Hand Dipped Candles
How to easily make hand dipped candles at home, with just beeswax, wicks, and some basic equipment. This is a great beginner craft!
Equipment
- Candle-Dipping Wax Canister Tall and thin in shape like a juice / deep soup can (some people use glass, but I don't like to risk it in case they shatter)
- Water Bath Pot half-filled with hot water
- Knife and Scissors to trim candle bottom, and cut wick
- Candle dryer any 2- to 3-inch wide, horizontal stick to hang drying candles on
Ingredients
- Beeswax or soy wax chunks or pellets
- Cotton or hemp wicking
Instructions
- Add wax to the canister, and place it into a pot half-filled with water (there should be at least 15cm of water around the canister). Heat the water to melt the wax, but don't bring it to a boil. The wax shouldn't be heated above 75°C (167°F).Beeswax or soy wax
- Begin by dipping a length of wick and then use your fingers pull it* straight. Leave to cool for about a minute then drip again and let cool. Continue to dip and hang to dry, for about 2 minutes each dip, until the candle is as thick as you want. Add more wax as needed to maintain the wax level in the canister.Cotton or hemp wicking
- Alternatively you can dip your candle into wax then cold water to set it faster, but make sure your candle has no beads of water before adding it back into the wax, or the wax won't stick properly. I like to gently rub my hand down the candle to knock off any excess water.
- Once the candles are as large as you'd like and fully dry, trim the wicks with scissors. You can leave them long for gifting if you'd like, and they can be trimmed later.
- Cut the bottoms of the candles off with a sharp knife if you want a flat base. This wax can be reused. Let the candles cure for at least a couple weeks, preferably a few months, before burning.
Video
Notes
* Some people like to tie on a metal nut as a weight, but I find pulling a dipped wick is enough to make it straight.
If you have a large tin, you can dip one long wick at both ends to make 2 candles, but you have to be careful that they don't touch.
If you don't use the cold water setting method, I like to hang the candles on a pasta or clothes rack. Just clip the wick with a clothes pin.
Candle length will depend on canister depth.