-901.

It is secreted by special glands of honey bees, from which bees build honeycombs.

Solid substance from white (with a slight yellow tint) to yellow-brown color with a characteristic honey smell.

It has strong bactericidal properties.

At a temperature of 35 °C the wax becomes plastic.

It melts at a temperature of 62-68 °C.

I pour this wax into small silicone molds (I will show these molds later). Candles are small in weight, fragrant and beautiful.

By the way, for melting beeswax, I use a separate dish, because it is difficult to wipe off the wax.

• beeswax is aromatherapy
• Hardens many times faster than paraffin
• Natural product

But, of course, beeswax - expensive product. It costs 4 times more than paraffin.

Candle molds

When you start making candles, life turns into a constant search for candle molds. Until you get professional forms.

Q-tips were my secret weapon.

They are not only round, but also in the form of a heart, a flower.

Who said that non-professional forms are bad candles?

The main thing is that the candle mass, dyes and flavors are on top. Execution, of course, too :-)

Polycarbonate molds

I purchased these forms in the USA. Forms are convenient because they are transparent.

However, polycarbonate is not eternal and cracks over time.

I recently threw away one mold (it cracked and started to leak) after 4 years of use.

Plastic molds for candles

These molds are stronger and cheaper than polycarbonate.

However, the downside is that they are not transparent.

The difference is that they have a plug (cover) at the base of the mold. This is quite convenient when you need to take out a finished candle.

Soft plastic for mini candles

These are the forms (used in the manufacture of soap).

Holes for the wick are made with a red-hot needle, and the mold is ready for making mini-candles.

Plastic Molds Milkyway Molds

There are also some very interesting plastic forms.

In Russia, I have not seen such.

Molds manufactured by Milky Way Molds, consisting of two parts. It is a durable plastic that can withstand temperatures of 200º C.

I have such forms, but I don’t make candles out of them ... they are painfully bulky ... about 2 kg!

metal molds(aluminum, steel, etc.)

Metal forms are "for centuries". Strong, stable, super, in a word. Forms are made of aluminum, steel, and other metals.

You need to be careful, because. the metal quickly heats up from the filled candle mass, you can burn yourself.

The thickness of the mold is 1-3 mm. I really enjoyed pouring candles into metal molds. Candles are smooth.

Silicone baking molds

You can use silicone molds for baking or ice: tall molds in the form of hearts, muffins, roses, as well as small molds in the form of fish, stars, etc. as decoration for candles.

Silicone baking molds are flexible, inexpensive, but not so durable when the bottom is pierced (when the candle is removed from the mold, the hole gradually breaks out, and this causes paraffin to leak during pouring, although this can also be solved with paper tape or other secrets, which I talk about in my master classes).

Silicone handmade molds

Silicone molds can be bought at the store. But there are such unique silicone molds that are not so easy to make, that's why I'll tell you about them. I order my silicone molds from the master. These are not all the forms that I have.

To make a candle, you need experience.

Make your own silicone mold

According to the preparation technology, silicones are two-component (the so-called "compounds"): consisting of a base and a catalyst (hardener), which must be mixed in a certain proportion before use, and one-component - ready for use.

To make a mold, we need a two-component compound. When both components are mixed, they begin to gradually solidify.

Blind your own form from plasticine or take a ready-made one (ball, toy, etc.), place it in a disposable bucket (jar or any other container, secure it firmly with glue or tape. Mix the components in a ratio of 100 grams of base and 3.5 - 5 grams of hardener and pour in. After 8-10 hours, the form is ready.

It is better if, when pouring silicone, you just leave a place where you will later pour wax. Otherwise, you will have to cut the mold and, when casting wax, strengthen it with a rope or rubber bands. The trouble is that hot wax deforms the mold.

But the next experiments showed that the silicone mold is in any case cut along (or across, which is not important for us), because the plasticine master model cannot be removed otherwise.

Be prepared for the pungent and unpleasant odor of both the liquid silicone and the cured mold. Be sure to add fragrance to the future candle, otherwise the candle mass will absorb the pungent smell of silicone.

And also do not spare the catalyst (it is better to put more on 1 g than less). Otherwise, nothing will harden, the mixture will not seize, and you will have to get the master model out of liquid, very sticky and unpleasant silicone and fill it all over again (after having fiddled with soap and a brush).

