Q&A for How to Make a Scented Candle in a Glass

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  • Question
    How do you put a wick in a candle jar?
    Claire Donovan-Blackwood
    Arts & Crafts Specialist
    Claire Donovan-Blackwood is an Arts & Crafts Specialist and CEO of Heart Handmade UK, a site dedicated to helping people live a happy, creative life. With over 13 years of experience, Claire uses art as a form of therapy and focuses on mindfulness in the making of art. She makes crafting easy and accessible for those she works with. Claire received her B.A. in Photography & Visual Imagery from The University of Huddersfield.
    Arts & Crafts Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Trim the wick so it's the same height as your jar. Then, secure the wick it by attaching it to a stick placed over the mouth of the jar.
  • Question
    Let's say I wanted some kind of flower scent. Can I just get some flowers (probably get their liquids out) and put the flowers (liquid, petals, or something) inside the candle instead of pouring oil?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    What you're talking about is getting the essential oil out of the flowers, which is a time-consuming, expensive, and complicated process. It takes hundreds of blossoms just to make a few ounces of essential oils. It's far easier and more cost-effective to simply buy essential oils.
  • Question
    Can you use icing paste (colorant) to color the candles?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    No. You should only use dyes that were specifically created to color the wax that you're using. Anything else could cause the candle to smoke and not burn properly.
  • Question
    After pouring the wax into the glass container, there are white lines formed that look like scratches and spoil the entire look. What can I do to prevent this?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Typically this happens when the wax was too cool when you started to pour it, so it starts to harden in layers, leading to these lines. Try pouring the wax back into the original container before it hardens completely and reheating it a little.
  • Question
    Can I use bath crystals mixed in oil as a fragrance for my candles?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This isn't a good idea. They could spark or smoke and lead to uneven burning.
  • Question
    Can I use candles instead of buying wax, melt them and add essentials oils?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    You could melt down wax candles that have already been made, but this would likely be more expensive than just buying wax flakes.
  • Question
    Can I use paraffin wax to make the candles?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    You can use paraffin wax to make candles. However, it's more expensive than soy wax and a bit more difficult to work with. Soy wax is great for beginners because it melts so smoothly and easily and burns cleanly.
  • Question
    Can I use a Pringles container and then tear it away?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
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    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    A Pringles container isn't a great option for a candle because it's made mostly of cardboard, which is flammable.
  • Question
    How much scent do you add to candles?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
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    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    While it’s always important to read the manufacturer’s instructions, a standard rule is to use one ounce of candle fragrance to one pound of candle wax. However, the strength or weakness of the candle scent added will affect the outcome, so it pays to experiment and take reminder notes on amounts added as you go, allowing you to improve on the scent ratios for future candle making projects.
  • Question
    Can you add essential oils to a candle?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    You can use essential oils to scent candles. Keep the addition to around 3 drops for a light scent and a few more drops for a heavier scent––a little goes a long way as essential oils are highly concentrated. It’s important to add essential oil drops while the wax is warm and soft but not so hot that the fragrance burns off. Always read the instructions accompanying the oil.
  • Question
    Can you use perfume to make a scented candle?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
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    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    No, this is not a good idea because real perfume contains too much alcohol, which causes the scent to burn off immediately rather than lasting for whole candle. Moreover, alcohol content turns a candle into a fire hazard once lit, as well as stopping the wax from setting properly, which can make the wax brittle or weak, causing it to break up. Scented additives need to be compatible with wax and produce scent for a long duration. To get this balance, the best choices to scent a candle are perfume oil or perfume candle scent; if wished, these can mimic a particular perfume scent.
  • Question
    Is it necessary to heat the glasses?
    Community Answer
    It's a good idea to heat the glasses, as the hot wax might cause the glass to crack due to the rapid change in temperature.
  • Question
    Any tips on cleaning the measuring cup that you used for melting wax?
    Community Answer
    Heat the measuring cup so that all the wax inside is liquid. Then wipe out measuring cup with a paper towel. Repeat if necessary to get all of the wax out.
  • Question
    Can I use food coloring instead of wax crayons?
    Community Answer
    No. The food coloring is water-based so it won't mixed properly with the candle wax, which is oil-based. Oil and water don't mix.
  • Question
    Can I add vanilla essence in it for the scent?
    Community Answer
    Yes, vanilla essence is fine.
  • Question
    Can I use my favorite perfume to scent my candle?
    Community Answer
    It's not really recommended as perfumes contain flammable chemicals. Many candle supply retailers sell well-known perfume fragrances designed for use in candles and bath bombs. It's worth taking a look.
  • Question
    If no color is added to the wax, will it turn white as cooling down or is it going to stay clear?
    Community Answer
    It depends on what colour the wax was before you melted it - if it was white before melting, it will stay white.
  • Question
    If I want to put a cologne scent in the candle, will it work?
    Community Answer
    You could, but cologne is going to be much stronger than essential oils, so you'll need to put a lot less in so that it's not overpowering.
  • Question
    Can I use a rope type on string and put a washer around the bottom?
    Community Answer
    No, the rope wick will be burning directly on the glass and could possibly crack it.
  • Question
    Can I use other scents like rosemary or lemon grass oil as its fragrance?
    Hajar Baguia
    Community Answer
    Any scent can be used as long as it is oil based in order to mix perfecly with the melted wax (perfume and water based scents will not work).
  • Question
    How long does it take to make this candle?
    Community Answer
    I would say it takes around one hour, at least the first time.
  • Question
    Can I blend dry seeds to add to my candles instead of using oil?
    Community Answer
    I don't think so, as candles having seeds or decorative items like beads and glitter are actually not for burning. if you want to use something else than essential oils, try using sandal wood -- you just need to wrap them around the candle, and they will give off a nice fragrance.
  • Question
    Can I add liquor to it for the scent?
    Community Answer
    It'll evaporate out. So best not to, but there are liquor-scented oils out there, so use those instead.
  • Question
    Can I use wax melts to make a candle?
    Community Answer
    Yes. That is possible. Heat it and it'll still turn liquid and set into any mold you pour it into.
  • Question
    Can I use vanilla extract or imitation vanilla for a scent?
    Community Answer
    I wouldn't recommend using those.
  • Question
    Do you have to use a wick or can you use a string?
    Community Answer
    A string won't burn correctly, so you need a wick.
  • Question
    If I use a measuring cup, will the wax stick to the sides after pouring it and ruin the cup?
    Community Answer
    You might not be able to get all of the wax out using conventional methods, such as scraping and washing with soap and water. But, you could try heating the measuring cup in the stove at a somewhat low temperature to get the residual wax to pool in the bottom and then pour it out.
  • Question
    Can I use plastic cups instead of glass?
    Community Answer
    No. The plastic would melt. Stick with glass.
  • Question
    My weird girlfriend wants a soy sauce scented candle, can't find any for sale. Can I use soy sauce to scent the candle?
    Community Answer
    Unfortunately, the first ingredient is water, so it won't mix well. Any scent you use should be oil-based.
  • Question
    Can I take them out of the cup after they've cooled?
    Community Answer
    You shouldn't burn a candle without a holder. It's a fire hazard, and wax will drip and get everywhere.
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