Homemade Soy Candles make fabulous DIY gifts! They’re super easy to make and in less than an hour you will have a bunch of awesome candles to share!
Add them to gift baskets, decorate your home for a party or stack them in the pantry for when the lights go out! They always make great small gifts for neighbors and teachers. You really can’t go wrong making a batch or two! While you’re at it you can make some of these bath salts and lip balm…they’re some of my favorite handmade gift ideas every Christmas.
These homemade candles are 100% natural soy wax. I added a bit of essential oil for a light scent, but that part is optional.
Here’re all the details so you can get started on them right away…
Supplies…
- Natural Soy Wax
- Natural Candle Wicks
- Small Mason Jars
- Orange, Lemongrass and Lemon Essential Oils
- Tape
- Hole punch
- Glass measuring cup or bowl
You can find the exact products I used by clicking on the links in the supply list above or in my Soy Candle Wish List here. That might make it easier for you. I’ve had trouble finding essential oil that I like and these three are my favorite!
Start by filling your large measuring cup or glass container with soy wax and heat it in the microwave on high…check it every 30 seconds and stir.
Once your soy wax is completely melted you can mix in 10-15 drops of essential oil. You can change the amount according to how strong you want the candles to smell.
Have your mason jars ready to fill and slowly pour the soy wax into the jars. You’ll want to have them in a spot where they can sit and dry for awhile without moving them. If you move them too soon you’ll end up with soy wax up the edges of your jar where you don’t want it…trust me.
To hold the wicks in place while the soy wax dries I created a little holder with what I had around the house…tape and a hole punch.
I just punched a hole in the tape. Put the wick in the jar and slid the tape {the hole} over the wick and secured it to the sides. It worked perfectly!
Here’s what that look like in a hour or less. You can let them dry a few more hours or overnight before trimming the wick and closing them up with the lid.
I decorated the jar a bit with a tag, but there are a million ways to do this part. Just use up some of the craft supplies you have already. You can even print out these fun handmade labels in a ton of colors.
TIP: You can add a small box of matches inside the jar before you close it up. That way they don’t have to search for matches. This is also good for emergency candles…it’s hard to find matches in the dark!
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments and I’ll try to help you out. It’s so simple I know you’ll enjoy making them!
Have you ever made candles?
~Kim
I loved this DIY project. So beautiful! You make it look so easy 🙂 I love, love, love the quality of your photography. Hopefully, you can give us a DIY on that, too. 🙂
I want to make 6 of these for Christmas gifts this year, but I am using pint-size mason jars instead. I’m wondering how much wax I should buy to make 6 pint-size candles? Thanks!- Lauryn
Great post! I saw you have a 5-lb bag of wax in your link. How many candles does 5 pounds make? Also, do you think I could use vanilla extract in place of EO? Thank you so much for your time!
I love how candles look in mason jars. Great gift idea!
Can these be used as lotion when they melt?
Hi Stasi!
The soy wax burns really clean and there’s not really any wax left when it’s done. 🙂
I hope you’ll try it!
~kim
My husband and I made these a couple of days ago and are COMPLETELY OBSESSED! I featured this page on my blog so other people can make them too!
Hi Katrina!
I’m the same way with candles all over the house! It can get expensive, but these candles are cheap and you know what goes into them. Thanks so much for letting me know you tried it…and for sharing my post! Have a wonderful weekend!
~Kim
Hey! I found your posting thanks to pinterest. Ive been investigating soy candles diy… I’m considering adding them as part of my small bow business during an upcoming expansion.
I noticed your using a measuring cup and microwave. The kit I found on amazon has a pot similar to a double boiler. Does the microwave work for a majority of the soy wax brands or just specific ones? Microwaving would probably be much more convenient, but I am weighing options…
Thank you!
Hi Brittany!
Many people use double boilers to create candles and soaps, but I just use the microwave. I’ve done it for years and it’s always been the easiest way for me. I like easy! You just have to make sure to check your wax every 30 seconds and give it a quick stir. Just follow the tutorial and you’ll have soy candles in no time!
Have fun!
~Kim
Hi it is a great post but i cant find natural soy wax anywhere.
thx
There’s a link to the soy wax in the post. 🙂
Have fun!
~Kim
Do you have to use essential oil? Or can you use extracts?
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this!! I’m on my way to a few stores to purchase all the items needed.
Just have 1 question: It seems like you made quite a large batch. I’m only making 2-3 candles at a time with the 8-ounce jars I have for a homemade gift. How much soy wax would I need to melt in the glass measuring cup? Wouldn’t won’t to let leftover wax to go to waste.
Whether or not you see this, thank you! Sharing this wonderful DIY gift is much appreciated. (:
Made candles. Turned out great. Do they need covers?
looking good
nice post
Hi there! I have one question about this tutorial, do the wicks move as he candle burns down or do they stay pretty secure even when the wax is low in the container? Some tutorials say you need to use hot glue or glue dots on the bottle of the wick to make it stay in place?
Great tutorial! Thank you for sharing.
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