Gel candles are clear or translucent candles made of a patented material consisting of mineral oil and polymer resin. Because of their unique properties, gel candles make excellent gifts. Not only can they be scented with various fragrances; but due to their dense nature, you can also adorn gel candles with various embellishments, such as glitter, marbles, jewels, decorative rocks, and the like. Gel candles can be made from the comforts of your home and tailored to your specific needs and wants.
To make gel candles, you will need the following items:
1. Gel (the higher the density, the more fragrant the scent)
2. Wicks (zinc is preferred as cotton absorbs a lot of gel – there are also pre-tabbed and pre-waxed wicks available that are made exclusively for gel candles – check your local retailer)
3. Essential oils (for fragrance)
4. Liquid color dyes
5. Embellishments you wish to add to decorate your candle (will vary depending on the look or theme of your candle; ex. Seashells make an excellent choice for aquarium-themed gel candles,)
6. Various utensils
a. Measuring cup – to pour the heated gel into the gel candle container
b. Metal stirring utensils, including a skewer for manipulating the beads you use
c. Toothpicks – for adding liquid dye to the gel
d. Glassware – to put your candle in
A note about the embellishments: you must select non-flammable materials, such as gravel, marbles, glitter, crystals, wax fruit, glass miniatures, stones, and jewels. Some of the items that may not be used include plastic figures, silk flowers, potpourri, and dried fruit.
After gathering your materials, you are now ready to begin the process of creating beautiful gel candles. Below are the step-by-step instructions.
1. The first step in making a gel candle is placing your wick into your container. This gives it time to adhere to the container before you add the gel. To add the wick, you will take a drop of hot glue and place it in the center of your container. Next, embed your wick into the glue and allow it time to sit while you prepare the rest of the candle.
2. Next, your second step will require you to cut your gel into small pieces. This allows it to melt faster and with a more even distribution. The best containers to use are stainless steel. You can warm your gel on your stove using medium heat for better results. Some have also found placing a presto pot or glass measuring cup in the oven at 225 degrees yields good results. Presto pots come in a variety of styles and depending on its size, will enable you to melt a lot of wax at one time. You may try both methods to see what works best for you. The main thing you have to watch is the temperature. Overheated gel loses clarity; therefore a lot of candle makers use a candy thermometer to keep track of the gel’s temperature.
3. Once the gel is melted, your third step will be to add your liquid colored dyes. The more dye you put, the darker the color of your candle. If you are adding embellishments and want to highlight them, it is best to use lesser amounts of dye in your gel mixture. Once the dye is added, please note that it can’t be removed. So when using liquid colored dyes, this is why a toothpick can come in handy. It allows you to place small amounts of coloring to the dye and enables you to more easily regulate the coloring. Candle makers will also use colored dye blocks and a shaver or potato slicer to slowly add color.
4. The fourth step for making gel candles is to add the essential oils for fragrance. The more oil you put into the gel, the stronger the scent. Typically, you will add about 1/3 teaspoon for every pound of gel that you have will work great. The oils should be non-polar. Polar fragrances can cause cloudiness in your gels and may not mix into the gel mixture causing the fragrance to separate from the mixture over time. Polar fragrances can also form pockets in the gels which makes the candles likely to flare up at the point of pocketing when lit, increasing your risk for potential injury and/or fire damage.
5. The fifth and final step is to pour the gel into your container. Depending on the look you would like, you will either put the embeds in before or after pouring the gel. If you want them at the bottom of the container, you should dip them into the hot gel and then place them in the container as you would like. The closer you place them to the sides of the container, the easier they will be seen once you pour the gel into the container. If you want to create suspended-looking embeds, you will instead pour your gel into the container first and use a metal skewer to embed your objects into position.
Just a note on pouring the gel – the slower that you pour and stir the gel into the container, the fewer bubbles will be produced. You may also reduce the bubbling that is likely to occur by heating your container in the oven or microwave prior to pouring in the gel. Or you may also use a heat gun or warm the container in the oven after pouring the gel to reduce the bubbling.
Lastly, you will need to pull the wick up and allow the candle to cool. After cooling, you may trim the wick as needed.
