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The Daily Insight

How do you make candles with soy wax and essential oils

Author

Mia Kelly

Published Apr 15, 2026

Lemon & Lavender. I like blending 3 parts lavender and one part lemon, so 75 drops of lavender and 25 drops of lemon. … Orange & Cinnamon. … Rosemary & Cedarwood.

How much essential oil do you put in soy wax candles?

How Much Essential Oil for a Candle? While undiluted essential oils may throw a strong scent, you’ll need to add quite a bit to soy or beeswax candles. We recommend using 30 to 40 drops of essential oils for a single eight-ounce candle. Remember that soy and beeswax aren’t known for their ability to throw scent.

When should I add essential oil to soy wax?

Once your wax has cooled down to 130ºF, it’s time to add your essential oils. Mix them with the wax by stirring with a wooden dowel or spoon that you don’t mind dedicating to candle-making.

Can you use essential oils in soy wax candles?

Adding essential oils like lavender or lemongrass can give your soy candles a clean, natural scent. Because soy wax is simple to work with, easy to melt, and easy to clean up, these candles are a great choice for an afternoon project. They also make great gifts for friends and family.

Can you mix essential oils with candle wax?

Yes, you can add essential oils to your candles. Essential oils keep best if stored in a cool, dark place—the very opposite of being poured into a hot wax candle! … A low flash point doesn’t mean the oil won’t necessarily work in the candle, but it does mean you need to let the wax cool off first.

Do essential oils burn in candles?

Even if you did have the money to make a rose essential oil candle, not all essential oils can survive the heat of a candle burning. While the candle may have an okay cold throw (how it smells when it’s not lit), the oil can burn right up and you won’t even smell all that expensive essential oil.

What kind of essential oils are good for candle making?

  • Camphorous: pungent, sharp scent: eucalyptus, pine, tea tree.
  • Citrus: fresh, crisp: grapefruit, lemon, lime, sweet orange.
  • Floral: flowery: jasmine, lavender, rose.
  • Herbal: intense and herbaceous: basil, marjoram, rosemary, sage.

Are essential oils safe to burn in candles?

They include anise, clove, garlic, horseradish, juniper, thyme, wintergreen, and yarrow. Candles made with essential oils are usually scented with a maximum of 10-11% of essential oils so they are diluted and considered safe.

Are essential oils toxic in candles?

EO’s can and will become toxic if heated. They can also cause adverse side effects if inhaled too long, if they are too concentrated (like in candles,) and did you also know some EO’s are not approved for use when you are pregnant, have small children, and can harm pets?!

What essential oils are good for soy candles?
  • Lemon & Lavender.
  • Orange & Cinnamon.
  • Rosemary & Cedarwood.
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What scents go well together for candles?

  • Grapefruit and Mangosteen + Vetiver.
  • Lavender + Baby Powder.
  • Dulce de Leche + Caramelized Pralines.
  • White Tea + Rain Water.
  • Chocolate Fudge + Cake.
  • Peach Nectar + Red Ginger Saffron.
  • Sandalwood + Red Rose.
  • Watermelon + Watermint and Clementine.

What temperature should soy wax be to add fragrance?

Add your fragrance at the right temp: Adding your fragrance oil when your wax is at the proper temperature will help it bind to the wax, which will help give you a stronger scent throw. It is usually recommended to add your fragrance to the wax at 180-185F for soy and paraffin wax 200-205F for palm wax.

Which essential oils are toxic when burned?

Highly toxic essential oils include camphor, clove, lavender, eucalyptus, thyme, tea tree, and wintergreen oils, the researchers noted.

How can I make my candles smell stronger?

  1. Use the recommended percentage of fragrance oil for the type of wax you’re using. …
  2. Be sure to weigh your fragrance oils on a scale, not measure in a cup or spoon.
  3. Add fragrance oil at 185Fº and stir gently and thoroughly with the melted wax.

How do you add essential oils to candles?

Using an essential oil, add about 10 drops into the melted wax. This will create a moderately scented candle. For a stronger scent, add more drops. Stir the wax and scent slowly using a toothpick or metal spoon.

Which wax holds the most scent?

Paraffin wax—a very inexpensive wax—is most widely used across candle brands, says Fitchl, because it can hold a high amount of fragrance and color. It also comes in various melt points, making it suitable for making many different types of candles, from containers to pillars.

