Friday, October 30, 2009

Tips For Making Candles Your Customers Will Love

By Patrick McTigue

Even a complete beginner can learn how to make beautiful creations that can be sold from home, online or at novelty shops. There are some critical things that will pave the way for your success in a candle making business.

Obviously, you will need wax and wicks. You'll also need dyes and fragrances. It is important when you purchase these to ensure that the wax, dye, and fragrance oil work together. Further, when you think about how to make candle art, especially the kind that you can sell, you will have to think of unique ways to mold the candles. Basically, anything that has an interior space has the potential of being a candle mold, so this is the time to be creative. Perhaps you have several old wine glasses that are collecting dust in a cabinet. They may be perfect for a yellow or burgundy candle with a warm scent. The first rule of how to make candle creations that you can sell is that there are no rules! People have used everything from car parts to cookie cutters to make candles.

You will need some additional tools to make your candles. You will need a good thermometer and heat source. You will also be setting up a double boiler, so you need a pot to boil water in and another pot to melt your wax in. You will also need a recipe for the all critical wax/ fragrance/dye ratio. If you do not have a good recipe, you can waste a lot of time and money making ugly brown candles that stink. You do not want to do that, so find a good recipe online or at a crafts store. I strongly recommend that you stick with the recipe exactly when starting out. You can experiment later when you have some experience.

Once you have a good recipe and mold selected, you are well on your way. You are now following a process that is similar to baking a cake. You just add your ingredients in the right amount and the right order. You need to make sure you measure out your wax to the gram, and use only the right amount of fragrance and dye. This will keep your costs down, and will help you avoid making a big mess of your craft area.

You will find as you make a few batches of candles, you will learn there are tricks of the trade. You will find how to get your fragrance and dye into the wax without making a huge mess. You may want to get a small syringe (without needle) to add these ingredients. You will find what works for you. You will also learn to use the tools you have available in your home. Over time you will develop a process that works for you.

The last thing to mention is the criticality of keeping the thermometer and heating the wax in a container separate from the heat source. The best temperature for a wax melt is 170 to 220 degrees. It is very important that you keep the wax temperatures stable, as the wax will burn or break down. Never apply the heat directly to the wax, as this will also cause it to become unstable. This can ruin your entire batch of ingredients faster than any other candle making mistake. Learning how to make candle art that you can sell can be very rewarding. With a little creativity and following an established recipe and process, you will be able to market your candles very quickly.

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