How To Start A Soap And Candle-Making Hobby

By Aly
In Cool HuntingLifestyle
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Close-up image of woman taking homemade soap out of silicone mold

It’s true that you can produce soaps and candles by just mixing some oils, lye, wax, and wick, in some containers. But what really sets your soaps and candles apart are the small additions you make and the skillful blending of varied scents. If you wish to develop a new hobby in soap and candle manufacturing, keep reading.

Step 1: Create Soap And Candle Scent 

By using fragrance oils for candles and soaps, you can create unique scents. 

Essential Materials: 

  • Variety of essential or fragrance oils. 
  • Airtight jars. 
  • A sterile cotton bud or an eye dropper for each oil in the mixture. 

Process:

  • Open the little glass container and the bottles of oils. 
  • One at a time, put the head of a fresh cotton bud into the oil to be used as a fragrance or essential oil.
  • You can use a dropper in place of cotton swabs, but make sure you use a new dropper for each essential oil.
  • Insert the swab in the jar.
  • Replicate every scent you want to include in the blend. 
  • In a cool, dark place, cover the jar and open the bottle after a few hours.

Step 2: Soap-Making Process

Even though there are several ways to create soap, the method that’ll be shown below is one of the easiest. You can’t go wrong with this straightforward soap recipe, which only calls for four different kinds of oils.

Essential Soap Materials: 

  • Boiler Or Microwave: A double boiler or microwave is the appropriate heat source for melting soap. 
  • Glass Or Plastic Dishes: You melt your soap in these bowls. Make sure the plastic is heat-resistant if you decide to use it. 
  • Oil: Get cooking spray or vegetable oil. Buying palm oil bulk packages will save money in the long run.
  • Lye: The primary component of soap manufacturing is lye. 
  • Molds: You can utilize flexible objects, such as candle molds, or purchase soap molds.
  • Scale: Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients accurately.

Measurement Guide 

  • Water, 8 oz.
  • Lys, 3 ounces. 
  • Fragrance oil, 1 ounce. 
  • 6 1/2 ounces of palm oil and coconut oil, respectively. 
  • Olive oil, 7 1/2 ounces. 
  • Castor oil, 1 1/3 ounces. 

Procedure:

  • Measure 8 ounces of water and empty it into a heat-resistant clear plastic or glass pitcher.
  • Open the lye bottle and carefully shake the chemical into an empty container on the weighing scale until you have 3.1 ounces of the substance.
  • Be careful not to splatter when you gradually add the lye to the water. 
  • When the lye solution has cooled to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, cover it and set it in a secure location.
  • Use containers and the kitchen scale to weigh and boil the solid oils until they’re fully melted. Over low heat, fill a big soap pot with the melted oil.
  • Empty the lye solution into the oils until the lye and the oils have reached a temperature of about 100 F.
  • Stir the soap until it achieves a thin trace, which is when there are no oil streaks in the mixture and the soap is roughly the consistency of a thin cake batter.
  • Add the scented oil after removing the solution from the heat. Mix it thoroughly with the soap.
  • When the raw soap has completely cooled and is strong enough to be cut, pour it into the mold and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours.
Woman decorating homemade candle with gypsophila flowers at table indoors, closeup

Step 3: Candle-Making Process

Candles come in a wide variety, and you can choose what goes inside of them. Read through the directions before you get started, then follow the step-by-step candle-making guide.

Essential Candle Materials: 

  • Wax: Common types of wax include gel, beeswax, and paraffin. 
  • Wick: If you can, purchase them primed. 
  • Boiler: If you don’t have a boiler, place a smaller pot inside a larger one.
  • Mold: You can use everyday materials like metal cans or metal molds that you can purchase at your neighborhood craft store. 
  • Thermometer: Using this device will help you make sure you reach the right temperature. 
  • Kitchen scale, coloring, and fragrance are optional.

Procedure:

  • Put your wick in the proper container before adding the wax. You can reuse an empty candle jar or buy a fresh one.
  • Put the pot in position over a heater. Wax should be added and allowed to melt. If desired, color and aroma can be added to the wax that has melted in the pot. 
  • Pour the heated wax into the bottle with caution. To assist in keeping the candle in place, use sticks like popsicle sticks. 
  • Trim the wick to the desired size after allowing the wax to completely cool.

Conclusion 

You might turn out to be a natural at this; nonetheless, don’t be dismayed if you don’t get everything perfect on the first try. Sometimes, your finished handmade soaps and candle skills might take a while to solidify and that’s natural; enjoy the process and keep practicing until you’ve gotten the hang of it.