How to make a scented candle at home, step by step

What you need

For a first jar candle:

• soy wax 4130, made for container candles;
• a cotton wick, for example our ready-to-use no. 27 wicks, with a wick base and a sticker to hold it;
• a candle fragrance oil, from our 56 scents;
• optional: a candle dye;
• a clean, dry, heat-resistant glass jar;
• a pan and a bowl for a double boiler, kitchen scales, a spoon or spatula and, ideally, a thermometer.

The beginner candle making kit (199 MAD) holds the wax, wicks, pigment and fragrance: all you need is a jar. For quantities, count 85 g of wax per 100 ml of jar; the detail is in how many candles from 1 kg of wax.

Supplies to buy:

• candle wax: soy, paraffin, rapeseed;
• fragrance oil for candles;
• candle wicks.

The steps

1. 1

   Prepare the jar and wick

   Slide the wick into its base, stick it to the centre of the jar's bottom with a double-sided sticker, and hold the wick straight with a centring bar or two sticks.

2. 2

   Weigh the wax

   Count about 85 g of wax per 100 ml of jar: 170 g for a 200 ml jar.

3. 3

   Melt it in a double boiler

   Heat the wax gently to 70–75 °C. Do not go over 85 °C: the wax can turn yellow.

4. 4

   Add colour (optional)

   A tiny amount of pigment is enough: 1 to 5 g per kilo of wax. Stir until it has fully dissolved.

5. 5

   Add the fragrance off the heat

   Take the wax off the heat and pour in 5 to 10 % of its weight in fragrance oil, that is 9 to 17 g for 170 g of wax. Stir gently for two minutes.

6. 6

   Pour

   Let the wax cool to about 60–65 °C, then pour it slowly into the jar without touching the wick.

7. 7

   Let it set for 24 hours

   Leave the candle to set at room temperature, away from draughts. Then trim the wick to about 5 mm.

8. 8

   Let it cure for one to two weeks

   The fragrance binds with the wax during this time: a candle lit too early smells much less.

For a moulded candle, the method is the same with a hard wax such as soy wax 4120 and a silicone mould: pour at about 60–65 °C and unmould after 24 hours.

Which scent for a first candle?

To start, choose a scent you already love having at home: you will light the candle often, and that is the best test. The scents in our beginner kit are a good starting point: vanilla, lavender, orange blossom or oud, notes found in many Moroccan homes.

Candle fragrance oils are made to withstand the heat of melted wax. Buy a small 30 ml or 30 g bottle first (from 39 MAD) to test, then a larger size once the recipe is right. Always note the amount you used: at 8 %, the same oil can seem faint in one wax and strong in another.

All our scents, with a guide to scent families, are on the candle fragrance oils page.

Mistakes to avoid

• Fragrance added to wax that is too hot or too cool: it evaporates or blends poorly. Stay around 70–75 °C, off the heat.
• Too much fragrance: above 10 %, the candle can sweat or burn badly.
• Pouring too hot: the top sinks or cracks as it cools. Wait for 60–65 °C.
• Lighting it the next day: it burns, but the scent stays faint. Wait one to two weeks.
• The wrong wick: if the candle tunnels or smokes, see how to choose your wick.

Safety

Never heat wax directly over a flame: always use a double boiler, and never leave it unattended. If the wax smokes, take it off the heat. If it catches fire, never pour water on it: cover it with a lid and turn off the heat.

• Work in a ventilated room, away from children and pets.
• Avoid contact between neat fragrance and your skin or eyes; rinse with water if it splashes.
• Use a heat-resistant jar with no cracks.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended, and set it on a stable surface.

The first burn

The first time, let the candle burn for two to three hours, until the whole surface is liquid. This prevents tunnelling: the wax "remembers" the width of its first melt. Trim the wick to about 5 mm before each lighting.

Where to buy candle making supplies in Morocco

We sell everything in this guide online: candle wax, wicks, fragrance oils, dyes and moulds. Orders leave our Casablanca workshop and arrive in 2 to 3 days anywhere in Morocco, whether you are in Rabat, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir or elsewhere.

Delivery 25 to 45 MAD depending on the city, free from 450 MAD. Minimum order 70 MAD, cash on delivery.

Frequently asked questions