Perhaps today’s guide might be a bit ambitious for the absolute beginners, however it is also one of the most eye-popping works that can be achieved after reaching a basic level of acquaintance with candle-making craft. Stretching the line that separates hobbyism and true craftsmanship, these beautiful candles with an embedded shape nonetheless represent a challenge to be conquered.

This floral theme is a great fit for the coming months of May and June especially, so it will make for a perfect birthday gift. Why not try to embed a specific birth flower and combine it with its complementary fragrance?

As usual, our very skilled partner Victoria of Cosy and Country will walk us through the process of making a gorgeous candle with an embedded shape. Time to let your imagination loose and experiment with different combinations and themes. Good luck!

 

Ingredients 

Step 1 – Measure and Melt Your Wax

On a weighing scale, measure up 800g of wax (the entire bag), this should be enough for three candles, including the small embedded wax melts.

Pop the wax onto medium heat and let it melt all the way through, remember to give a good stir now and again to facilitate the process!

Step 2 – Prepare Your Containers

Whilst the wax is melting, place the candle wicks into the containers, by peeling one side off the glue dot and sticking it to the metal base of each wick. Now, peel off the other side and place the wicks as central as you can into the containers, firmly pushing onto the base to make sure it’s properly stuck. As usual, use your wick centering tools to keep the wicks place.

Step 3 – Add Your Dye

Once the wax has fully melted, give it a quick stir around and double-check the temperature (it should be around 60-65°C), if it’s above, simply take the wax off the heat and leave it to cool for a couple of minutes. When cooling, it’s not uncommon for the wax to go below the desired temperature, in this case, you’ll have to pop it back onto a low heat to warm it up again.

If your wax is at the desired temperature, it’s time to add the desired amount of colour dye for the base – we are using Cream. Stir it thoroughly and let the dye melt through the wax to obtain a nice even colour.

Step 4 – Prepare The Wax For Your Shapes

Place a jug onto your scales and measure 200g of wax for the shapes – we will be creating flower shapes. Then immediately add your chosen dye. We suggest picking a dye that makes a nice contrast with the base for a more eye-popping effect – we have chosen Light Rose Pink. Stir the dye through the wax until completely melted.

Tip – Give a quick warm-up to the pouring jug before transferring the wax into it. This way you’ll make sure the wax remains at a liquid state and doesn’t harden too quickly.

Step 5 – Add Your Fragrance Oil

Check your fragrance oil’s flash point, then pour around 10ml of your chosen fragrance oil into the 200ml of melted wax for the shapes – we have chosen Peony Petals. Once you’ve done that, you will simply need to add the rest of the fragrance oil (around 40ml) to the main wax making sure the temperature is around 60°C, then stir it in carefully for about 1 minute.

Step 6 – Pour The Wax Into The Containers & Mould

Now you can start pouring the base wax into the candle containers making sure it is around 60°C. We suggest leaving a couple of inches of space from the top to leave room for the shapes. Now, leave the base to settle for at least one hour. 

In the meantime, proceed to pour the wax for the shapes into the mould and just like the base, leave to settle for an hour minimum.

Step 7 – Embed The Shapes Into The Base

Once the wax has solidified, remove the wick centering tool and pop the shapes out of the mould, positioning them into the container. At this stage, you should re-melt the remaining wax, as you will need to pour it into the container to create that nice embedding effect.

Now you can leave them to set overnight.

Step 8 – Trim The Wick & Enjoy!

Trim the wicks to around 5 millimeters for a perfect burning measurement. And there you have it! Your beautiful embedded shape candles.