How to Make a Good Smelling Wicker Candle

Is your house too boring? Nothing out of the ordinary? Nowadays, some people incorporate things into their houses in an intimate manner. 

Lighting up wicker candles is one of the ways people blow off steam, intending to set up a comfortable atmosphere. Besides that, candles and fragrance oil are also making a statement piece in people’s homes. Here are some tips to make scented wicker candles work their magic in your home!

What is a Wicker Candle?

Candle making uses combustible materials such as wax to bring light to people’s houses, primarily used before the introduction of electricity. During the Middle Ages, Europeans popularized early candle resources like animal fat. There are three types of candles: container, pillar, and taper.

A wicker candle is a candle with a particular cotton pattern composed of various wax blends. The wick delivers fuel into the flame by utilizing the wax for it to burn. It comes with different candle materials, and the amount of fuel depends on different wick sizes. 

It produces or burns a cleaner smoke, and its design coats the wick for the next lighting. Additionally, the wicker helps you to extinguish candles easier and safer. The scent also depends on the number of wicks a candle possesses, meaning multiple wicks provide a stronger smell.

Aside from wicks there are a lot of ways to showcase your candle art like cereal candle and succulent candles.

Moreover, going back to wicks; braided or knitted wicks are more of high quality as these allow consistent and slow-paced burns, while twisted wicks burn faster. The following are the major types of wicks: 

Flat Wicks

Have knitted wicks with a self-trimming effect or maintain a safe flame length producing continuous burning. Examples include taper and pillar candles.

Square Wicks

Have braided wicks similar to flat wicks but are rounded and more robust and inhibit wick clogging. Examples include beeswax candles.

Cored Wicks 

Keep straight braided wicks upright through a core material (cotton, paper, or zinc) while burning. Examples are jar and pillar candles and devotional lights.

Wooden Wicks

These are combinations of wood and fibrous materials available in single, multi-layer, and different decorative shapes. Have a soft crackling sound when lighted.

Specialty Wicks

Depend on the specific requirement and application of candles. Examples are oil lamps and insect-repelling candles.

Types of Candle Wax

There is also an array of candle wax, each with its unique purposes and benefits. These types of wax are either natural, synthetic, a mixture of both, or those with distinctive properties. These are the different types of candle wax:

Paraffin Wax 

The most commonly used candle wax and a by-product of the petroleum and crude oil refinement process. It holds scent longer, yet it contains minimal volatile organic compounds.

Coconut Wax 

A new type of wax that may be costly offers an eco-friendly approach.

Beeswax 

The oldest candle wax produced and a by-product of the honey-manufacturing process. It does not contain volatile organic compounds, yet its sweet fragrance does not mix well with other scents.

Rapeseed Wax 

Also known as canola wax, it is common in the United States and derived from the flowers of cabbage-like plants. It gives a good ‘candle throw’ and burns slowly.

Palm Wax 

This is very firm and similar to soy wax, which gives off the “feathered” effect in candles. This wax is often blended with soy wax for a more solid result.

Soy Wax  

Derived from 100% soybean oil and developed in the early 1990s, it comes in various blends and melting points. It burns slower and clearer, producing less soot and smoke with a memorable aroma, thus, making it the best candle wax.

The Benefit of Candle Aromatherapy

According to the NAHA, aromatherapy uses aromatic substances for therapeutic application promoting health and well-being. It involves using oils from natural plant extracts to improve physical and emotional health. Aromatherapy works in either of the three ways: skin absorption, inhalation, or ingestion, which you can choose according to your preference.

Aromatherapy candles help create a peaceful ambiance due to their calming properties. According to Chalkia, C., scented candles have psychological effects that influence mood and working capacity. For example, the soothing smell of candles helps reduce feelings of anxiety and depression due to dopamine and serotonin production.

They are also helpful in treating conditions such as but not limited to insomnia, asthma, and cancer. They include various choices of fragrances, such as lavender and peppermint, that are useful for psychological disorders. While rosemary, chamomile and lavender essential oil reduce anxiety, ylang ylang encourages positive feelings, while spearmint enhances focus and memory.