I got such a candle from a homemade silicone mold, the result and the process didn’t really delight me, so I decided to order the molds from the master. Which is what I do to this day.

Making your own plaster mold

In this case, we will make a mold from gypsum. To begin with, it is necessary to fashion the intended future shape from plasticine.

Where the form connector is supposed to be, the blades of a safety razor should be stuck into the plasticine, not very deep. The whole structure is covered with plaster. The blades will help to quickly separate the form (the frozen gypsum is not cut and crumbles into small pieces).

These are the mini-candles I got.

Wick

You can buy wicks for your future ingenious creations at candle factories or in specialized stores.

But you need to know that there are a huge number of types and sizes of wicks on sale.

It is very important to choose the right wick for a candle.

If the wick is too thick, then the candle flame will be large and the candle will burn out too quickly; if the wick is too thin, it will burn out faster than paraffin, and the candle will “choke” and go out.

For the manufacture of the wick, a natural cotton thread is used, which does not smoke or crack when burned.

Wicks are usually marked with numbers.

No. 1 - for candles up to 3 cm in diameter,

No. 2 - for candles 3-5 cm in diameter,

No. 3 - for candles 5-6 cm in diameter,

No. 4 - for candles from 6 cm in diameter.

When you get forms, just ask the manufacturer what wicks are available and buy at least 2-3 different thicknesses, so you will test your candles and understand which ones are better.

Where else can you get a wick?

If you decide not to buy paraffin and stearin yet and make candles from old candles or from purchased household ones, then the wick can be removed from the candles.

The only negative is that the thickness of the wick cannot be selected.

Purchased Wick Alternatives

• jute twine
• Cotton thread twisted several times
• Crocheted cotton "pigtail"

Dye

The candle mass and wick have been prepared. Fine! Now the question arises: how to color candle mass? This is done very simply. When the candle mass is already melted in a water bath, add a piece of dye. I mean a dye designed specifically for candles. I have a huge number of them.

The intensity of the color depends on the amount of dye.

Keep in mind that the brightness of the color of the molten candle mass always more than cooled wax. Therefore, if it seems that the color is enough, still put a little more.

And then it will really be enough! :)

Sometimes there is no way or time to get a special dye. Read the next paragraph to understand what effect this or that coloring method will give.

How not to color candles

There are many options to make your candle unique. One of them is giving the candle color.

When I first started making candles, there wasn't much on hand as a candle mass dye.

And most importantly, there was little that was good and "competent" at hand.

Still, mixing paraffin and dyes is all kinds of chemical reactions, and you have to be aware of this neater.

Still, I wanted color. I started with gouache.

Gouache... Bad, very bad.

Fortunately, I have not preserved a single candle painted in this way.

The fact is that it is almost impossible to paint the candle mass with gouache: small particles of gouache settle to the bottom of the kindling, and even if you shake the paint a little when filling the form with wax, it still settles.It turns out a very pale shade, and from this muddy and untidy.

Once I was just visited by nostalgia (I still wanted to pour, albeit without normal dyes). And I "maybe" poured EARTH FROM A FLOWER TUB into the melted wax!!! It looked, of course, funny, a white candle, at the bottom of which something dark shines through. It seems at first glance there are no shortcomings.

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Handmade is gaining more and more popularity. Extravagant jewelry, paintings, toys, decorative elements, gifts - this is only a small part of what enthusiastic craftsmen and amateurs create with their own hands. Today we will talk about how to make a candle at home.

This process does not require special skills and equipment. After reviewing our recommendations and detailed master classes, even beginners can start this exciting process.

Candle making: where to start

DIY candles are much easier to make than you might think. And the main advantage of such an activity is that the necessary materials are easily accessible. If you look carefully, you will find them even in your home.

Materials for a homemade candle

Wax, stearin or paraffin are best suited for work. Moreover, it is better for beginners to start acquaintance with the latter, it is the least whimsical to use. You can purchase paraffin wax from the store or use the leftovers of old white candles.

Wick

As a wick, it is best to use natural threads, ideally thick cotton threads. Do not try to use synthetics: such a wick will quickly burn out and leave an unpleasant odor behind. To test the thread for naturalness, simply set fire to its tip. If it melts, forming a solid ball at the end, you have synthetics in front of you.