Why don't my soy candles smell strong?

If you are noticing that your candles are not producing a strong enough hot throw, you may want to lower the temperature at which you add the fragrance oil. It can be possible that some of the fragrance is burning off simply by the heat of the melted wax. Adding your fragrance at too high of a temperature will do this.

What happens if you add too much fragrance to soy wax?

If your fragrance load is too high, the flame can burn off the excess oil that was not able to bind with the wax, creating heavier-than-usual, dark smoke.

How do you blend essential oils for candles?

  1. Open Containers. Open the oils and the small glass jar. …
  2. Dip Cotton Swab in Oil. One at a time, dip the tip of a clean cotton swab into the fragrance or essential oil. …
  3. Put Swab in Jar. …
  4. Repeat for Each Scent. …
  5. Keep Notes on Oil Testing. …
  6. Walk Away. …
  7. Smell Scent Blend. …
  8. Let Jar ‘Mature’ and Smell Again.

What happens if you put too much fragrance oil in a candle?

Adding too much fragrance oil can lead to impaired burning characteristics. Temperature at Which the Fragrance Was Added – Adding fragrance oil add too high of a temperature may cause it to dissipate, or burn off, in the melted wax.

How much essential oil do I put in a 16 oz candle?

1 oz (by weight) fragrance oil to 1 pound (16 oz also by weight) is the most common rule of thumb for our fragrance oils in soy wax. The wax, when brought to the proper temperature, will hold 10% fragrance load, but you will run into more wicking issues if you go over 7%.

Is it better to use essential oils or fragrance oils for candles?

If you are looking for the most intense scent per unit, fragrance oil candles win. That is to say, if you take a single drop of essential oil and a single drop of fragrance oil and you put each in a different candle, the candle with fragrance oil will have the more intense scent 9 out of 10 times.

What makes a candle toxic?

Toxins in Scented Candles Most candles are made of paraffin wax (a petroleum waste product that is chemically bleached), which creates highly toxic benzene and toluene (both are known carcinogens) when burned. … As candles burn, phthalates are released into the air where they may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Can I use vanilla extract in candles?

For best results, when wax is melted, place candy thermometer in wax and bring to wax manufacturer’s recommended temperature for adding fragrance. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon ground cloves for about every 2 cups of melted wax.

What kind of candles are non toxic?

  • Grow Fragrance Candles. SHOP NOW AT Grow Fragrance. …
  • Slow North Candles. SHOP NOW AT Slow North. …
  • Brooklyn Candle Studio Candles. SHOP NOW AT Brooklyn Candle Studio. …
  • Pure Plant Home Candles. SHOP NOW AT Pure Plant Home. …
  • Keap Candles. SHOP NOW AT Keap. …
  • Heretic Candles. SHOP NOW AT Credo Beauty.

Do candles expire?

No, candles don’t expire in the same way that food products do. However, they may lose their color and/or scent over time, especially if not stored properly. … In some rare cases, your candle can go bad, especially if it’s made with plant-based waxes (such as soy wax) or natural fragrance oils.

How do you scent a candle naturally?

Infuse fresh herbs in melted wax. Heat the wax to pouring temperature (180°F for most candle waxes), and add strongly scented herbs such as rosemary, lavender, or lemon verbena. Maintain this temperature for about 45 minutes, then strain the wax, which will give off a mild fragrance.

Are Essential Oils flammable?

Essential oils can very easily catch fire. They can have flashpoints ranging from 100 to 215 degrees Fahrenheit (37 to 102 Celsius), which means that most are classified as flammable. Because of this, they need to be stored and used with fire safety in mind.

How much oil do you put in candle wax?

A common amount to use is 6% or 1oz per pound of wax. This can be adjusted up or down depending on the type of wax you’re using and personal preference.

How long do soy candles need to cure?

Most people recommend at least 24 to 48 hours for a paraffin-based candle, and up to a week for a soy-based candle.

What scent combination is best?

  • Citrus with floral, mint, and spice.
  • Spice with floral, wood, and citrus.
  • Herb with wood and mint.
  • Tree/Wood with floral, herb, mint, spice, and citrus.
  • Floral with spice, wood, and citrus.