If you’d ever find yourself being a guest at my home, the first thing you’ll probably notice is my (insane) obsession with both candles and crystals in all shapes and sizes.
Before I decided to start making my own soy wax candles, anytime I’d go for a shopping session, I always ended up solely buying candles (instead of that pair of shoes I actually really needed..)
A little while ago I stumbled across some mesmerizing soy wax candles with crystals inside that got me hooked from the moment I laid eyes on them. That’s when I decided to turn it into a nice DIY project and try and make some of these special and extremely beautiful candles by myself!
Besides making candles for my own personal use, they actually make for a really great and original gift as well. You could even step up your game personalizing your gift by sticking a nice customized label on to it and/or putting a nice ribbon around the jar.
In this article I will provide you with a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own soy wax candles with sparkling crystals!
Table of Contents
How To Make Your Own Soy Wax Candle With Crystals – Tutorial
Materials and Tools You Will Need:
- Soy Wax Flakes
- Essential Oil(s)
- Wicks
- Crystals / Dried Herbs / Glitter / Dried Flower Petals
- Glue or Adhesive Tape
- Scissors
- Glass or Tin Container(s) / Jars
- Wick Holder or Pencils
- Double Boiler (Or Saucepan + Smaller Pan or Mixing Bowl)
If you don’t own any (or little) of the mentioned materials above, you might want to consider the convenience of a complete soy candle making kit, if so, this kit would be a great choice! The only thing you’ll need to add are your candle toppings (crystals, dried flowers, etc). Of course, adding toppings isn’t essential for a great soy candle, I just personally think they give them that nice extra touch!
Directions:
- Start by deciding which toppings (crystals, herbs, dried flower petals etc) you want to use for your candles and keep them next to the specific container you want to use them for. That way, you won’t be stressing yourself out later on when the soy wax is hardening up and you can’t find your crystal stones you wanted to use (what makes you think this happened to me? Ok, so maybe it did… let’s move on to step 2!)
- Next you will need to stick the wicks inside of the containers. I personally like to use glue for this, but a little piece of double sided adhesive tape will work just as well. When you are using regular wicks, after sticking the wick inside your container, you can use a clothespin or pencil to keep the wick located in the middle of your container. When you are using wooden wicks, you won’t need to keep it in place as the wick will be firm enough by itself.
- Measure the amount of soy wax flakes you will need for your candles. I personally used a total of about 10 oz of soy wax flakes for a total of 2 containers (5 oz containers). Another good way to know how much soy wax flakes you’ll need, is to take twice the amount of soy flakes that fit in its container.
- Take a saucepan and a stainless steel mixing bowl. Boil the water and put the bowl with your soy wax flakes on top of it, so it will be melting ‘au bain-marie’ style.
- When all the soy wax flakes are melted you can take the mixing bowl off of the saucepan and let the melted wax cool for a little bit before adding your essential oil(s). I usually wait a couple of minutes before I pour in the oils.
- Now, while the wax is still a clear liquid, pour in your essential oils (the advised amount can differentiate per brand, most of the time you will find the required amount on the bottle!). For my candles I personally used an essential oil blend of Coconut and Lemongrass for a nice tropical vibe, but you can use your own favourite type of scent of course!
- Stir the wax in the same direction for about 20 to 30 times in order for the essential oils to spread evenly.
- Now slowly and steadily pour the wax inside of your container(s)
- When you see the wax starting to set a bit, you can start by adding the lightweight toppings you want to add to your candles. I personally used a little bit of glitter, but you can add your dried flower petals or herbs at this stage as well.
- Then when the wax has hardened a bit more, and is ready to take on some toppings with more weight, it is time to add your precious crystals (and seashells in my case). Place them in any position you want, just make sure to not put your toppings too closely to the wick! We want our candles to help us relax, without the unwanted effect of a blowtorch.
- After you’re done admiring your mesmerizing masterpieces, put them away for at least 24 hours to fully set (larger candles might need some more time).
- When the candles are fully hardened, it is best advised to cut the wick to about 1/4 of an inch. That way the candle will burn more evenly and you’ll be able to enjoy the candle for a longer amount of time!
- Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your own home made soy wax crystal candles!
Is It Safe To Put Crystals In a Candle?
It’s safe to put crystals inside of a candle, as long as you make sure to put the stones far enough away from the wick. When you mostly put the stones to the sides of your container, they should be just fine. If you don’t feel comfortable adding crystals, or anything for that matter, to your candle, then don’t. Soy candles, with or without essential oils, are pretty enough on their own without any added elements.
Remember, as with any type of candle you burn, never leave your burning candles unattended!
Is It Safe To Put Dried Herbs In a Candle?
The same goes for dried herbs or flowers. They are theoretically safe to put in a candle, just remember to not place them too close to the wick/flame as this might result in a bit more spectacular fireworks than you were probably aiming for. Choose the safe way and don’t go too crazy by adding a massive amount of toppings to your candle.
Can You Put Cinnamon In a Candle?
To make your candles even more good-looking and original, you might have considered putting cinnamon inside your candle. Although putting a cinnamon stick inside your candle might be a tempting thing to do, I wouldn’t actually recommend this. As cinnamon sticks are quite large and easy to catch fire, I’d avoid them at all cost. A better alternative would be to use a cinnamon scented essential oil instead, so you’ll still have the same kind of effect, just without any unnecessary extra risks.
Can You Put Vanilla Extract In A Candle?
Instead of using a vanilla scented essential oil, you can also use that vanilla extract you might have lingering around the house. Just replace the step of the candle making process where you would be adding essential oils with adding the vanilla extract and your home will be filled with this sugary sweet scent in no time!