If you have conceived an unusual candle and are thinking how to make an original wick for it, then use colored floss threads. This is a great and natural material.

Remember an important rule: the thicker the candle, the thicker the wick should be.

It's easy to make your own. To do this, prepare a solution: dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of boric acid in a glass of water. Soak cotton thread or floss in it for 12 hours. Then dry them and twist a tourniquet out of them or braid a pigtail.

If this process seems tedious to you, carefully remove the wick from the finished household candle and use it.

candle mold

First of all decide on the configuration of the desired candle, and then try to find a hollow object of the same shape. You may find it useful:

• cardboard packages from milk and juices;
• plastic cups from yogurts and desserts;
• egg shell;
• silicone molds for baking;
• glass goblets, wine glasses, glasses and glasses;
• children's pastries;
• figured forms for ice cream;
• tin and glass coffee jars;
• empty cans.

The only requirement is that the mold material must withstand heating up to 100°C.

Another interesting option is to pour candles into beautiful transparent glasses. They will not be available, but they will look very stylish and unusual.

Sometimes scented candles are made in tangerine or orange peel. The fruit is pre-cut in half and the pulp is carefully removed. You can also use large shells or coconut shells.

Dyes

A white candle is elegant but boring. Naturally, the question arises of how to color the paraffin in order to get bright interior decorations.

For lovers of candle making, it is best and cheapest to take wax crayons for children's creativity. Would you like to receive a special candle? Look for mother-of-pearl crayons - your creation will be unique.

Do not try to use water-soluble gouache or watercolor - you are in for a fiasco. The dye will inevitably settle to the bottom or fall out in flakes. The finished product will look very unpresentable.

Dishes for melting paraffin

In order to melt the paraffin, you will need a small saucepan for a steam bath and an iron bowl. Experienced craftsmen recommend heating paraffin in a steam bath, considering other methods, including a microwave oven, to be fire hazardous.

We recommend that you first also use this method, proven over the years: place a bowl of paraffin in a container of boiling water. If the candle is planned to be colored, add the chalk immediately and mix the melted mass several times to obtain a uniform color.

Flavors and decor

Any materials at hand are suitable for decorating candles. First, decide on the topic of your work. Pebbles and shells will effectively complement the candles in a marine style. For the New Year theme, use beads, small cones, small decorative balls, ribbons and bows. Decorate candles for Valentine's Day with hearts, sequins, bows, dried flowers, coffee beans, etc.

It is best to scent homemade candles with essential oils, which can be purchased at the nearest pharmacy. Another option is to find vanilla cinnamon in your kitchen. It is worth adding flavors to melted paraffin at the very end, after staining.

Step by step master classes

We bring to your attention a selection of available master classes that will help beginners learn the basic techniques and techniques of work. If you already know how to create candles with your own hands, you can draw interesting ideas from them for implementation in your work.

coffee candle

Do you want to create a romantic mood? Light a coffee candle - its divine aroma will take away all worries, leaving only a good mood and peace. It is especially pleasant in rainy autumn or cold winter. And it is also a great gift for any occasion and even without.

For work you will need:

• paraffin;
• whole coffee beans;
• two plastic cups or boxes of different sizes;
• wick holder - teaspoon, wooden stick or plastic coffee stirrer.

If you did not find paraffin, take household candles, you can also get a wick from them.

Crush the paraffin into small pieces with a knife to speed up the melting process. If you took store-bought candles, gently crush them the blunt side of the knife so as not to damage the wick.

Place the paraffin in a glass jar and lower it into a pot of warm water. Heat the water over low heat until the paraffin is completely melted in the jar - it should become transparent.

At this time, prepare the form for pouring. In a larger plastic cup (or whatever shape you have), place the smaller one filled with water first. There should be a fairly wide space between the walls of the cups. Pour coffee beans up to half the height between the walls.

Pour the melted paraffin into the mold to the level of the grains, wait 10 minutes. Then pour the paraffin up to the edge of the mold and let it harden completely. This will take about an hour.

