Sincerely Candle Making Secrets

This month I’ve had a few inquiries about the candle-making process in response to the events I’m posting. I love to share the experience with others here in the shop by appointment or “on the road” at a collaborative partner’s business or a scheduled party. But what of you folks following that are not local? This candle making information is for you! 
Yeah, so you can search up basic candle-making instructions all over the internet! But what I want to tell you creatives is the juicy stuff!!! There are some things that I’ve had to learn through experience that you may or may not find listed out there. So here we go…

---

Antique coffee percolators are my best friend! 
Old glass percolators bring so much to the table, I’ll never buy another aluminum pour pot!!! The thick pyrex glass handles the fluctuating temperatures of my double boiler beautifully. The sturdy handles hold the weight of solid or liquid wax. Since they are glass, they easily wipe clean after each scent. Their durability has lasted me over 10 years of candle-making projects and counting! Hit up your local thrift stores, yard sales, etc. I know there’s still some out there!

​Oils are NOT created equally! 
I could go on for a couple hours about this topic, but I’ll keep it real short and sweet. When selecting fragrance oils, be smart! Do not just buy something because it’s affordable. Please check your data sheets to ensure the oils you use are phthalate, nitro-musk, paraben FREE! You can refer to the National Candle Association Standards that advise against the use of oils containing these substances and for a more complete list of things to avoid. That’s all. No soapbox rant. 

Wick stickers can be a fire hazard! 
I used to use double-sided mounting tape to adhere the wick to the bottom of the vessels. This works great when it’s cut small enough so as to not peek out from underneath the metal tab; which is a challenge to finagle. For the past couple of years, I’ve been using hot glue which allows for a more smooth process for production. However, the amount still needs to be small. The key is to keep your “wick sticker” under the metal wick tab to eliminate the chance of the sticker from catching fire when the candle burns down low. And then we can sleep at night!

---

Set the space to welcome peace! 
My all-time favorite process of candle-making is setting up the space. Cleaning the room well is important to avoid debris from getting in the candles, especially if you have pets. I adore using a smudge like sage to energetically clean the space after physically cleaning. And the thing that I feel like a beginner may not consider (because I didn’t) is the temperature of the room. Candles really like it warm so they can cool down slowly; the warmer the better, truly. I keep the room 75 degrees Fahrenheit’or higher; even if that means turning off the AC or turning on the space heater. I also clear my mind and do an activity to put me in a good mood like listening to music. I believe the best candles are those that are clean and free of intention so their user can set the intentions they choose. 

---

These are some of the things I’ve been thinking about that you may not necessarily find out there in your candle-making research. Let me know if you have any further questions about what I’m discussing here. I’d also like to see your projects! 

For Freedom to Create,
Kim the Chandler