Celebrate the Season with These Delicious DIY Candles
Nothing better than a beautifully scented home to warm up these cold winter days. In fact, studies show that lighting a candle has several positive effects on our mood and mind: it relaxes, purifies the air and there are even those who claim that it also helps with concentration—though if relaxation is your goal, we suggest minimizing concentration efforts. Sure, the market has some excellent candles that boast beautiful workmanship, an inebriating perfume…and a high price-tag. So, to avoid spending your rent money on candles, we recommend the DIY route. Plus, it’s fun!
What you'll need
Simple: You’ll need a saucepan (preferably an old one) and, obviously, wax. There are lots of different kinds of wax to choose from but, among the paraffin, stearin, and beeswax, we recommend the latter. Beeswax is natural and you avoid the risk of having toxic substances being released with each prolonged lighting sesh. You’ll also be needing a wick, a mold and—if you wanted scented candles—essential oils. Just make sure that you have enough wax to compensate for whatever size or shaped mold you choose. Our pick of mold is an old jam jar, for example.
Here we go!
This is an easy enough process, you just need to pay attention because ICYMI hot wax is…well, hot. Firstly, put a small pot on the stove and fill it with water. Next, drop the wax in so it can melt. Let it melt very slowly—like when you’re melting chocolate. Once fully melted, add the essential oils (if applicable) and mix. After vertically inserting the wick into the mold, pour in the melted wax and let it cool. Presto! It’s time to “get lit” with your new DIY candle.
Suggestions: the best essential oils
When it comes to picking your oil scents, you should, of course, rely on your personal tastes. If you’re looking for a fresh and citrusy scent, we suggest you choose lemon or bergamot essential oils. These tend to have a relaxing effect. Balsamic essential oils (like peppermint or eucalyptus), on the other hand, have the power to cool the air and help concentration. For a sensual atmosphere, we suggest you focus entirely on essential resinous oils like patchouli, incense, ylang-ylang, and vanilla.
