Soy is everywhere these days, including in your milk, chips, nuts, and even burgers adding health benefits through and through, now it seems soy is also in your candles. Soy candles are a new and emerging type of candle the offers great benefits to those candle heads in the world that can’t live without fresh aroma burning each and every day in their homes.

“If it lasts longer it’s okay with me” said a friend of mine once during a casual dinner. Take that comment for what you will, my friend could’ve meant a variety of things by it, but in general consumers prefer long lasting items to those that are short in life span. Soy candles last 30 to 50 percent longer then traditional candles. Your average 14 oz candle, similar to a Yankee candle large size, will last about 75 hours. If you were to have that candle be a soy candle, it would last over 100 hours and smell just as sweet as the traditional candles do.

Traditional candles are known to cause soot in and around the general area they are burning. For those that aren’t familiar with our friend soot, think grayish black smoky smelling fog that clouds the top of your candle jar, on your walls, and even on ones ceiling. Soot is caused by the toxic elements in the traditional candles that are released when ignited. Soy candles are all natural and do not contain any toxins, thus no soot will come of them.

Carcinogens are released into the air when a traditional candle is burning. Carcinogens can cause cancer, and other health related problems. New research is showing links between candles, charcoal, and other burning devices we use in our home lives as cancer causing. Research is just beginning on this issue; however it is a fact that soy candles do not produce carcinogens. When thinking about buying soy candles think of the old cliché, better safe than sorry.

Clark Covington provides tips and information on soy candles and gel candles for Candles 4U - your guide to candles and candlemaking.

There is a difference between heavily scented candles, richly scented candles and triple scented candles. Many people believe that all three mean that the candle has a strong scent that will last until the candle burns out completely. For the most part, heavily scented candles means that a larger than normal amount of fragrance has been added to the wax in the candle making process. In general, one-half ounce is the normal amount of essential oil added to the melted wax. In heavily scented candles, this amount is tripled so that one and a half ounces are added.

If you buy heavily scented candles that are not wrapped, there is a very good chance that the scent will be gone from the candle long before the candle is burned out. This is because the scent from a heavily scented candle does evaporate into the air when it is exposed. Another way of finding out whether or not a candle is heavily scented is to see whether or not you can smell the candle when you are standing a distance away from it. Most people that buy a heavy scented candle do not intend to burn it and want it mainly for its decorative effect.

You have many different options when buying heavily scented candles. There is a wide variety of colors and scents for you to choose from. If you are making your own heavy scented candles, then you can decide how much of the fragrance you want to include. This sometimes requires some experimenting on your part and you can combine several different fragrances to achieve something completely unique. A heavily scented candle can also be custom made according to your specifications regarding the particular scent and color.

All kinds of candles are included in heavily scented candles. You can have tapered, pillar, votive and tealight candles with as heavy a scent as you wish. One thing you need to keep in mind when making or buying heavy scented candles is that some people are allergic to specific scents. If you have guests coming over and you know that one or more of them is allergic to scents, then you should remove the heavily scented candle until after they leave. You also have to keep this in mind when choosing to give a heavily scented candle as a gift.

Heavily scented candles help to really cover up smells of cooking or smoke. You don’t have to worry that guests will be able to tell exactly what you had for dinner or that you accidentally burned something in the kitchen when you have a heavy scented candle around. For even greater effect, you can light the heavily scented candles and let all different scents mix together to create a unique atmosphere. If you have candles with a variety of scents, it might be a good idea to try this first, just to see what the result will be. It may not be the best effect in the world.

To find out more about Candles visit Peter’s Website Your Hot Candles and find out about Scented Candles and more, including Custom Candles, Floating Candles and Soy Candles

There are a few items you will need to gather before you can start making your gel candles. The most basic are supply containers, gels, pans, wicks, and of course, your kitchen range. Below is a detailed list of the items you will need, and most of these items are available at your local craft and variety stores.

Containers: It’s best to use a heat resistant glass, but there are also many types of glass and acrylics.

Materials: Gel Wax, Paraffin when specified in a recipe, candle scent, candle dye, wick, wick clip, and wick base.

