#Workshop - April 24th @ 6pm: Making Soy Candles

Fact: If soy wax completely replaced paraffin wax in candles, about 60 million pounds of soy beans will be used each year to make candles. That will make some farmers pretty happy!

First, we need to cover your choice in a jar and what you will melt the wax with. The jar needs to be pretty thick or tempered, like glass Ball or Mason jars. A thin candleholder could break or shatter from the heat of the wax or the heat of the flame once the candle is lit. Soy wax candles can only be made in a jar, rather than as pillars. Blending soy wax with other materials, such as paraffin wax will allow you to make a pillar candle.

Melting the wax is completely up to you, as far as what you use to do it. The safest method with kitchen appliances is by stove-top, using a double boiling system. Wax can also be melted in a microwave; however it is extremely important that the wax is watched as it melts. Allowing it to boil in the microwave may wreck the wax or cause it to catch on fire. Wax melted in the microwave should be taken out right after the last few flakes dissolve. When using a candle wax melter, found in hobby or craft stores, read the instructions first and make sure to follow them exactly.

Does anyone have any questions so far?

And now, on to the step-by-step guide to soy candle making!

1. Cover your work area in newspaper waxed paper and lay out all of your supplies. Make sure potholders are nearby in case you quickly need to move the wax while the container is still hot. Also make sure to wash and completely dry your jar, so that dirt or dust isn’t trapped in the wax.

2. Measure out the amount of wax you will need for your candle. You need at least twice as much volume of wax as the jar you have picked can hold. When I melted down the wax for my candle, I needed about 4 cups of wax flakes to fill my 1 cup jar. As you melt your wax, you can always add more if it doesn’t look like you have enough.

3. Pour the wax flakes into your measuring cup or pouring pot. It’s important that whatever you choose to melt the wax in can take the heat of the wax and boiling pot and water, so plastic is out. Do not use a metal container if you are microwaving the wax.

4. If you are using the double boiling method, fill a saucepan with hot water and put it on the stove to boil. Place the cup of wax into the pot of water to check the level of the water. You don’t want the water to be any higher than 2 inches from the top of the saucepan, so that water doesn’t boil and splash everywhere, including in your wax. If the water level is good, leave the wax container in the water to melt. Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down from high heat to low or medium.

Keep in mind when melting wax: Hot wax will not boil. Instead, when it gets too hot, it will just burst into flames.

5. If you are microwaving, you’ll just need to stick the wax in the microwave on low or medium heat for a few minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on it and stir it often. As soon as the last few flakes of wax melt completely, take it out of the microwave.

6. In order to make a good candle, your wax needs to be between 150 degrees Fahrenheit and 170 degrees Fahrenheit upon being completely melted. Any hotter and it will burn. Any cooler and it may not mix together with the fragrance and dye. The first time I made a candle, I just used a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the wax. The second time, in my apartment’s kitchen, I realized I didn’t have a thermometer, so I decided to just wing it and turn off the heat when the last flake melted. Whichever method you have chosen for melting the wax, do not leave it unattended at this stage.

7. Once your wax has reached a good temperature, you can start mixing in the fragrance oil and dye. For stirring and easy clean up, plastic knives or some wooden skewers would be fine. The stovetop and saucepan, if you used them, are no longer needed. The wax can be moved to a trivet or pot holder on the counter. Mix the fragrance oil in first; adding as much as you desire. I added about a teaspoon of oil to my candle.

8. Both solid and liquid dyes can be used to color your candle. Solid dye blocks should be broken up with a knife, as smaller pieces are much easier to melt into the wax. Liquid dye is easier to get into the wax; however, it is much messier. Like food coloring, the dye will stain counters, skin, and clothing. When deciding on the level of color you want, always count on the melted wax being much darker than the solid wax will be. You can try pouring a small amount of wax on a paper plate or a paper towel to see how dark the wax will be when it dries. I added about 4 teaspoons total of liquid dye to my candle, which still turned out really pale. Once you’ve added the dye, stir everything together.