Although you can purchase candles in almost any color imaginable, candle making natural colors have a unique beauty.
How Do Candles Get Their Color?
When you purchase candle wax, it is unscented and uncolored. If you want to make scented candles, you must purchase either fragrance oil or essential oil. If you want to make colored candles, you must purchase dye in blocks, cakes, chips, flakes, or liquid bottles. Mixing different scents and dyes together is what allows candle makers to create endless variations from the same basic supplies.
The Benefits of Natural Candles
There are several reasons why candle makers might choose to leave their homemade candles in their natural colors:
- Dyes and scents used for candle making often contain synthetic ingredients that some people would prefer not to have in their home. Natural candles are an eco-friendly alternative.
- Candles left in their natural colors are more versatile for home decorating projects since they allow the candle holder or candle ring to take center stage. This is especially helpful for holiday decorating, since the candle accessories used for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas tend to be very elaborate.
- If you're giving candles as a gift, natural colored candles are a safe choice because they will blend well with whatever color or style of home décor the recipient has. You don't need to know much about the recipient's decorating preferences in order to pick out a suitable candle gift.
- Making natural colored candles is an economical way to enjoy this hobby because you're purchasing fewer supplies for every project. Even though they come in small containers, the price of candle making fragrances and dyes adds up quickly.
About Candle Making Natural Colors
If you're interested in making natural candles, keep in mind that beeswax is usually the best material for this type of candle making project. Quality beeswax makes candles that burn cleanly and slowly. If you use all-natural beeswax, the candles will have a pale golden color and a faint honey scent. If you use bleached beeswax, the candles will be an ivory or cream color with the honey scent. Both options result in very attractive candles, so the choice of which material to use is simply a matter of personal preference.It's true that beeswax is more expensive than paraffin wax, which may be a problem for some candle makers. However, you can save money on your supplies by looking for sales, coupons, and special promotions at your favorite craft stores. Another trick to stretch your candle making budget is to try mixing beeswax with a paraffin wax that has a similar melting point. As long as the mixture is mainly beeswax, your candles will still have the color and scent of 100% pure beeswax candles.
Creative Candle Making
While adding color and/or fragrance is generally thought to be one of the more creative aspects of making your own candles, there are plenty of other ways to make unique candles using candle making natural colors. Here are a few projects to try:
- Pour wax into vintage teacups purchased from garage sales or your local thrift store to make sweet candles that are sure to be appreciated by your family and friends.
- Use large seashells to make beach-themed candles.
- Make candles for Easter by filling the inside of a hallowed out egg with wax. The eggs can be dyed or decorated however you choose.
- Use cookie cutters to make floating candles in a variety of fun shapes. Stars and hearts are always good choices, but feel free to experiment with whatever materials you have available.
- If you're looking for a candle making project to enjoy with your children, consider purchasing sheets of beeswax to make rolled candles. Since you simply roll the sheets around the wick, you don't need to worry about the dangers associated with working near hot wax. In addition, the honeycomb texture of the beeswax sheets makes for very attractive looking candles.