Besides their holistic benefits, these aromatherapy candles also make the perfect gifts and decor that serve as accent furniture. They also add a signature scent that helps mask unwelcome odors and add a fresh touch to your house. In addition, lighting candles can help you initiate effective meditation and get work done.

Essential Oils vs. Fragrance Oils in Your Candle

Scented candles are magical because they promote and control the overall impression of your home. Although using oils in candles has distinct differences, you might want to know more information to achieve the perfect aroma. Essential oils are plant-based extracts that involve distillation, while fragrance oils are laboratory-made oils that undergo chemical processes.

Pros

Essential oils use natural ingredients, giving an edge for healthier benefits. These oils are also potential pesticides that repel and inhibit the growth of pests. In addition, the utilization of essential oils allows for different combinations of fragrances. 

While fragrance oil can retain scents longer, mostly preferred by companies as they are cheaper. They are also available in over 200 varieties, and resources are more accessible than eco-friendly extracts.

Cons

As these oils originate from environmental resources, they are more expensive and provide fewer options. In addition, essential oils do not retain long-lasting fragrances due to their lower boiling point and evaporate quickly upon heat exposure. Although a ‘healthier’ choice, they also present danger depending on the purity grade of some components manipulated chemically. 

While fragrance oils may present serious health issues if and only if ingredients like phthalates are introduced, usually, companies do not have transparency with the ingredients used in fragrance oils.

Candle Making Process - A Step-by-Step Guide

Candle making may seem intimidating, but if you’re up for a challenge and experiment with some art and science, you’re just in luck! The following guide will give you an idea of the making process of your scented candles.

Wicker Candle Making

Materials:

• Chosen wax
• Wicks
• Containers (glass, tin, or wood)
• Desired fragrance oil like Lick Me All Over Oil
• Candle Making Equipment (Boiler, thermometers, wick materials)

Procedures:

1. Measure the amount of the ingredients – Use a scale to estimate the needed amount of wax and essential oil. Add at least 1 ounce of essential oil for every pound of wax.
2. Melt the wax – Simmer the water at medium-low heat after setting up your boiler, then add wax into a pyrex cup. Make sure to stir wax occasionally. Remove the cup once the temperature of the wax reaches 185°F.
3. Wick the candle – Preheat your container at 120°F before placing the bottom of the candle wick with a wick sticker. On your container, center the wick at the bottom using a wick holder.
4. Add favorite essential oils – Stir the essential oils for at least 2 minutes after your wax reaches 160°F. Prevent bubble formation by stirring gently.
5. Pour the wax – Once your wax reaches 100-130°, slowly add your wax into your container. Wait for five days before lighting your candle. 

Wickless Candle Making

Materials:

• (Paraffin) Wax
• Dye chips
• Fragrance oil like Egyptian Musk oil
• Boiler
• Pot
• Mold for candle

Procedures:

1. Prepare the boiler – Fill with water at least half on your double boiler. Set the temperature to medium heat.
2. Place the wax – Add your wax to the upper part of the boiler. Then, add dye chips onto the wax together with your fragrance oil.
3. Pour the wax – Place the wax into the pouring pot using a funnel.
4. Mold the wax – Fill your mold with wax and refill once the wax decreases.
5. Cool the candle – Cool it by placing it in your refrigerator. Allow paraffin-based candles to cure for five days, beeswax-based candles, and soy-based candles for ten days.  

Light Up Your Candle

Although candle making has existed for centuries, its purpose and advantages have made it relevant up to this day. The key to a refreshing home with a cozy and vibrant aura is by lighting up candles. 

In with the new and out with the old. Spice up your candles with scented oils. Not only does it provide your house with a pleasant smell, but it also has its fair share of benefits. 

Have you learned a lot? Then, follow our page to achieve a good-smelling home if you want more of these!