How To Make Jar Candles

Essentially, container candles or jar candled are non-flammable containers filled with candle wax and a candle wick. They have several advantages that make them popular: First of all, they are a bit like a candle and a candle holder rolled into one. They never drip. Also, because they are in a container, we can get away with using lower melting point waxes that enhances candle scent throw. That fact alone gives scented jar candles the ability to effectively throw more scent than their free-standing counterparts.

Ingredients

  • Suitable wax – I suggest using IGI-4786, a pre-blended container wax that requires no additives
  • Additives – if required: dye, candle scents, etc
  • Suitable containers: either ceramics or glassware
  • A double boiler
  • Pre-tabbed candle wicks – of a suitable size (gauged by the diameter of the container)
  • Hot glue – either a glue gun or hot glue pot
  • Bic pen
  • Clothes pegs
  • Thermometer – an essential tool to use when melt wax

Method

  1. Prepare Your Molten Wax Mixture

    • Set up the double boiler to melt the candle wax – your target temperature for using IGI 4786 wax is between 170 and 175° F
    • Melt candle wax completely.
    • Add the additives (if you selected to do so) and mix thoroughly.
    • Add additives in the following order
      1. Additives such as vybar or stearic acid (not needed for IGI-4786)
      2. Candle scents
      3. Dye (this is done last so that you get visual confirmation that everything else has mixed well with the wax)
    • While your wax is melting, proceed through the next few steps. But, monitor your wax temperature carefully during this time.

  2. Add Pre-tabbed Candle Wick to Your Containers

    • Disassemble a Bic pen and keep the barrel. Discard the rest.
    • Straighten your pre-tabbed candle wick out.
    • Insert a pre-tabbed candle wick through the barrel of the pen. Six inch (6") candle wicks are good for this.
    • While holding the candle wick within the barrel, apply hot-glue to the base of the wick tab.
    • Using the barrel to guide the candle wick, press the tab to the center of your container.
    • Slide the barrel off the candle wick.

  3. Secure the Top of Your Candle Wick

    • Using a clothes peg, secure the top of your candle wick (suspend the candle wick with the aid of the clothes peg in the jar). Clothes pegs work for containers with a opening diameter of up to three inches.
    • Looping the candle wick around a wooden skewer also works. The aim is to provide some sort of support to help keep the candle wick centered while the wax is cooling. You can actually carry out this step after you have poured your wax.

  4. Pre-heat Your Container

    • Pre-heat your container to about 150° F. (Do this after wax mixture is at the proper temperature and additives have been mixed in.)
    • Note: Pre-heating can also be done in the oven on the lowest heat setting. If you are using a heat gun, exercise some care as heat guns can get much hotter than 150° F.
    • Note: This step is not absolutely necessary, but it does improve the finished product. It permits us to pour our candle wax at lower temperatures without trapping bubbles and it improves the glass adhesion.

  5. Initial Pour

    • With your candle wax at the proper temperature (160° F), carefully fill your container to the desired level.
    • Save about 20% of the candle wax in the pouring pitcher for Step 6 - Re-pour. DO NOT return it to the heat source.
    • Allow the candle wax to completely cool before proceeding. This will typically be six or more hours.
    • Slow cooling generally provides the best results when it comes to jar candles.

  6. Re-pour

    • Once your candle has completely cooled, you will notice that the wax has sunken a bit in the middle.
    • With the wax that you saved from Step 5 - Inital Pour, the 20% of wax, melt it back down and bring it to a temperature of 185° F.
    • Re-pour to a level that just barely covers the wax from the initial pour.
    • Allow your candle to completely cool.

  7. Trim the Candle Wick

    • Once your candle has completely cooled, remove the clothes peg and trim the candle wick to ¼".

Voila, you've got your jar candle.

A Note of Caution:

  • Burn container candles only on a heat resistant surface. Containers can break.
  • Burn the candle for no more than 4 hours at a time.
  • Protect from drafts.
  • Keep the candle wick trimmed to ¼".
  • Keep away from children and pets.
  • Do no move the candle while it is burning or while there is molten wax in it.
  • Keep away from flammable objects.
  • NEVER LEAVE A BURNING CANDLE UNNATENTED.