Materials
for gel candle making
You
will need:
- gel
- zinc wicks (cotton wicks can’t be used for
gel candles because they
- absorb too much gel)
- essential oil for fragrance
- liquid color dye
- embeds (optional)
All these materials can be obtained online from candle
making suppliers. It is important to use essential
oils and colors specially made for gel candles; fragrance
oils you can buy in a cosmetic shop are not suitable.
Also, you can buy a gel candle making kit. Getting
a kit is the best solution for a beginner, because
it will include everything you need to make your first
few candles.
And
of course you will need a container. The best container
for a gel candle is glass, so people can see the embeds
you put inside the candle, but any non-flammable container
would do. You can use any glass, wine glass, or even
a small wide vase, but your container should be at
least 2 inches in diameter. Garage sales and second
hand stores are gold mines, when it comes to candle
containers.
For
embeds you can use anything non-flammable - colored
aquarium gravel, marbles, glitter, sand, sea shells,
pebbles, crystals, polished stones, artificial jewels
or pearls.
Steps
to making a gel candle
1-
Place a little bit of hot glue in the center of the
container bottom. Stick the wick in it and let the
glue set.
2-
Cut the gel into small pieces so it melts faster and
more evenly. Melt it in a stainless steel pot over
a medium heat.
3-
The trickiest part is the temperature - you should
get it to exactly 200°F, because overheated gel
looses its clarity. For that, you will need a suitable
thermometer.
4-
Maintain the temperature at 200°; all the gel
should melt and become smooth, like syrup.
5-
Add color dye to the melted gel, a little bit at a
time, until you get the desired color - remember,
you can always add more dye to make the color stronger,
but you can’t take dye away. For a candle with
embedded objects, you should use only a little color,
so the objects remain visible
6-
Add the fragrance - 1/3 teaspoon for each glass of
melted gel will give it a nice scent. For a stronger
scent, add a bit more fragrance.
7-
Heat the container in the oven or microwave to about
150-160°F. This will help to reduce the appearance
of bubbles
8-
If you want to use embeds, dip them in hot gel first
and then arrange them in the container as you like.
It is better to keep the objects closer to the sides
of the container - they will be easier to see, this
way.
9-
Now it is time to pour your gel into the container.
Place your container on a level surface and pour the
gel slowly and carefully down the side. If it is your
first time, you will probably get a few bubbles; to
avoid that, the gel should be still very hot.
10-
Pull the wick up. Roll it on a pencil to keep it straight.
11-
Let the candle cool. Trim the wick and you are done!
You have a beautiful, unique gel candle, made by yourself.
About
the Author:
Tanya Turner is a candle-making expert and a founder
of www.BestScentedCandles.info,
where you can find information about all types of
candles, how to make them and where to get the best
scented candles
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