Have you been wanting to add the beautiful scents of essential oils to your candles? Do you want all-natural products around your home, including candles? This is an introduction and overview on how to make essential oil candles.
I will answer a lot of questions about essential oil candle making. I’ll also show you how quick and easy it is to make DIY essential oil candles from scratch. If you’ve been thinking about aromatherapy candles, this guide is the right place for you!
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What is an Aromatherapy Candle?
Candles have been in existence for a very long time! Aromatherapy candles are natural candles made with essential oils. As they burn, the candle disperses the essential oils’ scent and healing properties throughout your room.
Essential oils have various therapeutic qualities which you may incorporate into your day-to-day life. Depending on the candle scent, the aroma can be uplifting, reflective, or relaxing to the mind. Most commonly, aromatherapy candles aim to aid the emotional side of our well-being.
Most essential oil candles also like to use natural waxes as the candle base. Paired with natural soy wax as the base, these essential oil candles make a 100% non-toxic product.
Use your aromatherapy candles for any occasion you like! From dinner parties to a steaming hot spa-at-home bath, these beauties are never out of place!
Best Essential Oils for Candles
Every essential oil has its own properties and wellness benefits. No matter the situation, there’s probably an essential oil that can help. But some essential oils lend themselves more to candle-making than others.
Specifically, most top-note essential oils won’t work very well on their own in a candle. Their evaporation time span is too short. Blend them with a base note in a custom mixture.
After that though, the possibilities are endless. Natural scents for candle making are so wonderful! I like to make candles that use essential oils that go with the season:
- Fall: Sweet Orange, Cassia, Cinnamon, Balsam Fir, Cardamom, Cedarwood, Bergamot.
- Winter: Lavender, White Fir, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Sandalwood.
- Spring: Geranium, Palmarosa, Yuzu, Juniper Berry.
- Summer: Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Mandarin.
First, settle on which oil (or oils) would suit best for your ailments, mood, or situation. Then, head over to your essential oils stash, and get mixin’ to create your perfect aromatherapy scented candles!
Of course, both single oils and pre-made oil blends work equally well for candle making. Single essential oils, as well as blends are readily available from several reputable essential oil companies.
Are Essential Oils Flammable in Candles?
Essential oils on their own are flammable. Don’t add essential oils directly into an already burning candle. In candle making, the essential oils are blended into the waxes and other oils. Together, this mixture will not be flammable.
How much Essential Oil to add to Candles
Add 35-40 drops of Essential Oils to 2-3 oz of candle wax base.
If you’re familiar with essential oils, you’ll know that there is a proper ratio to how many essential oils to use in your recipes. You’ll need to observe this essential oil dilution chart. Essential oils are extremely concentrated substances, and you want to avoid using them too strongly.
The ratio for essential oil candles is 3 oz. solids to 35-40 drops of essential oils. This creates a scent that is pleasant, strong, and lasts through multiple uses of your candle.
If you want to make your essential oil candles smell stronger, you don’t necessarily need more drops of oil. You may be using oils that are top notes and thus evaporate quicker than other oils. Check our resource on essential oil blending and try a mixture of different oils. The scent may last longer!
How to Make Essential Oil Scented Candles
These candles are scented with essential oils and contain no toxic ingredients.
I made my first essential oils candle with a Candle Making Kit from Simply Earth.
Get It Here
Essential Oil Candle Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz (3 Tbsp) Soy Wax
- ½ oz (1 Tbsp) Beeswax
- ½ oz (1 Tbsp) Coconut Oil (solid)
- 35-40 drops of Essential Oils*
- 1 Wick
- 2-3 oz jar or similar container
Candle Making Instructions
Follow these basic instructions on how to make your own essential oil soy candles.
- Melt the solids (soy wax, beeswax, and solid coconut oil) in a double boiler.
Melt your waxes in a double boiler.
- Right when the mixture has fully melted, remove from the heat.
Wax mixture ingredients for your aromatherapy candles
- Stir in essential oils and blend for 30 seconds.