Supplies: Craft sticks, knife, spoon, candy thermometer, pliers, small sauce pan, double boiler for paraffin when used, cooking oil spray, non-stick cookie sheet, ice cream scoop, ice pick, Potato peeler for the dye, stove burner, small deep metal pans, and molds.

Wicks & Clips: Use large bleached wicks. Gel candles burn longer than paraffin candles so a large wick is required for the additional burn time. Do not use wire wicks these will leave debris in the gel. Use a metal base clip and crimp it to one end of the wick with pliers or use a small washer.

Dyes & Scents: Candles dyes are great to use because their color is translucent. Crayons can also be used if the proper dyes are not available at your local stores. Candle dyes come in different forms, from wax squares, to liquids and powders. You can mix colors to form additional colors.
Scents are fun to add to make the candle fragrant. Scents come in the form of oil based liquids, pellets and wax solids. You add scent before pouring the candle this avoids evaporation.

Additives & Release Agents: If using paraffin, add stearic acid to increase the hardness and raise the melting point. Use spray cooking oil or silicone spray to aid in the release of the molds.

Submerged Objects: In order to submerge objects in your gel candles they must be resistant to burning and melting. Items that work well are buttons, marbles, toys and jewels. Do not use highly flammable items. Some objects will float so you may have to add the items as the gel cools and thickens. This is where the craft sticks or knife comes in handy. You can push items down that float to the top.

Heating Wax: Paraffin should be heated to 130 degrees F to 140 degrees F. The melting point of gel wax is between 160 degrees and 170 degrees F. If you are melting paraffin you should always use a double boiler. Gel wax can be heated directly on the burner set at a medium to low heat. Tip: Tear gel into small pieces to control the amount of bubbles.

CAUTION: Always be careful when melting wax. It is highly flammable. Make sure your area is well ventilated. Never leave unattended or around young children without supervision.

Clean Up: Use dish soap and hot water to clean utensils, counter tops and tools. Run paraffin under hot water then under soapy water. You can scrape wax off counter tops, or use small amounts of turpentine to aid in removal (be sure to test first).

For free Candle making recipes & tutorials visit http://www.bookdrawer.com/freecandles.htm

Once you learn to create your candles create a business plan and decide on what market to target for your product. You could do theme candles such as weddings, birthdays, etc. Possbily decide on making recipe candles, or whatever great ideas you may have.

Then discover where to sell your candles such as craft shows, sell them on ebay, create your own web site, take them to work, set up trade shows, contact local gift shops and talk with others about selling or starting a new business.

Resources for Candlemaking/Selling:
The Ultimate Gel Candle Book

Candlemaking For Fun & Profit (For Fun & Profit)

For your wedding anniversary this time, you planned a lovely evening, complete with a sumptuous dinner by the candle light. Though everything went right according to your plans, it were the candles that spoiled the evening. First, the table got all dirty with burnt wax all over it. Second, the soot and smoke marred the romantic atmosphere.

The ordinary candles that we get in the market are made out of paraffin. Paraffin is a petroleum-based product and thus results in more soot and smoke when the candle is burnt. So, if you are using these candles, be prepared for the unclean burning. However, if you want to avoid these, go for aromatherapy candles.

Aromatherapy candles are made from essential oils of plants. And lighting the room is only a secondary feature of these candles; the primary use is in stimulating oneself physiologically and therapeutically. It is well known that aromas and fragrances are effective for evoking mood and emotions. So if you are looking forward to romantic evening, just use aromatherapy candles and see how your beau says just the right words.

The market place has a wide range of options for you to choose in aromatherapy candles. Choose from floating, pillars, gel, votive and jar candles. If you are free and want to do something creative then go for designing aromatherapy candles for yourself. It is easy. You must be aware of the basic preparation method and have a knowledge of essential oils. And lo! Your candle is ready.

Lavender is the most popular oil used in the preparation of these candles. Light a candle when you are taking bath. Or place a candle by the dining table. Lavender has stress relieving features and will keep you stress free for the entire day.

