Make your own candles

Make your own candles​


When do you go out and buy candles?
Do you only think of candles on birthdays, Diwali and Christmas?
Or maybe you are candle crazy and love picking up a great/funky/unusual candle to adorn your house! Plus you are smart enough to recognise the wonderful ambience a lighted candle can give your home and the fact that they make great gifts.
Then you must meet this candle devotee: Lovina Ferrao, 31, of Channel 4 Radio Network, Dubai.

Lovina loves making candles. She is passionate about this art and spends much of her free time reading books on candle making.

She says you can use almost anything to make candles look pretty or exotic. Candle making is a cost effective business idea. Making candles is simple and allows you to tap your creativity. Above all, they are very easy to make.
Lovina offers tips to make great-looking candles at home:


Basic equipment needed


~Paraffin wax: 100gm
~50 gm oil for greasing (coconut oil, preferably)
~Wick or thick cord, 0.25 metres
~A steel/glass container or pot as a mould to shape the candle
~Aluminium pot/vessel to melt wax
~Wooden spoon to stir the wax
~Gloves (optional)
 
Click to expand...
Candle fun​

How to make a candle:


~Cut the wick to the size of the mould and keep aside.
~Place the paraffin wax in the aluminium pot/vessel. Heat on a slow flame.
~Stir with a wooden spoon. Once the wax has melted completely, turn off heat.
~Dip the wicks in the hot wax two to three times, and keep them on a plate to cool.
~Grease the steel/glass container (for the mould) with coconut oil. Pour the hot wax into the mould until it reaches the brim. Leave it to cool.

~Wait for at least 10 minutes, and then dip the by-now-hardened wick in the centre.

~Hold the wick till the wax has gripped it. Leave your candle to cool for at least two to three hours.

~Once the wax has cooled, turn the container upside down. Your candle will come out smoothly.

~You can then decorate the candle with flowers, dried leaves, lace and satin ribbons.
 
A ball of wax​


Are regular candles not appealing enough?

Do you feel like creating something more groovy or jazzy? Wanna try making a hot pink ball candle. Lovina tells you how:

~Cut a rubber ball into two equal halves. Make a hole in one of the halves, then stick the two halves together with strong cello tape.

~Pour the wax into the ball through the hole you have made. When the ball is full, prop up in a steady position to cool.

~After a few minutes, insert a wick that has already been coated with wax. When inserting the wick, make sure you have centred it. Hold it in place for sometime until the wick is firmly set.

~You can add your hot pink colour by boiling the wax with a hot pink crayon. Alternately use several colours too: heat smaller amounts of wax, separately, each time using a different colour crayon. Once you have boiled one colour and poured it into your ball, boil the next, and so on. ~Once the wax has cooled, pull off the cello tape, then carefully separate the ball and the wax. Your candle is ready.
 
The scent of a candle​

Perfumed/scented candles are not tough to make either.


Says Lovina, "They can be made by adding four to five drops of scented/ aromatic oils to the wax when it is in a liquid form."

~Do not add the scented/ aromatic oils when the wax is very hot. Let it cool a little and add when wax is still liquid

~Scented/aromatic oils can be purchased from any general store.
 
Last edited:
Decorative wicks​


Try your hand at fancier candles. Add anything from coffee beans to sea shells, green leaves to a banyan leaf.

But you need to add them in when the wax is poured in the mould and only partially set.


05slide8.jpg


Safety tips

~Keep children away while making candles at home.
~Always keep the gas flame low when you heat the wax.
~Wear gloves to avoid burning your fingers with hot wax.
~Always grease the mould before you pour wax to set the candle.
~To clean the pot/vessel or container after you are done, add cold water and heat it. The wax will float in the water and you can clean your container with ease.
~Keep a separate pot/vessel for making candles.
~Always use a blunt knife to clear up wax spilled on the table or floor.

Moulds for candles

~You can use any steel or glass container as your mould.
~You also get special types of candle-making moulds in the market.
~You could even use moulds for kulfis and cup cakes to make your candles.
~Don't throw away the tiny candles that come in round aluminium bases during Diwali. Recycle them as your new candle moulds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top