DIY Aromatherapy Candles are very easy to make and a great inexpensive gift.

Lighting aromatherapy candles is a natural, romantic and relaxing way to perfume your home. They are great for creating a meditative ambiance for personal reflection, or used as excellent gift ideas.

Here’s how to make Aromatherapy Candles:

You will need:

• Essential Oils

The addition of Essential Oils can also have many health benefits. You can purchase essential oils from a number of online retail stores like Edens Garden, Mountain Rose Herbs, Do Terra, and NOW Essential Oils.

• Wax

There are several types of wax that can be used: Soy, Paraffin or Beeswax are the most used.

Soy wax is renewable and eco-friendly, but burns slowly.

Paraffin wax (being a by-product of petroleum) is not natural, but it is the most common wax used in candle making as its cheap, melts easily, and retains the color and scent.

Beeswax is used to make superlative clean candles, and does not require extra modifications or refinement. It has a golden color, but does not retain the scent as well as others.

You can also re-use burned down candle wax if you want a cheaper alternative.

Other ingredients and materials needed:

• Large Pot to boil water over the stove.
• Clean glass jug (or smaller pot) for melting the wax over the stove.
• Alternatively you can use a double boiler.
• Wooden Stick to mix the wax and essential oils.
• Decorative Pots (or jars and molds) to pour in the melted wax.
• Cotton wicks.
• Candle color dye or color dye blocks.
• Wick tabs to hold the wick at the bottom of the jar.
• Stove thermometer.
• Water for boiling.

Steps to make Aromatherapy Candles

In making an aromatherapy candle, you have to be time conscious. Make sure all the ingredients are ready and fully accessible before starting.

Step 1

• Chop the Wax

To help speed up the melting process, chop up the wax using a blade cutter or sharp knife.

Step 2

• Melt the Wax

Using a double boiler (or use a small pot inside a larger one), fill the large pot halfway with water. The water should be boiling over the stove when the wax is placed in the smaller pot.
Melt the wax inside the small pot or jug. Never subject wax to direct heat.

Step 3

• Check Temperature

Using a stove thermometer, get the temperature of the melted wax before removing from heat.
The specific temperatures are:

• soy wax 170-180ºF,
• paraffin 122-140 ºF, and
• beeswax 145 ºF.

Carefully remove the small pot/jug of melted wax from the stove.

Step 4

• Add Essential Oils

When the wax has reached its ideal temperature, add drops of your essential oil; stir and mix well with the wax. This aids an even concentration of the oil throughout the candle.
Add coloring if needed using the color dye.
Allow to cool to 125 ºF.

Step 5

• Prepare Molds/Jars

While waiting for the wax to cool, prepare the jars by putting the wick in the center with the wick tabs at the bottom. The length of the wick should be a bit taller than the jar. Anchor the wick in place with a pencil or a ruler so it won’t sink when you pour in the melted wax.

Pour in the melted wax and allow to set for at least 24 hours.

So that’s it! It’s not that hard to make these aromatherapy candles, and they are great fun too!

Thanks for reading! ..Susan