You have a large choice in fragrance too. Just understand the mood you want to stir up and make your choice. If you are suffering from sleeplessness, you can use Sage, Chamomile, and Ylang Ylang. Looking for uplifting mood, use Rosemary and Grapefruit induced aromatherapy candles. Similarly, there are candles with aromas of Eucalyptus, Geranium, Peppermint, and many more.

The wax used for preparation of the candles must preferably be natural. The soot released from paraffin candles has been associated with many diseases. Vegetable based wax like soy, palm and beeswax burn clean and for long. They release less soot.

However, while purchasing aromatherapy candles, one must be cautious. What is sold as aromatic candles may be made of synthetic wax and fragrances. These may be toxic at times. So choose the aromatherapy candles with care.

Bryan Josling is working with the Horticultural Research Station in Adelaide. He has also been involved with research on Plants. To find Aromatherapy essential oils, Aromatherapy Massage Oils, essential oils wholesale visit http://www.ndaroma.com

Aromatherapy candles are made with beeswax, soybean wax or vegetable oil. One can even find pure essential oil candles in the market. The best thing about aromatherapy candles is that they are environmental friendly as they are derived from natural plant sources.

Uses of aromatherapy candles:

Set the atmosphere

Improve the ambience in many situations

Can be used in any room of your home and provide a wonderful enhancement.

Scented with essential oils or herbs that send messages of relaxation or rejuvenation to the mind and body

Aromatherapy candles are available in different styles, sizes and scents. You can choose the appropriate candle as per your requirement and aspiration. Scented candles can add warmth to any home, they can give a clean, refreshing feel. Many candles are scented with essential oils, or oils that some from plants.

If by now you have decided to buy an aromatherapy candle, learn what kinds of scents they are available in and what are their benefits:

Frankincense is warming.

Peppermint is strong and minty. Can aid with alertness

Lemon is also a strong scent and can help dispel fatigue

Jasmine smells as good as it sounds can help spark romance

Grapefruit is another citrus scent that can lift your spirits

Vanilla is very rich and helps to relieve tension and irritability.

Lavender is fresh and floral. This can help dispel a Soor disposition

Aromatherapy candles are cost effective and are natural candles. They have many benefits over candles made up of paraffin. Soy wax that is most commonly used in making aromatherapy candles is natural nontoxic, biodegradable renewable resource. It also burns slower and produces very little dust and smoke.

Internet has made it easier for all to access the desired aromatherapy candles with ease without going out for shopping. You can access infinite number of lenders with just a few clicks. Look for lenders who provide pure aromatherapy candles with essential oil.

Aromatherapy candles are the best cost effective means to relax and can rejuvenate your senses and body. Choose the desired candles with caution, a little bit of research can help you get the desired candles at reasonable rate.

Bryan Josling is working with the Horticultural Research Station in Adelaide. He has also been involved with research on plants. To find Aromatherapy essential oils, Aromatherapy Candles, Aromatherapy Massage Oil visit http://www.ndaroma.com

Materials:

Bees Wax Sheeting
Scissors
Candle Wick

Instructions:

For this project we are using beeswax sheets, which come in a variety of colors.
The candle wick we are using is a medium thickness suitable for our candle dimensions. Sheet wax works best when you are in a warm environment or the sheeting may crack.

1: Cut your wax on a diagonal to get a tapered effect, this piece is half way across our sheet and around 2 inches in from one side. Using your Scissors cut along the edge. You can vary your measurements just take note of them if you wish to make more than one candle the same size.

2: next start by cutting you candle wick to length. It needs to sit flush at the bottom and over hang around 1 inch at the top of the candle , remember you can always trim the length later. You are rolling your candle from the largest/widest end to the smallest so the wick goes at the biggest end.

3: Press the wax tightly around the wick, this insure that your candle will burn correctly by providing it with an even source of wax for fuel.

4: applying a firm pressure roll the candle up, making sure to keep your bottom edge even so that it will stand up.

If you make a mistake just unwrap it and start again.

5: Once you get to the end of your candle press the end firmly into the candle to stop it unrolling.

