Crafting Aromatic Candles

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Aromatic CandlesBy Holly Christian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Light your way to relaxation

Just taking the time to light a candle seems to relax many people. When the candle is scented--especially with a fragrance that is pleasing--you may find that you're breathing more slowly and deeply. You can easily make aromatic candles with your own favorite scents and colors using this simple process. We made clove & patchouli candles using four drops of patchouli essential oil and six drops of clove essential oil, and coloring the candle with dark red and brown crayons. Pale-blue candles were colored with blue crayon and scented with 1/4 teaspoon wisteria fragrance oil. Yellow candles were scented with six to 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil; dried lemons can be placed in the mold before wax is poured. Sweetgrass essential oil (1/4 teaspoon) and green crayons were used for the green candles. A word of caution: Take special care when melting the paraffin. This isn't a project for children. Ingredients: 1 lb. paraffin1/3 lb. beeswaxcandle wickcrayon in color of your choice fragrance oil of your choicemolds, such as Dixie cups or milk cartonspencil Yield: makes four or five Dixie-cup size candles Steps:

Prepare your candle molds by threading a piece of wick through a hole in the center of the bottom of a Dixie cup or other small container. Wind the excess wick at the top around a pencil and set the pencil horizontally across the top of the container, resting it in little cut grooves.

Melt the paraffin and beeswax in a double boiler. Don't let the temperature of the wax exceed 180 degrees. Use caution; don't leave the melting wax unattended.

When the wax is melted, add shavings of crayon and stir. Don't add too much or your candle will smell like a crayon.

Add fragrance oil, and blend.

Pour into your molds.

Let set until hardened; leaving it overnight is a good idea, but if you're impatient you can peel the mold off after an hour or so, depending on the size of the candle.

Trim the wicks, and your aromatherapy candles are ready.

Cleanup Tip: Put any wax-laden utensils in the freezer for a couple hours; the wax will crumble right off. This article is from the May/June 1999 issue of HGTV Ideas magazine. Photographs by Charles Brooks.