Carefully pour the water out of the inner beaker and remove it from the paraffin ring. Lower the wick into the workpiece so that it reaches the bottom of the glass. Tie its upper end to the holder and place it on top of the glass, centering the wick.

Pour melted paraffin into the middle of the candle. Place a few grains on top for decoration. Now, until the candle completely solidifies, you will have to wait 4-6 hours.

Carefully remove the frozen candle from the glass. However, it can be cut with scissors to facilitate manipulation.

If you want the grains to be more visible, blow the sides of the product with hot air from a hair dryer. The paraffin will melt and the surface will become embossed.

It turned out to be an excellent aroma candle, isn't it? Do you want to make it even more romantic? We invite you to create heart-shaped candles using the same technology, which will become an unforgettable gift for your soulmate for Valentine's Day or a birthday.

Do you have any questions? Watch a detailed video of creating a fragrant coffee candle and you will see that everything is even simpler than it seems at first glance.

rainbow candles

Do you want to add bright colors to your home? Handmade interior rainbow candles will help you with this.

To make them you will need the following ingredients:

• paraffin;
• stearin;
• cylindrical shape;
• dyes corresponding to the colors of the rainbow.

You will get more detailed information from the detailed video tutorial. For beginners, it shows all the stages of preparing a candle mass and creating a gradient transition of colors.

Multicolored candles in layers

Spectacular multi-colored candles in a transparent glass will be the highlight of your interior. How to make them, see our master class, illustrated with step-by-step photos.

Another interesting idea is a square multi-colored candle. Wax pencils are also used for its coloring. If you are a beginner, be sure to check out the clear video tutorial, with its help you can easily make such a cool craft for a gift to friends and family.

Openwork candles

Decorative candles can be of the most diverse design, because talented craftsmen do not get tired to amaze with their imagination and creative experiments. In support of these words, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the method of making an unusual openwork candle.

For work you will need:

• paraffin;
• optional coloring and flavoring;
• wick and holder for it;
• cylindrical shape;
• small ice cubes.

Melt the paraffin in a water bath. If the candle is supposed to be colored, color the candle mass, if you wish, you can also scent it.

Set the wick in the mold so that it reaches the bottom of the mold. Do not forget to fix it on top of an impromptu holder. Pour in crushed ice, not reaching a couple of centimeters from the edges.

Pour the melted candle mass into the mold. Leave the workpiece until the paraffin has completely cooled. In this case, naturally, the ice will melt, and cavities will form inside the candle.

Carefully drain the water and remove the product by pulling on the wick.

Be careful, this beauty is quite fragile and requires careful handling. Such an unusual openwork candle will be a wonderful present for your family and friends. If you use paraffin from old candles for work, get this beauty for free.

You will receive visual instructions for action from detailed videos of creating openwork candles. After viewing them, you can independently make such beauty at home.

Video #1:

Video #2:

Option number 3: And if you think about it, then surprise them with a handmade red openwork candle. It will be an unforgettable gift and will bring into the house a sense of celebration along with the Christmas mood. See the work of the master and be inspired by your own masterpieces.

massage candles

The main ingredient for creating a massage candle is soy wax. By adding useful components to it, you can get a product with healing properties. It no longer acts as a decor, but as a home cosmetic product that makes the skin soft and well-groomed.

Healing properties of essential oils:

• Essential oil will help rejuvenate the skin and cleanse the pores lemon.
• orange oil has an anti-cellulite effect.
• Rose oil stimulates the regeneration of skin cells and promotes skin elasticity.
• Clear the skin of age spots and make it smooth rosemary butter.
• Oil does a great job of moisturizing. patchouli.
• lavender The oil will delight you with its healing effect.

Solid vegetable oils are also added to massage candles. For example, cacao butter used to moisturize and tone the skin. And with its regular use, cosmetologists promise you smooth and delicate skin.

Exotic can save dry skin from peeling Shea Butter. Coconut oil, rich in natural antioxidants, can smooth the skin.

The general algorithm for creating a massage candle:

1. melt the wax with solid oils in a water bath;
2. let the mass cool slightly and add liquid oils;
3. cool the mass a little more and add essential oils, extracts and vitamins;
4. pour the resulting candle mass into the mold, after inserting the wick into it;
5. wait for the candle to harden completely and remove it from the mold;
6. the hardened candle is ready for use.

