How to make a Soy Candle
Making soy wax candles is not much different than making paraffin candles. Some
of the differences are pour temperature that is the temperature you pour the liquid
wax into the container and handling of the wax. These directions should help the
first time candle maker and experienced candle maker alike. The directions are on
how to make a soy wax container candle.
Materials you will need are:
Steps in making your soy wax container candle.
- Prepare your container by cleaning the inside bottom from any dust or other
particles that might keep the wick sticker from sticking to the bottom of the
container. It's recommended that you preheat your clear jars to help prevent the
wax from pulling away from the jar. If you can use an oven or toaster over set
to 150°F that works best. Some people also use heat guns or hair driers. When
using tins for other non clear containers generally you don't need to pre-heat
the container.
- Melting the wax. The safest way to melt soy wax is with a double boiler. That
is a melt pot in a pot with boiling water. You will need to use a thermometer to
make sure the wax reaches 185°F and you should keep the wax at that temperature
for about 5 minutes.
- While the wax is melting you should prepare the wick by pulling one side off
the wick sticker. Press the bottom of the wick tab to the wick sticker. You can
set that aside until you are about ready to pour the candle.
- The next step is adding the dye. Once the wax reaches 185°F it's time to add the
candle dye to the melted wax and stir real well to make sure the dye is fully
incorporated. Trying not to incorporate any air into the wax.
- Adding the fragrance oil. Take the melt pot with the melted and colored soy wax
off the heat and add your fragrance oil at the rate of 1 to 1 1/2 ounces per pound of soy wax.
Make sure you stir the fragrance oil in real well. Keeping the thermometer in the
wax checking it occasionally until it reaches the pour temp. For Naturewax C-3 you
should find that pouring around 150°F works best.
- Carefully take the heated jar out of the oven with pot holders. Now take the
wick with the wick sticker and press the bottom of the wick sticker to the bottom
of the container. Use the wick bar to keep the wick centered and taunt.
- Once the wax reaches the pour temp carefully pour the wax into the jar very
slowly on one side opening between the wick bar and the container. For best results
let the candle cool over night. The next day you should trim the wick down to ¼
and do this each time before you relight the candle.
- Now you can burn your new candle. Some people like to cure their candles for
48 hours to a week before they burn them. We find with NatureWax C-3 you only need
24 hours of cure time.