Julie from Candle DIYs

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New to making candles and don’t know where to start? Check out these ideas for inspiration—these quick and cute candle-making projects will have you DIY-ing your own candles in a flash!

1. Teacup Twinkles

Transform ordinary teacups into whimsical candle containers. Melt your favorite wax, add a dash of fragrance, and pour it into vintage teacups for instant elegance.

Teacup candles make adorable gifts, fun party favors, or gorgeous party decorations! (Tea parties? Duh!) Tip: You can find cheap teacups at most second-hand stores.

2. Rolled Beeswax Brilliance

For a speedy yet charming project, consider rolled beeswax candles. Simply choose vibrant sheets of beeswax and roll them around a wick!

These colorful and naturally scented candles add a pop of color to any space, making them perfect for a quick and satisfying crafting session.

3. Citrus Delight Candles

Infuse your space with the refreshing scent of citrus. Hollow out citrus fruits like oranges or lemons, pour melted wax inside, and let it set.

The result? Citrus-scented candles that not only look adorable but also bring a burst of natural fragrance!

4. Layered Luminescence

Get creative with layers of different-colored wax. Melt each color separately and pour them in layers for a visually stunning effect. It’s simple, yet striking, and very rewarding to make!

5. Floating Florals

Elevate your candle-making game with floating floral candles. Place small, dried blooms or petals in a mold (away from the wick), pour melted wax, and enjoy the beauty of nature in your home. These floating candles are perfect for a quick centerpiece or a relaxing bath experience.

6. Espresso Cup Elegance

Coffee lover? Turn espresso cups into mini works of art. Melt your wax, add a drop of your favorite fragrance, and pour it into espresso cups. What a cute addition to a coffee nook!

7. Therapeutic Essential Oil Infusions

Mix your preferred therapeutic essential oils into melted wax, pour into containers, and let the calming scents fill your space in no time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a spa-like experience at home!

8. Upcycled Jar Gems

Give old jars a new lease on life by turning them into candle containers. Melted wax, a wick, and a dash of creativity are all you need to transform discarded jars into charming luminaries.

Use your own materials you would otherwise throw away, or search for quirky containers at a local second-hand store. Quick, eco-friendly, and oh-so-satisfying!

For more candle making inspiration, check out Candle Making for Beginners WITHOUT Wax and Tips for DIY Candle Making on a Budget. When you’re ready to get started, follow my guide to Candle Making for Beginners: ONLY What You Need to Know (Video Included!).

Want more candle-making for beginners project ideas? Check out these two:

How to make a seashell candle (with video!)
How to make a simple vanilla-scented candle (with video!)

This post may contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through these links.​

Candle making is a wonderful hobby that combines creativity with tranquility, and it can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Here is what you need to get started!

Note: You can buy this supplies individually as needed, or purchase a candle-making kit. This is the beginner-friendly kit I like and you can also check out my full review of it here.

Candle Wax

To get stared, I would suggest opting for soy wax—it’s versatile and beginner friendly. Known for its ease of use, soy wax sets the foundation for crafting beautiful candles without the complexity.

Wicks

The next essential piece to a candle is, of course, the wick! Choose high-quality wicks suitable for soy wax.

You can buy wicks, wick stickers, and wick holders all together.

Wick Stickers and Holders

Wicks and wick stickers as sometimes overlooked, but very important. The stickers stick the wick to the bottom of the container so you can pour in the wax without it moving, and the holder keeps your wick in place during the drying process.

Containers

When first getting started with candle making, embrace simplicity with basic candle jars or tins. These containers offer a blank canvas for your creativity, allowing you to focus on perfecting the art of candle making without overwhelming choices.

Fragrance Oils

While you can make beautiful, unscented candles, incorporating fragrance oils elevates your candles with a personalized touch. Having a variety of fragrance oils on hand can unlock even more creativity.

Double Boiler and Stirring Spoon

Easily create a double boiler using a pot to boil water and second heat-safe melting pot. Arm yourself with a dedicated candle wax stirring spoon, which will help the wax melt and create a seamless blend. You can buy a melting pot and stirring spoon together here.

Heat Protection

Safety is paramount during the candle-making process. Equip yourself with oven mitts, aprons, and long sleeves for protection against hot wax.

These oven mitts have longer sleeves and are shaped like gloves, making them easier to work with than traditional oven mitts.

Maintain a clean workspace, use heat-resistant materials, and supervise any minors involved in the process. If you are sensitive to smells and are making a scented candle, consider using a respirator mask.

