Homemade Soy Candle Project with Eucalyptus Fragrance

Today’s project is to make soy candles with this amazing fragrance oil (FO) from Nature’s Garden Candles called Eucalyptus and Spearmint. This is a wonderful fresh scent that honestly would smell amazing in homemade soap! But today’s project is candle making…So here is my process and recipe for homemade eucalyptus and spearmint soy candles…

Scissors, hot glue gun, syringe for the FO, eye dropper for the candle dye, candy thermometer, wax melting pot, two pots for water (one for hot and one for cold), stirring sticks, more sticks to prop up the wicks, rubber bands, a heat gun (or hair dryer), pre-tabbed wicks (or wicks and tabs that you assemble yourself), your fragrance oil of choice (make sure it is candle safe), candle safe colorant, your wax of choice (I will be using soy wax), and a candle safe container for your homemade candle. 

When I make homemade candles I usually use 464 soy wax. I measure out about a pound—give or take—of dry wax flakes, which will melt down to about 18 fl. oz.

The wick type chosen for this project is the 1400 hemp core wick, good for 2.5-3.5 diameter containers. My glass tea cups fall into those parameters nicely, so this wick should be perfect. There are different types of wicks that work for different types of waxes and candles, or even just personal preferences, and what you choose will come down to trial and error and learning what works best for you.

I love buying from thrift shops and repurposing, so for this project I am going to make homemade candles with a few beautiful glass tea cups purchased from a local second hand store. You can use just about anything to make homemade candles, but just make sure the container is candle safe, and never leave your burning candle unattended.

If you value your counters or tables (or whatever surfaces you will be using for this project), do yourself a favor and spend a little time carefully covering them with layers of newspaper and cardboard, or with plastic tablecloths. Fragrance oil and candle dye can be very difficult to get out of certain surfaces! For cleanup and spills, make sure you have plenty of paper towels, old rags, and newspaper. If you spill any wax, FO, or dye, clean it immediately with soap and water.  Try to be mindful of how you handle your materials to prevent drips and spills.

Fill large pot half way with water and place on the stove. Pour your dry wax flakes your wax melting pot, and place it into the large pot on the stove. It’s ok if it floats a little. Boil the water and keep an eye on the melting wax. (Do not leave unattended.) Once all of the wax is melted start monitoring the temperature with a candy thermometer. The melted wax is ready for fragrance oil when the temp gets to 185 degrees F. (This is the temperature for my particular type of wax and FO. You will follow any directions for your own choices.) Turn off the burner, and stir the wax and FO well. Add candle dye stirring frequently, until everything is thoroughly blended.

Pour cooled, slushy wax into your containers VERY SLOWLY, keeping an eye on the wick to make sure it doesn’t move and stays centered. Really take your time and don’t be in a rush. Pouring too quickly can cause air bubbles and cave-ins around the wick. If this should occur, though, you can remelt the top and pour more wax into the holes, covering the top. Some people prefer to do two pours, but I don’t like the lines that sometimes appear if you don’t get it just right. If I have any extra wax left in the pot after filling my containers, I will pour the remaining wax into votive or wax melt molds that have been sprayed with vegetable oil. In this instance, I filled six tea cups and 3 wax melt molds.

Once your candle wax has been poured, let the candles alone for a while. Try not to move them for an hour or so while they cool down and set. When the wax is thoroughly cooled and hardened you can trim the wicks and store for 48 hours to two weeks before burning. Yes…unfortunately you will not be able to burn your new candles just yet! The candles need time to “cure”, and that will depend on what type of wax you used for this project. Take this time to assess the cold throw—the quality of the scent in the room when the candle is not burning. 

Be very careful not to dump wax residue down the drain. If there is wax on any pots or utensils used, wipe them as much as possible first with paper towels, rags, or newspaper. Once all of the wax is gone, you can rinse in water or use soap and water to wash. Stubborn wax can be remelted with a hair dryer or heat gun and then wiped down. Wash anything with fragrance oil with soap and water immediately. It may take a few washes to fully get rid of the scent. As for the candle dye, be very careful with this stuff! It does stain, and the stain is usually permanent. Use soap and hot water to carefully clean anything with candle dye on it.

So, after about an hour I have my homemade eucalyptus and spearmint soy candles! What do you think? Have you made any of your own? Do you have any tips or tricks to share? Or have I inspired you to get in that kitchen and make your own candles? Leave a comment below and let me know!