Photo by House Of Sims

Soy Candle Making Supplies

What you need and where to get it...
soy wax for candle making, wicks for soy candles, etc.

I've organized the soy candle supplies into some basic categories. Click on the links to jump straight to a specific category or scroll through them to get an overall look at soy candle making supply needs.

General Equipment

Candle Containers

Candle Molds

Candle Making Kits

Soy Wax
Candle Wicks

Candle Fragrances

Candle Dyes

General Soy Candle Making Supplies

• A protective cover for your countertop or table such as a plastic tablecloth or several layers of newspaper. Colored wax can stain surfaces, and its heat can cause marks.
• A stove or hot plate to heat the wax.
• A double boiler or a medium sized pot you can use for the boiling water bath.
• A pot or pitcher to hold the wax (this could also be the top half of your double boiler.) I actually use a large apple juice can - I just bend the top of it into a spout, and when I'm done I throw it in my recycling bin - no clean-up!

  You can also buy a pouring pot for candle making. They're nice because their plastic handle means you don't have to worry about the pot slipping out of your hand (or burning your hand on the can.) A heat proof glass pitcher like a Pyrex would work too.

• A metal or wooden spoon to stir the melting wax.
• A thermometer to measure the temperature of the wax. I bought a candy thermometer at my local supermarket for about $4.00.
• A scale can be useful when you're using color in your soy candle recipe. (You use so much dye per pound of wax.) I bought a postage scale at a business supplies store.

Soy Candle Making Supplies

• Containers for soy candle making can range from tea lights to mason jars to coffee cups to just about anything ceramic, metal or glass you have around your house.

  Let your imagination guide you, but be sensible - your container has to be able to cope with heat of fresh-poured wax. I like trolling my local dollar store and second hand shops to get one-of-a-kind candle containers.

Soy Candle Making Supplies

• Candle molds can be made from aluminum, polycarbonate plastic or silicone. (Check out this video to see how to make your own molds using silicone.)

  Look for molds with a "seamless" design so you don't have to polish the seam line off your finished candle.

• You may want to use a mold releasant to make it easier to get your completed candle out of the mold. You don't always need it for small, simple molds but it sure comes in handy with larger, trickier shapes!

Soy Candle Making Supplies

Usually, everything you need is included in the kit (and if not, they tell you) along with clear, step-by-step instructions specific to that kit's project. It takes some of the guesswork and uncertainty out of it, which can be nice if you're a beginner.

(If you're looking for a great gift for a crafty person, I'd definitely recommend a soy candle making kit!)

Soy Candle Making Supplies

• Soy wax for candle making. Pillar candles need a harder wax than container candles, usually a vegetable wax blend (soy wax alone is pretty soft, which is why it needs a container to hold it.)
• There are lots of types of candle making soy wax, and a good supplier will make it very clear if the wax is suitable for making container or pillar candles.
• Types of soy wax vary in the percentage of fragrance they can tolerate, usually from about 3% to 6%. Simply choose by performance or price. Since essential oils have a more subtle presence than candle fragrance oils, I recommend buying wax with the highest tolerance you can afford.
• Handy Hint: Buy soy wax flakes or chips rather than a block of wax if you can - flakes melt WAY faster.

Soy Candle Making Supplies

• Choosing the correct wick size and type is probably the hardest part of the whole project and it's important to get it right, or your candle won't burn properly.
• Fatter candles need a wider wick (candle wicks can range from 3/16" to upwards of 1/8") and you should look for wicks recommended for vegetable waxes.
• If you're not sure what candle wick to use for your project, ask your supplier - they're there to help. If they don't, they're the wrong supplier!

Wicks for Container Candles

• The easiest way to make soy container candles using pre-waxed, tabbed wicks.
• Holding your wicks in place while you're pouring the wax is much easier if you hot glue the tab of your wick in place beforehand. An even easier option is to use glue dots to stick the wick in place.
• Another helpful tool for making soy jar candles is a popsicle stick with a hole drilled in the center of it. You thread the top of the wick through the hole and set the popsicle stick into place on top of the jar and voila! your wick is safely centered.

Wicks for Pillar Candles

• The wick material used in making soy pillar candles is sold in spools. Candle molds come in lots of shapes and sizes, so you need to be able to cut your wick to the proper length.
• Candle molds MUST BE SEALED at the bottom or hot wax will pour out the wick hole, making a big mess.

  The most common way to seal the wick-hole is to use mold sealing putty, which is a highly adhesive, flexible substance.

  You can also use mold plugs, which are tapered rubber plugs you stuff into the wick-hole. Caution: although they're quicker to use than sealing putty, plugs are more prone to leaking and they may not fit into the hole when you're using a larger-sized wick.

• Candle making is much easier if you use a wick bar (and they're really not expensive, so why not!)

Soy Candle Making Supplies

• I advocate using pure, natural essential oils to make soy wax scented candles. That said, synthetic candle fragrance oils will create more highly scented soy candles than those using essential oils.

  Check your supplier's website for soy candle fragrance oils.

Soy Candle Making Supplies

• Candle dyes come in two basic forms: blocks or liquids.
• Color blocks are good for beginners because it's relatively easy to control shades and match colors, and they're not as messy.

  A good starting rate is 1 block of color in 5 pounds of wax and you can use less or more from there. If you want a darker color, a little bit of black wax coloring block works wonders.

• Liquid candle dyes are very concentrated (and they stain anything you spill them on.) It's harder to control color results with liquid dyes, so take notes when you experiment.

  Candlewic carries a hand dye cleaner you may want to pick up if you decide to try using liquid colorants.

Soy Candle Making Supplies

Recommend a Supplier or Product

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Just click on the link to go to our candle making chat page and share your story or recommendation. Thanks!

What Next?

Instructions for Soy Container Candles

Instructions for Scented Soy Pillar Candles

Essential Oils Blends for Soy Wax Scented Candles

Soy Candle Making Tips

Soy Candles Main Page

Go to Aromatherapy Recipes Homepage from Soy Candle Making Supplies