We Tried Candle Making (And Learnt a Few Things the Hard Way)
- David Macknay
- Mar 3
- 3 min read
Last weekend we decided to try something simple.
No big workshop setup. No specialist tools. Just a beginner candle kit, a spare hour, and a bit of curiosity.
Candle making always felt like one of those hobbies people talk about but never actually start. Slightly Pinterest. Slightly intimidating.
Turns out, it’s far less complicated than it sounds.
Here’s how it went.
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Step 1 – Unbox (and Improvise)
We opened the kit and immediately realised something important....No jar.
Minor detail.
Instead of abandoning the mission, we grabbed an old jalapeño jar from the cupboard, gave it a proper scrub, peeled the label off, and called it “rustic”.
And honestly? It worked perfectly.
First lesson of the day: you don’t need perfect kit to start. A clean recycled jar does the job.
There’s something quite satisfying about turning something destined for the recycling into something you’ll actually use.
Step 2 – Melt the Wax
We set up the simple bain-marie and added the wax blocks.
Two blocks gave us roughly 200ml of melted wax. Not loads, but plenty for a small candle.
There’s something oddly calming about watching wax melt.
It goes from cloudy solid chunks to this clear, glossy liquid. You can’t rush it. You just wait. It forces you to slow down, which feels rare these days.
While it melted, we moved on to the fun bit.
Step 3 – Choose Your Scent
We went with Sea Breeze.
In the bottle it smelled fresh, clean, slightly coastal. Very “open the windows and pretend you live near the sea”.
One thing to remember though: fragrance softens once mixed into wax. What smells strong in the bottle won’t necessarily be bold in the finished candle.
That becomes important later.
Step 4 – Fix the Wick (The Sticky Pad Incident)
Attaching the wick should be simple.
There’s a little sticky pad on the base. You press it into the centre of your jar and you’re done.
Unless, of course, you remove both sides of the sticky pad at once.
Which I did..... and it immediately glued itself to my fingers instead of the jar.
So here’s your tip: Peel one side first and stick it to the wick base. Then remove the second side and press it firmly into the centre of the jar.
Much less chaos.
We balanced the wick holder across the top of the jar to keep it upright and, at this point, felt quite professional.
Step 5 – Add Colour and Scent
Once the wax was fully melted we added colour.
It looked bold and dramatic in the jug. Deep coastal blue.
It will not look like that once it sets.
Wax always dries lighter than you expect. Ours turned into more of a soft seaside pastel. Still nice. Just less moody than planned.
Then we added fragrance oil.
I used about 15 drops.
And if I’m honest… it wasn’t strong enough
.
Next time, I’d be braver. Most kits and soy wax blends can handle more fragrance than you think. If you want proper scent throw, don’t be shy.
Step 6 – Pour and Wait
We carefully poured the wax into the jar, keeping the wick centred.
And then came the hardest part.
Waiting.
No poking. No moving it. Just letting it cool naturally.
The top dipped slightly as it hardened, which is completely normal. It’s just the wax contracting as it sets.
A few hours later, it was ready.
When we finally lit it that evening, it worked. Proper flame. Gentle scent. Real “we made this” satisfaction.
What We Learned
You don’t need perfect equipment to start
Recycled jars work brilliantly
Colour sets lighter than it looks
Wick stickers are sneakier than they appear
Use more fragrance than you think
Most importantly, candle making isn’t about perfection.
It’s about creating something small and lovely with your own hands.
It’s simple. It smells amazing. And it feels quietly productive.
If you’ve got a free afternoon and an old jar in the cupboard, you’re already halfway there.
Give it a go this weekend.
You might surprise yourself.
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