If you’ve never made a candle before, it can feel like there are a lot of moving parts—and honestly, there are. But once you understand a few key things, the whole process becomes really simple.

This guide walks you through everything step by step, explains the “why” behind each part, and helps you avoid the most common beginner mistakes so your first candle actually turns out right.

*Most candle makers don’t get a perfect candle on their first try—and that’s completely normal. What matters is understanding what to adjust.

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Quick Start Recipe (Save This)

If you want the fast version, use this as your base:

Basic Soy Candle Recipe

• Wax: 167 g
• Fragrance: 12 g (8%)
• Wick: matched to container diameter
• Temperatures:
  • Melt: 170–185°F
  • Add fragrance: 160–175°F
  • Pour: 120–145°F

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Watch the Video on How to Make Candles

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Wick Size — The Most Important Decision

Your wick controls:

• How evenly your candle burns
• How strong your scent is
• Whether your candle tunnels

How to Choose It

1. Measure container diameter (across the top)
   • Mine is about 2 1/4 inch wide for the wide mouth mason jar
2. Choose a wick rated for that size
   • I am using a CD 10 wick for my candle

Always follow wick charts—this is not guesswork.

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Measure Wax Accurately

1. Fill container with water
2. Weigh it
3. Multiply by 0.86

$wax = water \times 0.86$wax=water×0.86

💡 Add 5–10g extra for pouring loss

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Step 3: Secure the Wick

Use:

• Glue gun (best for beginners)
• Wick sticker

✔ Make sure it’s perfectly centered

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Step 4: Fragrance Load (Why Candles Smell Weak)

Typical soy wax:

• 6–10% max

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Calculate It

$fragrance = wax \times 0.08$fragrance=wax×0.08

Start at 7–8% for best results

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Cold Throw vs 🔥 Hot Throw

Cold Throw

Smell before lighting

Hot Throw

Smell while burning

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Why This Matters

If your candle smells strong cold but weak burning:

• Wick may be too small
• Fragrance didn’t bind properly
• Candle not cured long enough

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Melt the Wax

Heat to:

• 170–185°F using a double boiler.
• You will need to have a thermometer to make candles.

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Why Overheating Wax Matters

Overheating can:

• Damage how fragrance binds
• Lead to weak hot throw later

* Controlled heat = better scent performance

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Step 6: Add Color (Optional)

Add dye after wax melts. I like to use the liquid colorant.

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Fun Tip

To see the true color while wax is hot:

Drop a small amount on a paper towel

• Instantly cools
• Shows final color

*Melted wax always looks darker than it actually is when it dries

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Add Fragrance

Add at:

• 160–175°F

Stir for:

• 1–2 minutes

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Why This Matters

• Too hot → fragrance burns off
• Too cool → weak binding

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Pour the Candle

Pour at:

• 120–145°F

Pour slowly and keep wick centered

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Cooling & Curing

Let candle sit undisturbed

Cure Time:

• 7–14 days

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Why This Matters

Curing improves:

• Scent strength
• Wax structure

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Trim & Finish

Trim wick to:

• ¼ inch

Add any labels you want on the candle, this is optional but takes them up to the next level.

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First Burn Instructions (Most Important Part After Making)

Your first burn sets the stage for how your candle performs.

Follow this exactly:

• Trim wick before lighting
• Burn until full melt pool forms
• Burn ~1 hour per inch of diameter
• Do not exceed 3–4 hours

Skipping this step causes tunneling—even with the right wick

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Candle Troubleshooting Guide

Tunneling

Cause: Wick too small / short burn
Fix: Larger wick + full melt pool

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Flame Too Big

Cause: Wick too large
Fix: Trim wick or size down

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Weak Scent

Cause: Temp issues / wick size / no cure
Fix: Adjust temps, cure longer, test wick

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Sweating

Cause: Too much fragrance / temp swings
Fix: Reduce fragrance load

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Sinkholes

Cause: Pour too hot / fast cooling
Fix: Pour at correct temp, slow cooling

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Off-Center Wick

Cause: Not secured / moved while cooling
Fix: Re-center early, secure better

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What You Need (Beginner Setup)

Before you start, make sure you have the basics:

• Kitchen scale
• Heat-safe container
• Thermometer
• Wax
• Wick
• Fragrance oil
• Candle Jar
• Candle Colorant

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How to Improve Your Candles (Testing Mindset)

If something isn’t perfect:

• Change one variable at a time
• Take notes
• Test burn every candle

That’s how you go from beginner → consistent results fast.

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Final Thoughts

Your first candle is about learning, not perfection.

Once you understand:

• Wick size
• Temperature control
• Fragrance balance

You’ll be able to fix almost any issue and start creating candles that burn clean and smell amazing. You might be interested in Whipped Candle Wax or making Wax Melts.

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