We offer you the most common recipes for effective massage candles.

Recipe #1

• soy wax - 85%;
• avocado and shea butter (aka shea butter) - 5% each;
• patchouli essential oil - 2.8%;
• essential oil of ylang-ylang - 2%;
• vitamin E - 0.2% (a few drops).

Light the finished candle and let it melt a little. Put it out. Put some warm wax on your hand and you can arrange a rejuvenating massage session. Do not be afraid to burn yourself - the melting point of such a candle is much lower than that of paraffin.

Recipe number 2 "Massage candle with a calming effect"

• soy wax - 80g;
• shea butter - 40g;
• almond oil - 40g;
• cocoa butter - 20g;
• essential oils of sage and lavender - 2 g each.

A massage session of such candles is best arranged before going to bed. The calming effect of essential oils will help you relax and fall asleep soundly.

Recipe number 3 "Massage candle with anti-cellulite effect"

• beeswax - 100g;
• cocoa butter - 60g;
• ground chili pepper - 5-10g;
• essential oils of orange and grapefruit - 3 g each.

Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients in the suppository. After the massage, you may feel a burning or tingling sensation, which is associated with the presence of chili in the composition.

Regular massage will help get rid of the hated “orange peel”, make the skin soft and supple.

We decorate candles using decoupage technique

If you do not have a dye, but want to create something bright and memorable, do not be discouraged. The simplest candle made from cinder can be turned into a work of art. To do this, you need to have a little patience and decorate the product to your liking.

Candle decorated with dried flowers

Dried leaves, stems and flowers will help you create an exclusive candle, which will be almost impossible to repeat. The use of natural materials is limited only by the local flora and your imagination. That's when the skill comes in handy in full.

For work you will need:

• any dried flowers;
• 2 candles - for decoration and regular;
• tea spoon;
• tweezers;
• nail scissors;
• paraffin for final coverage.

From the dried flowers you have available, compose the composition that you want to bring to life.

Over an ordinary burning candle, heat a teaspoon ( internal side over the fire, because the spoon will turn a little black, and in order not to stain the candle - then we will carry out all the manipulations with the other side of the spoon).

Attach a dry flower to the candle to be decorated and gently iron its petals external side of a spoon so that they melt to the paraffin and do not stick out. Thick stems may need to be ironed several times while heating the spoon.

Excess stems that extend beyond the candle, carefully cut with scissors.

Glue the rest of the elements in the same way, choosing the desired location for them. Make sure that the edges of the leaves and petals do not stick out.

It remains to fix the result. Melt the paraffin in a water bath, pour it into a container into which you can completely dip the decorated candle.

Holding the candle by the wick, dip it into the melted paraffin, set it on a flat surface and let it cool. If the petals were not smoothed well and protruding tips remained visible, repeat this procedure again.

Such an elegant candle will conquer any heart and will not be left without attention. Complete it with a beautiful candlestick and it will become a unique decoration of your home.

Decoupage candles with paper napkins

The desire to decorate a candle could come instantly, but there are no dried flowers at hand. In this case, you can do with paper napkins. With their help, you can easily decorate a candle for any holiday.

Choose a napkin with the pattern you want. Cut out the desired elements from the napkin. Carefully remove the two bottom layers of paper from the resulting blanks. Further, the principle of operation is similar to decorating with dried flowers.

Attach the prepared element to the candle and iron it with a hot spoon. Sand the cooled surface with the rough side of a regular kitchen sponge. It is not necessary to immerse the candle in melted paraffin with this method.

Your masterpiece is ready. Make a beautiful arrangement of candles in the New Year's style, fir branches and colored balls. It will bring good mood and holiday atmosphere to your home.

Photo design ideas

Want even more ideas for inspiration. Browse our selection of decorative candles. You will definitely find one that you want to repeat immediately.

We were able to convince you that it is possible to create unique masterpieces even from improvised materials? That is why candle making has become a favorite pastime for many beginners and not only masters.

Original form templates:

Now you know what candles are made of and how, you can get to work. Do not try to use the photo you like as a template and an unconditional ideal. Get inspired to create your own unique candles. A little diligence and perseverance - and your masterpieces will already be a role model.