Its now ready to burn. You can embellish your candles with ribbons, raffia and even cut out shaped of different coloured bees wax.

To view the free step by step video for this project visit
http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=916″

This Article was written by Shellie Wilson See more Free Candle making projects and instructions

Beeswax candles are made from all natural ingredients made by honeybees. When bees eat honey, they produce this wax. Beekeepers filter the beeswax from the honeycombs, cool it and sell it for use in making candles. Beeswax candles are the most natural candles that you can buy. They are available as taper candles, votives, tea lights and pillar candles. For those with sensitive allergies, beeswax candles allow them to enjoy the warmth and beauty of a burning candle.

You don’t need to add any scent to a bees wax candle because the wax is naturally scented with honey. Therefore beeswax candles rarely have any additives and this includes color. The natural yellow color adds to the ambiance of a bees wax taper candle and the scent of honey will perfume the air. Like soy candles, bees wax candles burn longer and cleaner than paraffin candles. However, one of the disadvantages of using bees wax taper candles is that they cost more than soy or paraffin candles.

The wax used in making beeswax candles can vary from white to a light brown. In some cases, candle makers may add bleach to the wax to lighten the color of the bees wax. Candles that have been bleached may not have as much of a honey scent to them, but you won’t be able to smell the scent of bleach. The bleach also helps to filter the beeswax. A candle made from unfiltered bees wax may contain small bits of wood or even parts of the bees.

Over time, you may notice that there is a white powder on the outside of your beeswax candles. This does not mean that the bees wax candles are no longer any good. The development of this powder is a natural occurrence with beeswax taper candles and is called blooming. You can easily wipe the powder off of the beeswax candle. It is actually a good thing for this to happen because it will tell you that your bees wax taper candles have been made from pure beeswax.

If you like making your own candles, beeswax candles are the easiest ones to make at home. Beeswax is sold in sheets and you don’t have to bother with any additives, colors or candle scents. The bees wax that you buy is already filtered so you don’t need to bother with bleaching it. All you have to do is melt down the bees wax and pour it into your molds to have the perfect beeswax candles.

To find out more about Candles visit Peter’s Website Your Hot Candles and find out about Soy Candles and more, including Custom Candles, Floating Candles and Scented Candles

Candles are very cheap: you can get hundreds of small candles in a bag for the price of a Happy Meal, and the bigger ones aren’t much more expensive. When it’s so easy to just buy your candles in a shop, why on earth would you want to make candles yourself?

Well, that’s like asking why you’d want to do a painting yourself when you could buy a print and put it in a frame. Candle making is an art, with often beautiful results, not to mention the fun time you can have while you’re making the candles.

Candle making today belongs thoroughly in the arts and crafts category, which means that you can get all the equipment and waxes you’ll need from your local crafts shop.

To make a candle, all you really need to do is get some wax and melt it in a pan (you can even use wax from mass-produced candles if you can’t find any plain wax). Once the wax is melted, you can add dye if the wax isn’t already coloured. Then just put the wick (the string that burns) into a mould, pour in the wax and leave it to set. Again, if you can’t get a real candle mould, you can improvise with disposable household objects, such as half a milk carton or some other kind of bottle.

Of course, that basic method is just the beginning. Once you’ve got that down, you can start mixing different coloured waxes, and using more complicated moulds, and even adding things like glitter and other decoration. You can add small objects like shiny pebbles into the hot wax, or even cover larger objects in wax to make them into big candles. If you need more inspiration, the chances are that the craft shop (or the library) will have books about candle making, with more in-depth ‘recipes’ that you can either follow directly or incorporate in your own designs.

John Gibb is the owner of candle-making guides For more information on candle - making please check out http://www.candle-making-guide4u.info

A great many of my friends have been asking me to share the secret of making a scented candle at home, though I tell them repeatedly that it is no great secret. Any web site or online manual can teach you the basics of making scented candles at home, and once you have mastered those, the rest is up to your imagination and creativity. Both these qualities, I have found, increase with experience, and never mind what they say about inborn creativity and genius.

