Hand Dipped Candles- Huh?
Candle making is a popular activity all around the world, both for business purposes, and
personal enjoyment. Until you actually try it for yourself, the idea of candle making
seems quite complicated and difficult, but once you get down a few basic steps, you will
be an expert in no time at all. Once you are able to make basic candles, you might want to
try your hand at making hand-dipped candles. This technique allows you to use several
different colors all on the same candle, creating a truly unique design with your own
personal flair. These candles can be made to blend in with any home décor or color
scheme.
You are probably already familiar with the basic candle making supplies, but there are
some special necessities you will need to acquire if you want to make your own hand-
dipped candles. Some of them you already have on hand if you make candles on a regular
basis, such as wax, either beeswax or paraffin, wicking material, and some sort of melting
device or double broiled. For hand dipped candles, you also will need to purchase several
large wooden bowls and spoons, and a decent thermometer if you don’t already have one.
There are many different colors that you can use for your hand-dipped candles, and these
colors come in many different formats. You may find them in chips, liquid, powder, or
even cakes. To make fragrant hand-dipped candles, you must use scents that are oil
based, with no water or alcohol whatsoever in the mix.
Melt your wax in the same way you do in traditional candle making, and allow it to heat
until the thermometer reads around 160 degrees, that’s Fahrenheit, not Celsius. Once that
temperature has been attained, reduce the heat, and leave the wax on the heat source so it
doesn’t start to solidify again. At this point, you can start adding color to the mixture,
adding small amounts until you reach the desired effect. If you are adding fragrance, now
is the time to do it, remembering moderation is the key.
The next phase will be preparing your wick, which should be cut so that it is longer than
the total length of the candle you will be placing it into. Make certain that you dip these
trimmed wicks into your candle wax mixture as well. Once the first coating cools, you
will need to dip them again. Have all of your colors on hand that you plan to use for your
candles, so that they are readily available. Continue dipping your candle into the wax
mixture until it is the desired size, thickness, and smoothness.
As you probably already guessed, it takes quite a bit of time to make your own hand-
dipped candles. It is not the easiest type of candle to make either, but does yield some
truly beautiful creations. You shouldn’t attempt this type of candle making until you are
proficient with regular candles, as it is very difficult. To save money on supplies, if you
make a mistake in your candles, you can melt them down, reusing the wax, which will
save you some money on materials, until you have it down pat.
You can find more information on this type of candle making online, or from your local
library or bookstore.
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