For many years paraffin wax was the only wax used for candles, but this is made from fossil fuels, and is non-renewable. Soy beans on the other hand are a renewable resource that we can and do grow, so we will never run out of the chance to make soy candles at home. Soy candles burn cleaner too, so you won’t get soot around the top of a jar candle like you do when you burn paraffin wax candles.
Now, if you are going to make soy votive candles, (a votive candle is a small candle like a prayer candle, and gets its name because originally, according to Wikipedia, votive candles were burnt as a votive offering in a religious ceremony. They are usually about 2 inches tall, and 1.5 inches in diameter, and although they used to be white, they are now of any color, and scent.
Supplies for making soy votive wax candles at home:
- 1 lb soybean wax double boiler, or coffee can and pan
- candle wax coloring (do not use water based, or alcohol based dyes) fragrance oil made specifically for candles (not water based, or alcohol based scents)
- flat bottomed whisk
- molds
- wicks suitable for soy candles
The first thing to do is gather your supplies, so you will need some soybean wax, about 2 oz for each votive candle, so if you are going to make 8 soy candles at home you will need 1 lb of soy wax.
(2oz x 8 = 16 oz = 1 lb)
You will also need a double boiler, or a large pan and a big coffee can that can fit in side the pan to act as a double boiler. Put water into the pan or lower boiler, and bring it to the boil. Place the soy wax into the coffee can or upper boiler so it will begin to melt while the container is in the boiling water. Wait until the soy wax is completely melted, between 170 and 180 degrees, and then gradually add a little dye, having shaken the bottle well first. You can not remove it if you add too much, so add and mix a little at a time. You may only need 12 drops, depending on the type and make of dye coloring.
Use the flat bottomed whisk to mix in the dye, and make sure the wax is now uniform in color. Then add the fragrance oil, making sure that the temperature of the wax is still around 175 degrees. Stir with the whisk for a good two minutes. Since soy wax is better at holding scents than paraffin candles, you will only need about 1.5 oz of fragrance oil for each one pound of wax. Of course, if you add more it will result in stronger scented soy candles.
Once you have mixed in the fragrance thoroughly, the temperature of the wax will still be high, about 170 degrees (any cooler and the fragrance oil will not bind with the wax, but any higher and the scent will burn off.
Next, you need to warm the molds you are going to use for your candles by popping them in the oven while it is on a warm setting. Warming them saves pouring hot wax into cold molds which may cause a thin film of wax to cool quickly on the sides of the mold, affecting how the finished candle will look. While the molds are warming, cool the wax to around 150 – 155 degrees.
Carefully take the molds out of the oven, using oven gloves, and pour the wax into the molds. You can use a small jug for this, but this too should be warmed before hand in the oven.
Next we have to put the wicks into the candles, and this is done as soon as a skin starts to form on the surface of the wax. The straightened wicks are pushed into the wax carefully – remember it is still very hot – by holding the wick by the tip, and push the wick down into each mold so that it touches the bottom of the mold. You have to do this fairly quickly, because you do not want a thick skin to form on the candles before you get the wick in place.
Next is the hard part – you have to wait for 4 or 5 hours for the candles to cool, so go and do something else, do not touch them or move them, give them time to cool thoroughly. When the candles have had this time, you should be able to pull them out of the mold easily, just by pulling on the wick. Now, some more waiting time, this time while the soy wax candles cure, which is generally a day or two. After that, you can light them, or wrap them and give them as gifts, knowing that you can always make more soy candles at home any time you like!
Candle in a glass
