| p>So you've decided to make soy candles? Fantastic. | | | | candle wax into a room temperature or warmer |
| Soy candles are excellent, beautiful, clean-burning, | | | | container. Try heating your glass jar in the oven and |
| earth-friendly gifts that everyone enjoys. They | | | | letting it cool just slightly before pouring the wax into |
| throw scent really well, making them high-selling | | | | it. Then, let the candles cool naturally. That doesn't |
| alternatives to paraffin wax, which used to be the | | | | mean stick them outside in the winter! The point is to |
| most popular. | | | | let the candles cool at room temperature (but if the |
| These days, you can buy soy wax just about as | | | | room is particularly hot or cold for some reason, |
| cheaply as you can buy paraffin wax, but as the | | | | move them to some place that has a more even |
| popularity grows, it will become more expensive. Still, | | | | temperature). Always let the candles cool all the way |
| making candles, especially soy candles, will turn into a | | | | through. When you pick up the bottom of the candle, |
| habit or hobby you won't want to give up! | | | | it should be totally cooled down. |
| Candle making is super easy. It's (obviously) not a | | | | Secret #3: Use a Wick Guide |
| new thing, either. Way before electricity came | | | | Hard lessons learned: wicks don't stand up straight all |
| around, people were using candles to supply light. | | | | the way through the cooling period if there's nothing |
| After electricity, people used them for ambient light, | | | | to keep them in place. Even in tea light containers, |
| romance, or nostalgia. Those same reasons still apply, | | | | you'll need to use a wick guide to get the straightest |
| except that now, candle-making has become a | | | | arrow wick possible. Preferably, use a metal guide |
| past-time, like scrapbooking. Everyone is doing it. | | | | that tugs upward just slightly on the wick, keeping it |
| Secrets to Great-Looking Soy Candles | | | | totally straight. You should also either glue your wick |
| Secret #1: A Level Surface is a Must | | | | to the bottom of the container using a clear, very |
| You can't make a candle turn out right unless you | | | | strong glue that won't melt, OR you can try dabbing |
| pour AND cool it on a level surface. Believe it or not, | | | | just a little bit of melted wax onto the bottom of |
| just because a table or counter looks level, it doesn't | | | | the wick tab and sticking it into place. If you use that |
| mean it is. You may have been using that surface for | | | | method, you'll need to be sure the container is cooled |
| years and did not notice the slight angle. If you don't | | | | completely so that the wax cools and keeps the |
| have a leveling tool to determine whether or not the | | | | wick stuck to the container bottom. The reason your |
| surface is actually level, make a single candle and cool | | | | wick needs to stay in place and that you need to |
| it completely on that surface. Check it out. You'll need | | | | use a wick guide is that the best candles have wicks |
| to use a glass jar that is square for this test. When | | | | that are smack in the middle of the candle and stick |
| the candle is completely cool, check the corners of | | | | straight up. |
| the jar to make sure that the very top of the candle | | | | Not only are these tips good for aesthetic reasons, |
| is level in all four corners. | | | | but these are also important for burning all of the |
| Secret #2: Candles Must Cool Naturally | | | | wax and getting the most out of the candle. |
| To avoid frosting, you will need to pour the hot | | | | |