Candles are universally known to be calming, soothing and tranquil. There is something therapeutic and inviting about a candle and seeing it lit up. However, candles can become quite expensive, especially the larger sized ones. So, instead of buying candles: why not try to make your own? Contrary to what some may believe, candles are not that difficult to create; it’s fairly easy. It doesn’t take long and you only need a few items.
However, you have to get your ratios right; the ratio between wax to fragrance. The last thing you want is an overly scented candle that saturates your room and gives you a headache or an odorless, dull candle (which may be the lesser of the two evils).
Fret not! We are here to help. Take a look at our guide on how to achieve the perfectly balanced candle.
Jar Fill Volume
The first step is to choose a glass jar. Get creative with this and experiment with different jar shapes and sizes. You can check out our diverse selection of candle jars at Jargeous here: https://www.jarsinmalaysia.com/products/industrial-catalog/industrial-hospitality/candle-jar/.
Next, we need to determine the jar fill volume. This is your “wax volume”. In order to do this, fill your jar, with water, up to the level that you desire your candle to be. Then, pour the water out into a measuring cup. Voila! You have your jar fill volume now.
For our example, we are going to use 300mL as our jar fill volume.
Fragrance Load
“Fragrance load” refers to the percentage of fragrance that you will mix with your candle wax. A general rule of thumb in candle-making, is that a fragrance load of 10% is ideal for a “good scent throw”. This is the technical term used to describe how well your candle will smell when it is burning.
Now, using the jar fill volume that we got earlier: we can now multiply it by 10% in order to figure out how much fragrance we would have to put in.
Continuing with our example:
300mL x 10% = 30mL. This means we would need to mix 30mL of fragrance to mix with our wax.
Ok, so now we have two measurements: our jar fill volume and fragrance load. But wait, what about the wax? Wax is basically the majority of a candle. So, how much wax do I need?
Wax Weight
Wax is sold in its solid form, in the form of flakes. But all the measurements that we have worked out, at this point, are for liquids. So, we need to take an extra step and figure out how much wax (in solid form) is needed.
Continuing with our example, we want to create a 300mL candle, but 30mL is needed for fragrance. Hence, we need 270mL of liquid. Now, we need to convert 270mL of liquid volume into the weight of wax flakes.
Therefore, we need a magic constant number in order to convert the measurements. Luckily for you, you don’t need to be searching high and low for that number. We’ve done it for you and here it is: 0.83!
270mL x 0.83 = 224 grams of wax. You’ll need 224 grams of wax flakes for your specially made candle.
With all these measurements figured out, you can finally get started with your candle making. All that you will need to make your candles are available at Jargeous.
We have premium wax flakes, assorted from paraffin and white beeswax to pure, natural soy wax for our eco-conscious heroes. We also have an assortment of jars of all shapes and sizes to choose and experiment with, and wicks for any sized candle you plan to create.
Shop now:
Have fun making your beautiful, curated candles!
Written by @DrFatinDaud
Dr Fatin Najwa binti Daud is a junior doctor, content creator and copywriter residing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She previously worked in marketing, specifically digital marketing, and business development. Dr Fatin is highly passionate about medicine and education. Her other interests include activism, humanitarian work, fashion and sports. You can find Dr Fatin Daud on LinkedIn.