Wick Trimmer and Lighter

To enjoy your hard work, you’ll need to first trim the wick to a quarter-inch, which is where a wick trimmer comes in handy. Then, light your candle and enjoy! (This rechargeable lighter is my new favorite!)

Ready to get started? See my guide to Candle Making for Beginners: ONLY What You Need to Know (Video Included!).

This post may contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through these links.​

Do you love candles? Yes? Do you love MAKING candles? Not sure? Did you know that making candles is actually REALLY easy? Read on to learn all about candle making for beginners, and be sure to watch the video tutorial to see candle making in action.

It’s human nature to avoid things that seem complicated or that we’re unsure about. That’s exactly how I felt when I first became interested in candle making. I’m a pretty crafty person who’s also obsessed with LIGHTING candles…but MAKING candles?!

It seemed scary and complicated. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s NOT!

If you’re reading this, you’re probably in a similar boat to where I was before I started. Not to worry—I’m here to be your candle-making-for-beginners guru and guide you step-by-step through the process.

Candle Making for Beginners Supplies

Candle making can be a very intricate art form involving scents, colors, techniques, etc.

However, this is a basic list for beginners—only what you absolutely NEED to get started making candles.

• Wax – There are a few different kinds of wax, but soy wax is one of the best waxes for easy DIY candle making, so this post will focus on soy wax
• Wicks – You can’t light a candle without a wick!
• Wick stickers – These are small, double-sided stickers to help your wick stick to the bottom of the jar while the wax is drying. These may not seem necessary but they are very helpful and are often sold together with the wicks.
• Wick holder (sold with the wick stickers) – This will help hold the wick(s) upright as the wax is drying in the jar.
• Candle jars or tins – There are SO many ways to make fun and unique candles using various types of containers. As this is a beginner candle-making post, I’d suggest using some basic jars or tins.
• Candle wax stirring spoon – To stir the wax as it’s melting
• Double boiler – Or you can make your own with a pot and a heat-safe container.
• Stove – Or a hot plate with a heat-safe container if you don’t have access to a stove and double boiler.
• Oven mitts and heat protection – You’ll be working with boiling water and hot wax.

You can purchase all of these candle-making supplies items separately as needed, or you can purchase them all together in a kit. (Read about my favorite candle-making starter kit here!)

Candle-Making Safety Tips

You are working with heat, hot wax, boiling water, fire, flames, etc.—basically all dangerous stuff. I can’t stress this enough. Candle making is fun but you must use caution and be vigilant.

These are some safety tips to help guide you, but it is YOUR responsibility to ensure the safety of you and those around you during the candle-making process.

• Use necessary heat protection, such as oven mitts. An apron can also help provide protection from accidentally splattered wax. Also, consider long sleeves for your arms.
• Only use supplies that are heat resistant or meant for candle making.
• If you make your own double boiler, make sure you are using the appropriate safe items to do so.
• Always keep a clean workspace.
• Minors should be accompanied by an adult during the candle-making process.
• For hobby candle makers, a respirator mask isn’t typically necessary, but you may choose to wear one if you have health issues. I have no medical knowledge when it comes to this, but am mentioning it for the purpose of covering safety basics.

For more on candle safety, see my post on candle-making safety tips for beginners.

Step-by-Step Candle-Making Instructions For Beginners

1. Prepare your jar. Clean it and make sure it’s ready to be used.
2. Add your wick. Stick one side of a wick sticker to the bottom of a wick, then stick the other side of the sticker to the bottom center of the jar.
3. Feed the top of the wick through the wick holder and set the holder down across the top of the jar.
4. Melt your wax using a double boiler or hot plate. Stir the wax as you go to help it melt.
   • There are formulas online for exactly how much wax to melt for different-size candles, but to get started, you can just estimate and then melt more as needed. Melting wax is a very quick process so you can easily melt more to keep filling the candle before it solidifies.
5. Pour the wax into the container. Remember to use heat protection as you’re working with the double boiler or hot plate and wax.
6. Allow the candle to solidify for a few days before lighting it.
   • Note that if you’re making a SCENTED candle, soy candle wax needs more time to “cure” (this means allowing the fragrance oil to disperse throughout the candle). This typically takes one to two weeks. This timeline also varies between different types of wax.
7. Cut the wick to 1/4 an inch before lighting your new candle. You should cut the wick to this height throughout the candle’s life, too.

You’re done! It’s not as complicated as you thought, right?

Now that you’ve got the basics down, put your skills to the test with these quick candle-making projects for beginners. And, if you’re on a budget, I’ve got you covered with these budget-friendly candle-making ideas!