Candle Making Kit
Making candles is much easier than most people make it out to be, provided you start with the right candle-making supplies and information. A candle making kit is the simplest way to begin your candle-making hobby.
Candle-making kits are an excellent way to begin your candle-making journey. The kit includes everything you need to make your first candle. Candle-making kit contains paraffin wax, a wax-cutting tool, a thermometer, a pouring pot, measuring tools, a wooden spoon, and wicks. Better quality kits will also include a color wheel, wick stickers, glass jars for making jar candles, fragrance oils, and liquid dyes.
Candle making Additives
There is a wide variety of candle wax additives available. Here are a few to be aware of and consider when making candles. Below are the most common additives and their uses.
Vybar 103
The hardness and gloss of the surface are improved with this additive. Air bubbles and mottling will be minimized. It can enhance the color and scent of the candle. When needed, its proper mix ratio is one tablespoon per 2 pounds of wax.
UV Light Stabilizer
Candles, when left in direct sunlight, can become discolored and fade. It will help prevent that from happening. When needed, its proper mix ratio is 0.2 percent or about 1/2 teaspoon per pound of wax.
Vybar 260
The hardness and gloss of the surface are improved with this additive. Air bubbles and mottling will be minimized. It can enhance the color and scent of the candle. When needed, its proper mix ratio is one tablespoon per 2 pounds of wax.
Universal Additive
This additive increases hardness, and opacity, binds oil to wax, lengthens burn time, and aids in releasing the candle from the mold. When needed, its proper mix ratio is 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per pound of wax.
Mineral Oil
It is used to create the mottling effect in paraffin wax. You could always use IGI 1274 wax. When used to manufacture pillar and votive candles, it is a specialty blend of fully refined paraffin waxes that produces the “mottling” effect. When needed, its proper mix ratio is three tablespoons per pound of wax.
To achieve a mottled effect on your candles, add three tablespoons of mineral oil per one pound of wax. Pour at 160 degrees, and do not use a water bath to cool the candles. If you use a heavy fragrance oil, add 2% Stearic acid to your wax to reduce seepage.
Stearic Acid
This additive is used in paraffin and vegetable waxes to increase hardness and opacity. When needed, its proper mix ratio is three tablespoons per pound of wax.
Beeswax and Petrolatum
Beeswax is added to a wax blend to increase the burn time of the candle. Petrolatum is used to soften the wax and to enhance the melt pool.
Luster Crystals
Luster crystals are used to harden paraffin wax candles. Increase the strength, color, and gloss of candles. The burn time is increased because of the increased hardness of the candle.
Clear Crystals
Hardens and increases the burn time without changing the opacity of the wax.
Fragrance Oils & Dyes
Use straight-up or blended to give your candle an exquisite scent and color. Candles by themselves are beautiful. Adding color and fragrance to your candles is a brilliant way to express your creativity.
Polysorbate 80
You can also use essential oils to scent your candles, but you’ll need to add an additive to your paraffin wax to prevent the essential oils from sinking to the bottom. Essential oils are the original oils extracted from plants. Although essential oils are expensive to purchase, they are necessary to make good aromatherapy candles.
Each of these additives has a specific purpose. As you gain more experience with candle making, you will use these additives to see what works for you and what effect you want to create.
Some people choose not to use any additives at all, and some wax blends have the additives already in them. When you decide on a supplier for your wax, your supplier can go over what additives you may or may not need, depending on what type of wax, and what type of candle you will be making.
