Make your own scented candle in a glass. Great for home decoration and aromatherapy and excellent for handmade gifts.
1. Mix the ingredients.
Measure out the desired quantity of stearic acid. Acid should be combined with wax in the ratio 1:10, so you will need 20 grams of acid for 200 grams of wax. Boil some water and heat the acid in the top of your boiler or in a metal bowl over the saucepan, but never directly over a heat source. Add a few shavings of dye from the color block and leave to dissolve.
2. Measure out the paraffin wax and add it to the dissolved acid.
Once this has dissolved, add a few drops of fragrance oil, depending on how heavily scented you would like your candle. Use a thermometer to check that the temperature of the wax is competely melted at ca. 80ºC (better still, use the au bain marie method to melt your wax, put a small pan containing the wax into a larger pan filled with water, in this way you can never overheat the wax) before taking it off the heat.
3. Attach the wick.
Fix the wick in place in the centre of the glass by pouring a little liquid wax into the base of the glass and letting it solidify around the wick.
4. Keep the wick in place by attaching it to a stick or pencil.
Leave the wax to set.
5. Pour the wax.
Put a tray or newspaper under your mold to stop the wax dripping everywhere. Pour the liquid wax into a metal pouring jug and then slowly pour it into the mold.
6. Add extra wax.
Wax contracts as it cools, so you will need to use a stick or pencil to poke small holes in the candle around the wick after the first pour. This will prevent air pockets developing inside the candle. As the candle sets, the middle will sink as it cools, so you will need to melt more wax and top up the candle.
7. Repeat the process.
Continue pricking the wax and topping up the candle until the surface is flat.
8. Leave to set.
The candle will take a few hours to set, depending on its size. When it is completely set, remove the stick and trim the end of the wick before lighting your candle.
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