How to Create Your Own Candles

The process of candle burning is perhaps the oldest method of aromatherapy. The burning of joss sticks, made from aromatic herbs, was a tradition started by the ancient Chinese over six thousand years ago to honor their gods. Aromatherapy, with its unseen energies is part of a fragrant world.

Deriving from flowers, fruits, leaves, etc. essential oils are used in aromatherapy. Designed to improve health the therapeutic properties are extracted with the oil during distillation.

Making your own aromatherapy candles means you control how much scent or coloring is used. Dont be afraid to experiment, you can even mix different oils together until you find one you like. You will need wicks, candle molds (can be anything from paper cups to molds purchased from a store), 1 pound of Paraffin, 1/3 pound Beeswax, Double Boiler, crayons and of course, the essential oils. A quick note here about the wax, the green segment of the consumer market has been demanding cleaner burning candles, so if you would like something that is healthy for you and the environment, consider making them soy candles, rather than using paraffin, as the soybean wax is nontoxic, all vegetable, burns at a lower temperature, burns 50% longer and is 100% biodegradable.

It can be hard to get the wick to stay put unless you wrap the excess around a pen or pencil and put it on top of the mold. Use a double boiler to melt the combined beeswax and paraffin. Crayon shavings added to the melted wax adds color to the candle. A great way to get the crayon shavings is to use a potato peeler over the melted wax. Unless you want your candle to smell like a crayon, only add a little bit of the shavings. It would defeat the purpose of aromatherapy if your candles scent was too much, you can always add more of the oil later. Trim your wick to about inch after the candle has cooled. A relaxed and pleasing aura will be the result of placing aromatherapy candles around your home. It can be hard trying to find the time to make your own candles rather than buying them, but it is nowhere near as rewarding.

Making aromatherapy candles shows thoughtfulness and caring when used as gifts for the special people in your life; you enjoyed making them and they love getting them.

Robert Watson is the owner and webmaster of My Aromatherapy Class, the home of the only free Aromatherapy Course on the internet. To sign up for his free newsletter and to get involved with the free home study course, click on his website.