Summary

This is a beginner’s guide to candle making, we have been supporting Australian candle makers for over 15 years. We offer candle making workshops, including an Online Candle Making Masterclass

The guide covers frequently asked questions about candle making, such as:

• How much soy wax and fragrance oil to use?

• How to choose and test wicks?

• What to look for in a test burn?

• Why candles have surface flaws or sinkholes?

• Whether to use essential or fragrance oils?

• How to make candles smell stronger?

• Why do candle wicks mushroom?

• Why oil seeps out or wet spots appear?

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Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, you’re in great hands with us. We’ve taught over 8000+ people via our detailed candle making classes and workshops.

The best way to kick-start your candle making journey is by joining one of our workshops. They’re designed to help you succeed from the start while avoiding common pitfalls. Our Online Candle Making Masterclass is one of the most comprehensive courses available in Australia. Alternatively we also offer a one on one in-person Masterclass Workshop.

That said, many people also learn candle making on their own through good old-fashioned DIY, trial and error, and—most importantly—practice, practice, practice.  Below you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. We hope you find them helpful!

Feeling inspired to start making candles, ready to dive in?

Now is the perfect time to turn your curiosity into a creative candle-making journey! Take advantage of our amazing offer only available for a short time!

Enroll in our Online Candle Making Masterclass for the full price of $297 and receive $200 cashback as store credit—perfect for stocking up on raw materials and supplies to get you started. Just add $200 cashback in the comments field when placing your order.

How much Soy Wax  will I need to make my candle? 

Place an empty jar on scales. Tare scales back to zero. Pour water to the level the candle will finish at. And the weight of the water is the exact amount of wax  flakes you will need to fill the jars. Please refer to lesson 5 of our Online Candle making Masterclass. 

How much fragrance oil will I need? 

Minimum 5% and maximum 10% of the amount of wax being used in  any one project. 200g wax x 10% = 20g of fragrance oil. Please refer to lesson 5 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more detail.

How to know what candle wicks to use? 

Measure inner diameter of jar. Use our CDNwick chart to match and allocate wick use. This is a guide only and you must conduct a test burn to determine suitability. If wick chart suggests CDN 14, you can test CDN 12, 14 or 16 for suitability. Please refer to lesson 8 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more detail.

Why should I test burn? 

To determine if you have the right size candle wick and fragrance load for the jar size. The wick chart is a guide only. Any time you have a different fragrance oil or candle colour  combination, the wick can produce different results. Please refer to lesson 8 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more detail.

What to look for in a test burn? 

If the candle takes too long to create a melt pool, the wick is too small. If the Melt pool is deeper than 2cm after 4 hrs, the wick is too large. If the flame is too  erratic it is an indication there is too much fragrance or too much heat and you need to  adjust one or the other. Please refer to lesson 8 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more in depth detail.

Why do I get sink holes, surface flaws on my finished candles? 

Even the most experienced candle maker will often find their finished soy candles have an uneven, rough surface finish. Many things can contribute towards  these characteristics. Here are some things you can try to help correct this problem. Please refer to lesson 7 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more detail.

• Avoid over stirring. 
• Adjust your pouring temperatures. 
• Working in an ambient temperature room. 
• Avoid extremely hot or cold rooms. 
• Warm your jars before pouring. 
• Tap glass gently after you pour to release any air bubbles. 
• Slow down the cooling process. 
• Pour more slowly. 
• Make sure candles are well spaced during the setting process. 
• Use a heat gun or hairdryer to re-melt the surface.

Can I use essential oils? 

Based on our research we do not think it’s a good idea to use essential oils.  They are very volatile oils and you need to use less than 5% fragrance load. This means the  candle will have very little scent throw. We suggest to only use fragrance oils that have  been specifically made for the candle combustion application. Please refer to lesson 9 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more in-depth detail.

Can I mix fragrance oils? 

Yes, you can blend fragrance oils, it’s an economical way to make your product  go further. We strongly suggest you always test burn any blends to ensure you get what  you desire. Please refer to lesson 9 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more detail.

What does the Flashpoint on a fragrance oil mean? 

The flashpoint is the temperature a fragrance oil can combust if exposed to an  open flame or spark. Usually the lower the flashpoint the more volatile the fragrance, so  sometimes it is better to use less like 7%. The higher the flashpoint, the more stable the  fragrance and be easily used at the maximum 10%. Please refer to lesson 9 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more in-depth detail.

How do I get my candle to smell stronger? 

The most common issue is that soy candles have a massive cold scent throw and users  usually become immune to the scent and do not realize this. So, keep the lid on your  candles when not burning. Make sure you have not become immune to the scent from  the cold scent throw. Too often clients enjoy the cold scent throw but do not realise their  senses eventually shutdown because they have been overloaded. 

Keep the container size and room size in mind. The wider the diameter, the larger the  candle surface area, the stronger the fragrance will be. While a smaller candle, such as a  jar 7cm wide jar, may be sufficient for a bedroom or bathroom, a larger living space may  require a candle with a wider diameter to fill the room with fragrance, like 8 to 9cm wide.  

Under wicking and sometimes over wicking will have an effect on hot scent throw. Please  sure you conduct proper test burns to ensure you have the right size wick for your candle 

Some say allowing candles to cure for 1 week before use helps. 

Why can’t I smell my candle burning?  

The most common issue is that soy candles have a massive cold scent throw and users  usually become immune to the scent and do not realize this. So, keep the lid on your  candles when not burning. Make sure you have not become immune to the scent from  the cold scent throw. Too often clients enjoy the cold scent throw but do not realise their  senses eventually shutdown because they have been overloaded.  I often tell clients to bring their neighbour in to provide feedback. Every time I could also guarantee the neighbour will confirm how amazing the home smells.

Why does my candle wick have a mushroom form after burning? 

This is the result of carbon build-up, where the flame consumes more wax than  it can burn. It is a common occurrence and can be a sign that the wick is too large for the  candle. Keep in mind that larger wick sizes from CDN 14 up, are prone to mushrooming  more frequently than other smaller wicks from CDN 14 down. 

If “mushrooming” occurs with your candle, we recommend trimming the carbon build-up  off the wick between burns. If you are seeing a combination of excessive mushrooming  along with soot building up on the sides of your container, we would recommend wicking  down one wick size to help control the burn. Please refer to lesson 10 of our Online Candle Making Masterclass for more in-depth detail.

Why does it look like there is oil seeping out top of candle? 

Fragrance oil will seep out and sit on top of the candle if it hasn’t bonded well with soy. And it can also do this is warmer in consistently warmer environments.

Remedy: 

• Add fragrance oil at a higher temperature 80 to 85 degrees and make sure you stir  well for 1 to 2 minutes before pouring.  
• Use less fragrance. Sometimes less is more… 

What is the wet spot on the side of my jar? 

This is a glass adhesion issue caused through wax shrinkage. It is quite common in  paraffin candles and will also happen with soy. It occurs when candles / jars / environment is too cold and candles set too quickly. 

Remedy: 

• Heat jars before pouring. 
• Have an ambient room temperature. 
• Slow down the cooling and setting process.

When choosing to keep things as natural as possible by using 100% soy wax, please don’t get caught up on 100% visual perfection with your candles – You will drive yourself crazy! Embrace the fact you are making something from scratch, in a makeshift environment without any additives or preservatives and learn to accept the unique characteristics of working with beautiful all natural Soy wax.

In Summary

This guide walks you through key aspects of candle making –  from the importance of test burns, proper wick sizing, fragrance load, and pouring temperatures for successful candle making.