How to Make Soy Container Candles

For Information only - we no longer have space to stock soy wax, we hope you find this mini tutorial helpful.

Container candles are easy to make, so have fun!   Eco Soya Wax, fragrance and some recycled jars, other candle containers make it quick and economical.

Apart from its ease of use and biodegradability, one of the great benefits of Soy is that is a completely sustainable, renewable product. Why else is it great? It burns cleanly – this means no black “soot” like you see from a paraffin or gel candle. (Palm Wax burns without soot too)

What you need:

• Eco Soya Adv Wax
• Fragrance
• Oil Soluble Colours if using
• Strong glass jars, tins or other suitable candle containers
• Thermometer
• Stirring Stick, popstick or kebab stick
• Wicks - pre tabbed
• Glue Dot or small dab of blue tack or hot glue gun (or you can use a popstick or 2 skewers to centre the Wick
• Heating Vessel for the wax - I use a pyrex jug for safety, or a microwave safe jug (1 litre size)

Safety notice - NEVER leave your heating wax unattended. Occasionally stir the wax whilst melting to ensure that it melts evenly and doesn’t burn

1.  Melt soy wax at a temperature of 50 - 70°C.  If you leave the wax on too high of heat for over 20 minutes, it will begin to discolour and even evaporate out.

2.  Pre-wick your containers whilst the wax is melting.  A glue dot or some blue tack works well. Sit the jars on a double layer of old towel and place some newspaper on top of this. The towel will keep the glass containers above the cold worktop, and any spills will absorb into the newspaper

3.  When the wax is completely liquid, add the colour and fragrance.

4.  Stir in the fragrance and colour completely to ensure a clean and even burn.  We recommend a fragrance load of 5 - 7% (This is approximately 5 - 7 mls/g per 95g of Wax)

5. Allow wax to cool to approximately 60°C degrees, before you pour into your pre-wicked containers

6. Allow your candles to cure for 48 hours before burning. The longer you wait for a cure time, the better the scent throw will be

• Make sure your wick is trimmed to about a 0.5cm (¼ inch)
• It is important for clean burning to keep the wick trimmed
• When you first burn a candle for the first time, burn for 1 hour for every 2.5 cm (1 inch) of its diameter, then extinguish. This helps prevents tunnelling
• Make sure you place the candle is on an even, heat–resistant surface whilst lit. Use a special saucer or plate and never leave burning candle unattended

• Make sure your containers are room temperature or slightly warmer before pouring
• If the wick “drowns” in liquid wax the most likely cause is the wick is too small for your candle
• If the candle smokes when burning, and it is not in a draught, then the wick is too large. Replace with a smaller size wick
• If the candle burns to one side of the jar, the jar is either standing in a draught, or the wick is off centre
• If you have a hollow craters around your wick, heat the top of the candle up with a heat gun or Hair Dryer to allow a little wax to melt into the hollow – no need to remelt the entire candle

Enjoy!