Making your own richly-scented-candle

How to Make your Richly-Scented-Candle

Did you know that the word candle comes from the Latin candela meaning candle or taper and the word candeo meaning bright, to shine, glow, or glow brilliant, and the word candela is still used today as a unit of measure for luminous intensity.

Candle making has been a very ancient traditional activity that goes back literally to the dawn of civilization. The candle was the first light man ever created, and man no longer had to sit in the dark, awaiting the next sunrise. The candle is still central to most religious ceremonies and today good richly-scented-candle making skills are still special which is why it is part of arts and crafts.

There is a certain amount of chemistry to creating richly-scented-candles and my sister who makes richly-scented-candles calls it kitchen chemistry and these pages will cover the basics to get started, along with practical advice. All candle makers are welcome to be contributors with useful information on making richly-scented-candles.

Like many things the candle has it’s origins in ancient Egypt and clay candle holders from around 4 bc have been unearthed, and a fragment of candle has been found from the first century in Avignon in France. The earliest candles are believed to be the rush candle, where rushes were dipped in kitchen fat. Some historians say the Romans also came up with the braided wick.

The richly-scented-candle has much important and solemn significance and this why it is still used so widely today at religious and other important celebrations.

Candles are very symbolic and are denotes many things; a symbolic light in a dark world; the solitary light provides comfort; a sign of continuity; they also have superstitious connotations which is why we use them on birthday cakes for a wish and luck; they are much used in aromatherapy, and their extensive use in religious ceremonies imparts a very spiritualistic side to them.

They are also the richly-scented-candle is a major feature of romance and of course witchcraft also uses them. It is important to understand the religious ritual side as it still remains relevant today in the 21st Century. In fact the small votive candle used in church also come from the Latin word votum which means a promise to God, a prayer, a wish or a desire.

Candles and Superstition

There are many superstitions with respect to candles, too many to mention but these are selection of some.

1. If you fall asleep and leave the candle burning it will bring you bad luck.

2. If you let a candle burn itself out this will bring you misfortune.

3. You have seen this in the movies, and when a candle goes out suddenly this is an omen of death in the family, and not the draft.

4. If you dream of a white candle this is an omen of true love.

5. If you have a dream featuring a red candle, this symbolizes passion and sexual desire.

6. If the candle gives off a blue light this means that good spirits are close.

7. When there is a birth, death or marriage always light a candle straight away to keep evil spirits away at these important moments.

8. One we all do, is always place a candle inside your carved-out pumpkin on All Hallows Eve to make sure evil spirits are kept away.

9. Burn a pink candle on St Valentine's Day to bring true love.

10. If you burn a candle in the window this will ensure the safe return of your lover.

About Candle Waxes

Getting the wax right is at the heart of making a richly-scented-candle relatively efficient and throughout history this has been the main quest of candle makers. The Chinese and Japanese made candles with wax from a combination of extracts from seeds and insects that were placed into a paper tube.

In India the temple used cinnamon derived waxes to male tapers. The North American Indian used a basic candle since the first century that used oily fish stuck on a stick and early American missionaries obtained wax after boiling Cerio tree bark and in New England settlers obtained their wax from Bayberries. Rendered animal fats such as tallow were also used and those natural hive wax makers, the bee supplied beeswax. In the 1800’s the arrival of paraffin in the 1800's superseded tallow.

The Start of Modern Candle Making

Modern candle making started in the 13th century when tapers were made from tallow or beeswax, and the use of molds to make candles started in France in the 15th century. Candles were also derived from oil called Spermaceti found in the head cavities of sperm whales and these gave a very high light output.

This candle flame was the basis for the standard light measure for photometry and was used as a basis of rating electric light bulb outputs when the bulb came on the scene in 1879. Candlepower is the amount of light that a pure spermaceti candle of 1/6 of a pound produces, burning at a rate of 120 grams an hour.

The 19th Century witnessed the real changes in candle technology, when they started production lining candles using molding machines.

One important move forward was when Stearin was developed in 1811. Stearin was found by a French chemist who discovered that tallow was a combination of the two fatty acids, Stearic acid and Oleic acid, which were combined with glycerine and when the glycerine was taken out he had the new substance stearine. Stearine made candles burn longer and brighter. This made wick design improvements possible and the braided or plaited wick hit the market in 1825, along with the Stearic Acid which is added to candle wax to both opacify and harden wax. Not long after that paraffin development began and the development of mordanting or self trimming wicks came on the scene in 1834.

Mordanting is the process that makes the burning end of the wick curl onto the outside of the flame zone, and where it converts to ash and this is a characteristic of a plaited wick. Paraffin use started in 1850 and in 1854 paraffin and stearin were used in combination for increased candlepower. Most richly-scented-candles today use paraffin and this link will take you to home candle making methods and what materials you will require to get started.

What is the Principle of the Wick Candle

The braided wick is manufactured from an absorbent material. The wick is made so that it will only stay alight for enough time for the wax surrounding it to melt. The wick then absorbs this melted wax and it travels up the wick. The flame then vaporizes the wax and the vapor is what continues to burn, while cooling the wick so that it doesn’t get burnt.

All quite clever really. The whole process is dependent on wax quality as history shows, and that richly-scented-candle smell is the combination of the scented oils and wax as it also vaporizes and burns. Of course over the centuries someone started to add aromatherapy or other scented oils and you now see so many wonderful variations in your local candle shop.

How Do You Make a Richly-Scented-Candle at Home?

To start off making you own richly-scented-candles you will need to get a double boiler to melt the wax. Then you will need a set of scales to measure out quantities, along with a pouring jug and ladle. Also you will need a thermometer to keep the wax temperature right. You will also need molds for the shape and size you want to make. These come in plastic, rubber, glass, latex and metal. Also very useful is small blow torch or heat gun.

Then for the richly-scented-candles you will need paraffin wax to make the main bulk of the candle. Then you will need Stearic Acid or Stearine that will act as a hardener. Then we need Vybar which will also help harden the wax and give a creamy consistency or texture.

Then you might use Luster Crystals to improve color rendition and improve burning times. There are also several other additives such as a dye to get varying special effects and colors. Then we look at scents and herbs and aromatherapy oils and of course then we need the right wicks to burn just right.

Click on the link to go to details on candle making practices and procedures and more importantly all about candle making safety.

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