Aromatherapy Candle Making
From LoveToKnow Candles
Aromatherapy candle making is a fun and rewarding hobby for anyone who is interested in creating beautiful yet functional homemade candles.
What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a science that involves using pure essential oils to promote an improved feeling of wellbeing. Although people have been interested in aromatherapy for thousands of years, the practice has gained a renewed popularity among those who seek to create scented products that offer added therapeutic benefits. For example, aromatherapy products can be used to treat insomnia, boost energy levels, or reduce the pain of migraine headaches.
There are many excellent online resources that you can use to learn more about aromatherapy. Check out the following websites:
- Aroma Web
- Holistic Online Guide to Aromatherapy
- Cool Nurse Guide to Aromatherapy
- A World of Aromatherapy
- Aromatherapy: Taking Charge of Your Health
If you are interested in aromatherapy candle making, you may also want to consider adding these books to your reference library:
- The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils by Gill Farrer-Halls
- Aromatherapy for the Soul: Healing the Spirit with Fragrance and Essential Oils by Valerie Ann Worwood
- Aromatherapy A-Z: The Most Comprehensive Guide to Aromatherapy Ever Published by Patricia Davis
- The Essential Oils Book: Creating Personal Blends for Mind & Body by Colleen K. Dodt
- Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential Oil Therapy by Kurt Schnaubelt
While aromatherapy is very popular in candle making, the practice can also be used to create scented soaps, body lotions, or other personal care products.
Supplies for Aromatherapy Candle Making
Making aromatherapy candles requires many of the same supplies used in other types of candle making projects.
Basic Tools
Every candle maker needs to have a few basic tools at his/her disposal. For example:
- Scale
- Measuring utensils
- Thermometer
- Double boiler
- Candle making molds
- Apron, goggles, pot holders, and other safety equipment
Fragrance
The key difference between aromatherapy candle making and other types of scented candle making involves the type of fragrance used.
While many candle makers choose to use fragrance oils to create their candles, true aromatherapy products are made with pure essential oils. Unlike commercially prepared fragrance oils, essential oils are made from natural plant extracts. This gives them the special therapeutic benefits that are the hallmark of an aromatherapy product.
When working with scented used in aromatherapy candle making, it’s important to buy the highest quality fragrances you can afford. Using inferior materials often results in a product with a weak scent and little or no aromatherapy benefit.
Wax
While many homemade candles are created with paraffin wax, most people who practice aromatherapy candle making use soy wax for their projects. Soy wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil, has a low melting point, and disperses fragrance well. Many candle makers also feel soy wax is easier to work with than paraffin wax.
Beeswax can be used to create aromatherapy candles as well, but this material is significantly more expensive than paraffin wax or soy wax.
Tips for Making Aromatherapy Candles
Making aromatherapy candles will be easier if you remember a few simple tips:
- Begin your project with a clear purpose. Do you want to create a candle to help you relax or one that relieves stress? Having a goal for your project makes it easier to choose the correct essential oils.
- As you’re making aromatherapy candles, remember that essential oils have a very strong fragrance. Add the oil to your wax one or two drops at a time. While you can always add more scent to your candle, it’s difficult to correct a fragrance that is too strong.
- It’s fine to copy your aromatherapy blends from a book or website if you’re new to candle making. However, once you gain more experience in aromatherapy candle making, you may choose to create your own unique formulas. Keep careful records of your work so you can duplicate your results when necessary.
- Generally, it’s best to choose a color for your candle that coordinates with the fragrance. For example, aromatherapy candles that use lavender as a primary scent are often purple. If your candle contains ginger, lemongrass, grapefruit, or other energizing scents, however, yellow or orange would be a more logical choice.
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This page has been accessed 3,230 times. This page was last modified 18:48, 29 May 2008.
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