- Dip the bottom of the candle wick into the melted wax and use this to adhere the wix to the bottom of the container.
Dip the candle wix base into some liquid wax to adhere it to the base of your candle container.
- Prop wick upright, and pour the wax into the container.
Pour the liquid wax into your candle container.
- Allow the candle to cool completely. Trim the wick to ¼” height above the wax.
The candle in it’s initial, liquid wax form.
- Burn the candle within sight and away from flammable objects; and out of reach of children and pets.
I’ve been making essential oil scented candles for a long time now! It’s always a favorite DIY project of mine during the cozy fall months.
How to Dress Up Your Candles for DIY Gifts
You can make your essential oil candles in any cute container you have around home. Scour your local thrift store for glass containers that need a second life! Also, short mason jars work great.
However, if you’re batch-making essential oil candles as gifts, you may like to buy a set of uniform containers, such as these ones from Amazon.
12 DIY candle making containers with lids and labels
Get it here
Unleash your creativity as you craft homemade candles using pure natural waxes and beautiful essential oils. It’s so satisfying to create something functional, beautiful, and environmentally conscious!
Final Thoughts
Nothing says ‘cozy’ like snuggling up under a blanket next to a naturally scented candle.
Now that you know how quick and easy it is to make your own essential oil candles, use them anytime and anywhere you would’ve otherwise placed regular candles.
Enjoy!
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Michele
Can I substitute coconut wax for the coconut oil?
Clyn
When I burn my candles the oils seem to float to the top if that makes sense. My candles always end up with a darker tint about an inch high on the candle. It’s like the oils unmixed from the wax. I mix completely before I pour my candles? Any thoughts?
Emma Carter
Hi Clyn, thank you so much for your question. This sounds strange; I’ve never seen that in any of my DIY’s I’m sorry. What brand of oils do you use? The first thought is to make sure you use good oils???
Shirley Ginter
I make candles to sell at craft shows. I am interested in essential oils candles and am reading up on them. I want to add to my products. I also do lotions and soaps.
Lauren Weliver
I’m new to all of this but want to make my own EO candles. I’m curious why you choose the blend of waxes and coconut oil in this recipe? Thanks :)
Emma Carter
Hi Lauren. Great question! The reason is a combination of candle consistency, and cost. It’s about getting the consistency just right, and having a burn time that’s enjoyable. Soy wax is quite slow burning, which is why it’s the main wax used in this recipe. Further, soy wax is also considered more eco-friendly than paraffin waxes, so that’s always a plus. And also last but not least, soy wax is quite inexpensive, which is always a bonus in DIY projects. Hope this helps!
Maleah
I am so glad I found your page. I am a candle person I am making them as gifts this year. You have helped so much.. Thank you for the education
Emma Carter
So glad to hear it Maleah! Welcome to the EOH Family!
Elsa
How do I get my candle to not “tunnel” I used the correct proportions. The candle diameter is only about 2″, so I wouldn’t think this would be a problem. Do you have any troubleshooting advice? Thank you!
Jenn
When you light your candle for the first time, do you let it melt the entire top layer, all the way to the edges? I always tell my customers to do this, as it prevents the tunnel that wastes wax.
Emma Carter
Great tip, thanks Jenn!
Miki
Thank you for this help!!
Carolyn
Thank you for this blog, it is very, very informative. I know all about top, middle, and base notes – but had never thought about them that way in relation to candle making, but it completely makes sense about top notes evaporating too quickly.- when I read that my eyes bugged out – I thought, “holy crap, that is such good information to have!.” So thank you.. Much success to you on the road to becoming an aromatherapist (if you’re not one already) :-)
bethan guy
I want to make the fall scented candle. how many drops of each essential oil listed above would you use? thank you
Laura Kenfield
I love this and want to try it at home! What type of wick did you use?!
Rebecca
Thanks so much for this helpful article! But as a commercial candle maker, I can assure you that melted candle wax will NOT hold the wick in place when you add melted wax into the candle jar!
You need to use a hot glue gun or a “wick sticker” which you can purchase from any candle-making supplier.