Natural Candle Making
It seems the whole world is going green these days, and even candle making can be green.
Of course I'm not talking about the wax (unless you like green wax)! While candle making is already a very green hobby because it cuts out the manufacturing process, you can make your hobby even greener by making just a few changes.
The first thing you need to do is look at what kind of wax you use.
Traditional paraffin wax is made from petroleum, but natural waxes can actually be found in nature.
You can choose from soy, bayberry, beeswax, or palm wax.
These natural waxes still take some refining to get them into a form that can be used for candle making, but since they're natural, you don't have to worry about burning what's basically a petroleum stick inside your house.
Another item you'll need to have a completely natural candle is a homemade wick.
You can use 100 percent cotton string.
Just make sure it's un-dyed.
Making your own wicks is simple.
Just cut the string to the length you need, dip it into some hot wax to prime it, and then stretch it out on some wax paper to dry.
The technique for making natural candles is the same as it is for other kinds of candles.
One way is to use a fragrant wax like beeswax, which comes with its own scent.
No fragrance is needed there! Another way to ensure you have a natural scent in your candle is to use essential oils instead of regular fragrance oils.
Fragrance oils are manufactured, while essential oils are the scented essence of the plants they come from.
Using essential oils is the same as using fragrance oils in candle making.
Just add them into the wax after you melt it, at the time you would normally add fragrance oils.
The one thing about essential oils that is a bit more complicated is that you will have to mix different oils to get the fragrance you desire.
You can look up a number of great recipes on the internet and experiment with your essential oils.
Once you find a fragrance you love, remember to keep the recipe!
Of course I'm not talking about the wax (unless you like green wax)! While candle making is already a very green hobby because it cuts out the manufacturing process, you can make your hobby even greener by making just a few changes.
The first thing you need to do is look at what kind of wax you use.
Traditional paraffin wax is made from petroleum, but natural waxes can actually be found in nature.
You can choose from soy, bayberry, beeswax, or palm wax.
These natural waxes still take some refining to get them into a form that can be used for candle making, but since they're natural, you don't have to worry about burning what's basically a petroleum stick inside your house.
Another item you'll need to have a completely natural candle is a homemade wick.
You can use 100 percent cotton string.
Just make sure it's un-dyed.
Making your own wicks is simple.
Just cut the string to the length you need, dip it into some hot wax to prime it, and then stretch it out on some wax paper to dry.
The technique for making natural candles is the same as it is for other kinds of candles.
- Use a double boiler to melt your natural wax.
- Place the wick into a candle mold.
- Carefully pour the melted wax into the mold, holding the wick in place as you do so.
- Remove the candle from the mold after it's completely cool.
One way is to use a fragrant wax like beeswax, which comes with its own scent.
No fragrance is needed there! Another way to ensure you have a natural scent in your candle is to use essential oils instead of regular fragrance oils.
Fragrance oils are manufactured, while essential oils are the scented essence of the plants they come from.
Using essential oils is the same as using fragrance oils in candle making.
Just add them into the wax after you melt it, at the time you would normally add fragrance oils.
The one thing about essential oils that is a bit more complicated is that you will have to mix different oils to get the fragrance you desire.
You can look up a number of great recipes on the internet and experiment with your essential oils.
Once you find a fragrance you love, remember to keep the recipe!
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