So you want to make your own candles…
This isn’t going to be a super long post. Definitely not a how to guide, more of a what not to do.
I saw a video the other day that made me so upset. You might have seen it also, or maybe not. Maybe their plan was to upset candle makers in order to draw in more crowd. If that is the case, the post worked.
In the post that I speak of, they melted down a few candle sticks to make some scented jar candles. I wanted to share the 3 main things that I believe was wrong with this video. Some may agree, others may not. I suggest you research after reading this post to form your own opinion based on facts.
In the video, when melting the candles, they melted them over direct heat, not a double boiler system. Wax does have a flashpoint. Melting directly on a stove maximizes the likelihood of causing a fire. This is more likely especially if you are not monitoring your temperature.
They used food dye to color their candle. Food dye is not suitable for candles simply because it is water based. You may get some color, however, you will find that majority of it will sink to the bottom of your candle. In order to get a uniform color in your candles, you should use dyes that are made specifically for candles. They are oil based and therefore will give you an even color dispersion.
Of all the steps that was in this video, this one is the most dangerous and what made me so upset. In the video, they added fragrance to their candles. Now, we love fragrance and we love different varieties. In the video, they used cleaning products as fragrance. I love a clean smelling house, however, using cleaning products in your candles can cause respiratory issues. The chemicals in cleaning products were not meant to be heated up, so when you do so, they release harmful fumes.
I get it, times are hard and we want to cut costs on some of the things we love. However, if you are going to cut costs by doing it yourself, please be safe. Don’t DIY without research. Your cost saving method could cost you more in the long run, especially if you end up in the hospital because of it.
