Scented Candles

Subtle scents can make a huge difference in a room. They can be used to complement the physical arrangement and the lighting of a room to create a desired ambiance. Scents can come from burning incense, aerosol spray, scented potpourri, or scented candle.

Scented candles have the advantage of serving three functions –light, décor, and a pleasant scent. Another great advantage is you can make your own. Making scented candles can be fun. Apart from giving your home a pleasant smell, they are also perfect for gift-giving.

The first step in making a scented candle is to select which of the available waxes you want to use. The most commonly used is paraffin, but you can opt for an insect or plant-based wax as beeswax, soy, or palm wax. You can also choose gel wax although this requires greater temperature and density control as variations in these could affect your finished candle.

Using a double-boiler, wherein the solid wax is placed in a pot which is in turn placed in a bigger pot filled with water, the wax is heated to a temperature of 170 to 180°F.

When the wax has melted remove the smaller pan from the heat source and add the fragrance oil. Remember to use oil-based fragrances as the water-based types will not mix well with the wax. Fragrance oils should be mixed at a ratio of one ounce for every pound of wax. This results in a 6% concentration which is considered the ideal mixture.

If you wish to add colors to the wax, now is the time to do it. You can use a liquid candle dye but try not to overdo it. A few drops will go a long way to create deep colors.

You can now pour your melted, scented, and colored wax into your mold making sure that the wick stays in the center. Let it cool for four to six hours, remove it from the mold, and enjoy a delightful scent, a pleasing view, and a romantic lighting right in your own room.

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