DIY homemade soy candles - natural ambience in your home

More and more people are looking for eco-friendly products that they can incorporate into their daily lives. One of these is soy candles - a natural and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional paraffin candles.

In this article, you will find out why you should choose soy candles and how to make them yourself at home, step by step.

Why choose soy candles?

Soy candles are increasingly being chosen by people who are looking for eco-friendly solutions in their home. Soy wax is made from soya beans, making it a fully biodegradable product. Unlike paraffin candles, they are environmentally friendly and do not release toxic substances into the air.  

They have the added advantage of a lower melting point, which makes them burn much longer than paraffin candles.

Soy candles are also a great choice for allergy sufferers - their natural composition reduces the risk of irritation or allergic reactions. In addition, making your own candles is an ideal way to spend time creatively and customise the product to your own preferences.

Natural ingredients can be used to make such a candle - wood or cotton wicks, and natural fragrance oils - creating a product that is completely safe for health and the planet. This is ideal for anyone who values conscious and ecological choices.

What is needed to make a soy candle at home?

To make a homemade candle, you need a few products:

• Soy wax - buy it online or from DIY semi shops; it is best to choose wax designed for candles in containers;
• Cotton or wooden wicks - for beginners, a cotton wick is a better choice, which should be selected according to the diameter of the container;
• Wick plates - make it easier to stabilise the wick;
• Natural essential oils - preferably choose certified ones without artificial additives;
• Candle container - jar, glass or other heat-resistant container;
• Water bath pot - needed to dissolve the wax;
• Sticks or clips - to stabilise the wick.

Ready-made soy candle making kits are available for sale in online shops. This is a good choice for beginners as they contain all the products needed to make them.

How do you make a soy candle at home?

• Dissolve the wax

Melt the wax slowly in a water bath - that is, in a vessel placed in a pot of hot water (be careful not to let the water get into the wax). The wax melts at a temperature of approximately 65-75 degrees.

• Add fragrance oil

Once the wax has melted, add a natural fragrance oil to it - ideally 8 to 10 per cent by weight of the wax. Mix it thoroughly with the wax so that the fragrance is distributed evenly throughout the candle.

• Prepare container and wick

The next step is to place the wick at the bottom of the jar or other container chosen for the candle. You can use a special tin, stick or paperclip to keep it upright.

• Pour wax into the container

The next step is to carefully pour the wax into the jar.

• Leave to set

The finished candle should be left to cool at room temperature for a minimum of 48 hours.

• Trim the wick

The final step, once the candle has set, is to trim the wick with scissors.

How to decorate your soy candle?

In addition to choosing a fragrance, you can also take care of the appearance of your candle. For decoration you can use:

• Dried flowers - rose, lavender, cloves, chamomile - you can sink them into the top layer of wax,
• Herbs and spices - cinnamon stick, cloves, aniseed - they will look beautiful,
• Wax dyes - natural pigments in powder form are available commercially to change the colour of the wax,
• String, label, stickers - are useful for decorating the container.