New to candles

[DucknBear Gracie]

Hellooo,
I've never made candles before (other than a cute little candle kit I had when I was younger which I adored) and I'm trying to research as I have a soap client who would like candles to match his soaps - the scent is lemon, cedar wood and ginger, I can't find any ginger FO, if anyone has any UK sellers for that please please please let me know, else I'm thinking of using ginger EO (I use EOs for my soap - if it would work/mix okay with FO - still researching but other than EOs not being so strong/stable in candles I haven't seen anywhere it says it wouldn't work, my ginger EO smells pretty strong so hopefully that helps as well)

1. He has a pot he's had made for them (they're like a grey white clay with glaze, they're made specifically to have candles in so I'm sure they're candle safe) - but they're an odd shape - like a plant pot almost, the bottom is a lot smaller than the top, and I'm confused on wick size and also the safety (I'm talking ~30mm bottom and ~80mm round the top, pretty big difference) - is there a way to make this work? - did wonder if maybe making a 30mm pillar candle to stand in the pot might work, however I'm not sure how it would look!

2. Also would really like a pure (white) beeswax candle, but I've read so far that it can be a pain, I think I can convince him against it though, I'm currently looking at nature wax c3 as an alternative as its vegan and cruelty free - any reviews on that/suggestions for wax/ ways to make beeswax work maybe?

I'm half writing this just to get thoughts out my brain (there's nothing better!) and also just because you lovely humans always have wise words that makes things make more sense - I feel like I'm at the point of reading stuff where its stopped going in, think some more direct advice might give me a refresh and get me back on track! If anyone also has any tried and trusted sources for learning about basic candle stuff, please send it over as well as I'm really stuck on what to read, everything i've read so far has been pretty general and I'm not sure where to go for more specific reads (other than here) I am determined to learn and make the best candle I can for him, as well as maybe learning a new hobby for myself!

I feel like if I could sus out soap (although still learning!) then hopefully I can figure out candles, I do love a good candle!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

A good place to start would be to Google a "vendor in the UK that sells candle making supplies". They really have the best info and easy kits for you just getting started.

Q: Is candle making profitable UK?

A: Low start up costs – It is easy to start up a candle making business because it does not cost too much money. You can start with a small work area and a few basic supplies. Good profit margins – Candle making has great profit margins – You can sell your candles online, at farmers markets or through local gift stores.

 

[jcandleattic]

It is easy to start up a candle making business because it does not cost too much money.

umm?? I have to disagree with this. IF you don't care how your candle burns, then sure it doesn't cost much money, however, with all of the testing involved with making a safe, effective candle that burns well, it does end up costing quite a bit, because it's not just a one and done situation. There is so much involved with making candles, that start up costs before you sell your first candle (if done properly) can be in the hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Not testing properly and have candles that either don't burn properly, don't scent properly or are hazardous is what gives handmade chandlers a bad reputation and why insurance for making candles is so hard to get.

 

[lenarenee]

Candle making if done well, is very expensive and time consuming - far more so than soap because there are hundreds of different combinations of oils and fats that can make a good bar of soap. Whereas with candles, you have to find the right wax, the right wick type, the right wick size, to work with ONE fragrance oil. What works for your lavender fragrance, will most. likely not work for your ocean breeze fragrance. Each fragrance, wax, and wick combo needs to be individually tested for burn quality, and safety. (I tried it a few years ago and gave up except for the few candles I make for myself. And unlike soap, are more dangerous to give away than any soap).

Have you found any sources from qualified chandlers with how-to videos? I suggest Standley Handcrafted for one example. He covers many topics, including how to choose waxes, how to price candles, and problems solving. After watching some of those, I think you'll get an idea of the challenges chandlers face and you can see if it's something you want to pursue.

 

[DucknBear Gracie]

Candle making if done well, is very expensive and time consuming - far more so than soap because there are hundreds of different combinations of oils and fats that can make a good bar of soap. Whereas with candles, you have to find the right wax, the right wick type, the right wick size, to work with ONE fragrance oil. What works for your lavender fragrance, will most. likely not work for your ocean breeze fragrance. Each fragrance, wax, and wick combo needs to be individually tested for burn quality, and safety. (I tried it a few years ago and gave up except for the few candles I make for myself. And unlike soap, are more dangerous to give away than any soap).

Have you found any sources from qualified chandlers with how-to videos? I suggest Standley Handcrafted for one example. He covers many topics, including how to choose waxes, how to price candles, and problems solving. After watching some of those, I think you'll get an idea of the challenges chandlers face and you can see if it's something you want to pursue.

Thank you for the advice, i’ll check out their videos - I’m currently focusing on selling soaps, but hoping when I have some time I can learn about candles properly - my soap client changed his mind on candles for now (which i’m sort of glad, I think if he asks again in the future I think i’ll say no as his pots were such an awkward shape and i didn’t feel confident - even if I did have more knowledge) from what I read so far about candle making, it does sound very interesting and a very precise art!