I have fond memories of making scented candles with my sister and my mom as a child in the 60’s and 70’s. We used a simple technique in which crayons were used for coloring the wax and milk cartons were used as molds. The only things we needed to buy were the paraffin wax, the scent, and the wicks, which we would get at craft stores. I recall us heating up the wax on the stove, dropping in crayons when the wax had melted enough, and stirring until the crayon was completely dissolved. We always had several candles going at once, and we would make them in layers of different colors, pouring in a new layer when the layer below was almost dry but still a little bit soft. We would vary the thickness of the layers, and we would tilt the molds at varying angles to get slanted layers. The most exciting time for us children was when the wax had dried completely and we could peel off the cardboard and see how our colors and layering had turned out. The scented candles we made as kids usually looked great or at least interesting, but often they did not illuminate very well, usually because the molds were too wide. The burning wax would make a little puddle near the wick, but farther away from the flame the wax would remain unmelted. Typically we would need to discard a candle that had not used most of the wax, but as kids we didn’t care because they looked cool and that’s what mattered. If you are interested in making scented candles with your kids, here are some tips to ensure that the process is safe and that your candles burn well in addition to looking good. To be safe, the main thing to keep in mind is that melting wax will burst into flame at only 375 degrees Fahrenheit. So use a thermometer, keep a fire extinguisher on hand, and heat the wax at a low heat. If there is a fire, it’s very important to use the extinguisher rather than throwing water on the fire. For a candle that burns properly, use skinny things for molds, such as a quart rather than a half gallon milk carton, a Styrofoam coffee cup, or a toilet paper roll. Use a wick that is nice and thick as well, and trim it as needed. It’s fun and easy to make scented candles, and they are a wonderful gift!
Products previously bought from this site:

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Filed under: Candle Making

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!