However, since it does appear that plenty of people want to know just what it is that causes my candles to smell so good, I will begin by saying that the process of making a candle with the aroma of your choice is a simple one. As I have said before, the increasing demand for scented candles has caused a lot of enterprising folks to come up with books, magazines and web sites dedicated to the art of candle making.

To begin with, you need the right equipment, though that may seem obvious. I always stress this point because, despite its simplicity, candle making is easy only when you follow instructions correctly. Otherwise, you will find that it can be darned tricky as well!

So, depending on whether you are making a wax or gel candle, you will need enough of it, plus the ‘cooking equipment’, or the equipment needed to melt the wax and mould it. And obviously, you will need the essential oils that will give you the aroma of your choice. In my experience, I have always found it best to combine at least a couple of aromas, though beginners might find it easier to stick to one fragrance initially.

What a beginner definitely should not do is pack the candle with as much fragrance as possible. Most ordinary scented candles contain about 0.5 oz of essential oil, though if you want to intensify the fragrance, you may increase it to one whole ounce. However, any more and the scent that your candle gives will be unbearable, probably making you sick!

A lot of people confess to being intrigued by the scents that I use for my candles. ‘I just can’t place it, but it smells so good,’ is something that I hear all the time. Shall I tell you why? Well, I tend to experiment with the most unlikely combinations, most often based purely on instinct, and end up with a fragrance that is marvelous yet unidentifiable! For instance, the first time I used rose and cinnamon together, I was convinced I was headed for disaster. As it turned out, it became my most popular aroma! Similarly, I combined clove and iris to produce another well-appreciated fragrance. The point is, dear reader, it is largely up to you what fragrance you produce.

Finally, though I stuck to wax candles for a long time, I do believe that soy candles hold the scent much better than wax, and they also burn longer. The process of melting the soy wax is similar to that of ordinary wax, though you will probably need a double boiler. You add the color and scent as usual, and pour it into the mold of your choice. As you probably know, a staggering variety of molds are available in the market today. Once your candle is complete, do send me a sample!

Tania Penwell is a successful author who provides information on scented candles and how to make candles for Candles 4U - your guide to candles and candlemaking.

Richly scented candles are the ones you need to buy if you want to enjoy the scent of the candles outdoors as well as indoors. These candles do not lose their scent when you light them outside on the patio table. Richly scented candles do not contain essential oils, but rather they contain fragrances similar to perfumes. You can have floral scents, fruit scents or the scent of home baked goodies. The scents from richly scented candles are perfectly safe to use in your home and are balanced evenly throughout the candles to give you even effects when you burn them.

When you buy richly scented candles, experts will tell you that it is healthier to buy soy candles. This is because artificial candle scents in soy wax will liquify and the candle will burn all the way down. You have less soot with soy candles than with richly cented candles made from paraffin wax. Beeswax is also another great choice to make when buying a richly cented candle. This is an all natural ingredient that is healthy to use in your home.

There are many different candle scents you can choose from when buying or making richly scented candles. Some of these scents sound very strange, while others conjure up ideas of tropical holidays in the sun. Some of the scents used in making richly cented candles may take you back to the days of your childhood in such scents as bubblegum, popcorn or different kinds of candy. There are various berry scents you can have wafting through your home when you light a richly cented candle. You may find yourself experimenting with a lot of these scented candles before you find the scent that you enjoy most of all.

Richly scented candles are also odor eliminators because they can help hide the smell of cooking or pet odors. The warm glow of a burning candle along with the various candle scents can transform the atmosphere of any room. The long lasting aroma will stay in the air long after you extinguish the flame of a richly cented candle and in most cases you don’t have to light the candle to benefit from its wonderful scent.

Richly scented candles usually contain fragrance oils, such as those you find in lotions, soaps and shampoos. However, there is only so much fragrance that you can add to candle wax. If you add too much it will run out. When making your own richly scented candles, you do need to keep this in mind so that you will have perfect results every time.

To find out more about Candles visit Peter’s Website Your Hot Candles and find out about Richly Scented Candles and more, including Custom Candles, Floating Candles and Soy Candles