Candle Making

Inspiration & Exploration

Candle making is one of the most satisfying crafts to start because your first batch is usable the same day you make it. Begin by watching Royalty Soaps and CandleScience on YouTube to see a range of styles: container candles, pillar candles, soy wax melts, and layered candles. Browse r/candlemaking on Reddit to read what beginners ask and what experienced makers advise. Visit a local craft store like JOANN Fabrics in Salt Lake or the Hobby Lobby locations along the Wasatch Front to handle different wax types. Check out CandleScience.com — their free learning center covers wax types, wick sizing, and fragrance basics in plain language. You're ready for the next step when you can name three wax types and explain one key difference between them.

Tools & Techniques

Learn your materials before you melt anything. The four core supplies are wax (soy flakes are the easiest beginner choice), pre-tabbed wicks (sized to your container diameter), fragrance oil (not essential oil — fragrance oil is formulated for candles), and a container. You also need a double boiler or a pour pot, a thermometer, and a stirring stick. CandleScience's free Wick Guide at candlescience.com tells you which wick series to try based on your container width. Learn why temperature matters: pour soy wax at 135–145°F for best adhesion, and add fragrance at around 185°F for best scent throw. You're ready for the next step when you can list your four core supplies and explain the correct temperature window for adding fragrance oil.

First Creations

Make your first batch of three container candles. Use the same wax, wick, and fragrance in all three so you have a fair comparison. Melt your soy wax flakes in a double boiler, monitor the temperature with your thermometer, add fragrance oil at the right temperature, stir for two full minutes, then pour into your glass jars. Center each wick with a wick centering bar or two pencils laid across the jar. Let candles cure for at least 48 hours before you burn them — soy wax needs time to harden fully for best scent throw. Test all three by burning for two hours and checking the melt pool width. You're ready for the next step when you have three finished candles and written notes on how each one burned.

Style Development

Now experiment intentionally. Try a different fragrance load (the percentage of fragrance oil by weight — most soy wax holds 6–10%). Test two wicks: one size up and one size down from your first batch. Try a new fragrance that connects to Utah — something with pine, cedar, or high-desert sage notes. Experiment with color using candle-safe dye chips. Try a layered candle: pour one color, let it set until firm but not fully cold, then pour a second color on top. Keep a simple log for each test: wax type, fragrance percentage, wick size, pour temp, and burn result. You're ready for the next step when you have a written record of at least two wax-fragrance-wick combinations and know which one burned cleanest.

Refine Your Craft

Dial in your formula and learn what separates a good candle from a great one. Study fragrance blending: combining two or three fragrance oils creates a signature scent nobody else has. Research hot throw (scent when burning) vs. cold throw (scent unlit) and how cure time affects both. Learn about wet spots, sinkholes, and frosting — common soy wax issues — and how to prevent them. Watch CandleScience's troubleshooting videos for each defect. Join the National Candle Association's beginner resources at candles.org. If you want to eventually sell candles in Utah, read the basic FDA labeling requirements for candle products. You're ready for the next step when you have a repeatable formula — wax type, fragrance blend, wick size, and pour temp — that produces a clean, consistent burn pool.

Portfolio Piece

Make a set of three candles that represent your best work. Choose a fragrance blend you developed yourself, select containers that fit together visually, and design a simple label using Canva (free at canva.com). Print your labels on sticker paper or hand-write them with a fine-tip marker. Burn-test at least one candle from the batch for the full four-hour recommended maximum and record the melt pool, scent strength, and flame behavior. Photograph the finished set styled with props — a Utah hiking map, some dried sage, or river stones — in natural light. Share your photos and formula notes on r/candlemaking for community feedback. You're ready for the next step when you have a cohesive set of candles you made with a custom scent blend, a clean burn, and a label you designed.