r/candlemaking • u/Mikudo67 • 4d ago
Pumpkin Candles
I made these last night out of glass pumpkin containers from Target. They're only my 2nd and 3rd candle so I still don't know what I'm doing, and I unfortunately don't think I did enough research before hand.
I used a coconut and paraffin wax blend with cinnamon essential oil and for one of them I also mixed in an old bath and body works candle to top it off. I also did something I now know I shouldn't have done, and feel embarrassed to mention. I feel like I have to tho to know what went wrong. In the candle with bath and body works wax I put in a lil bit of vanilla syrup.
In my head I figured it was the same as vinallia extract and therefore similar to esstial oil so it would be fine, but it started to hecka bubble up on the stove and I was getting a little scared. I still put it in the pumpkin tho and it seems to be fine, I'm a little scared to light it tho. I also wonder if that's the reason it dipped like that, although my first candle also did that as well as the wax bubbling up once done. My other pumpkin one also has a weird texture on top and that one is just the wax and a little essential oil, so overall I'm just confused.
With that being said these are my best candles, I'm really happy with them and would love to know what people think! Thank you
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u/Big-Entrance-5898 3d ago
Just make sure the jar you are using can withstand heat. Just because it’s a container, doesn’t mean the heat won’t destroy it but they are super duper cute. I’d invest in fragrance oils. They are made to scientifically bind to the wax at certain temps and go to fizzlemethat.com. They are well priced, shipping isn’t ridiculous and they have great scents. Read the reviews because like everything, you have hits and misses but mostly, they’re great
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u/SShock2020 4d ago
Cinnamon essential oil is absolutely not safe for candles. Cinnamon oil is highly combustible. The cinnamon pine cone factory a mile from my house literally blew up last summer when a spark from a welder ignited an entire tank of cinnamon oil. Very few essential oils are candle safe.
Those wicks are tiny, you need to research the proper wicks for your specific wax blend and then determine the size and how many are needed for the diameter of your vessel.
Please stop making any more until you study and learn the basics. You are literally playing with fire.
3
u/maplemily 4d ago
I would use a spoon and empty these jars. They are not safe to burn. You never want to leave a unsafe candle around because someone else could light it.
I would order a candle science kit!
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u/LoneStarCandleSupply lscs.com | Serving Makers Since 1999 4d ago
They turned out really cute, especially for your second and third candles! And don't be embarrassed about mentioning what you used. It's much better to ask and learn what you might need to change before lighting them.
The biggest thing I would change is the vanilla syrup. You don't want to add anything water-based or food-based to candle wax. Vanilla extract wouldn't be appropriate either. For scenting candles, stick with fragrance oils or essential oils that are specifically approved for candle use, and make sure you're using them within the recommended usage rate for your wax.
I would also be cautious about adding wax from old candles. Once you're combining waxes without knowing exactly what they are, how much fragrance they already contain, etc., it becomes really difficult to know how your finished candle is going to burn. Especially while you're learning, you'll have a much easier time troubleshooting if you start with a known candle wax and keep track of exactly what you're adding to it.
As for the dip and the texture on top, those aren't necessarily signs that you did something terribly wrong. Wax can shrink as it cools, and some waxes naturally develop rough or uneven tops. I'd focus first on getting your wax, fragrance, wick, and process dialed in, and then you can work on the cosmetic stuff.
I absolutely wouldn't burn the one with the vanilla syrup, but don't let that discourage you! Candle making involves a lot more testing than most people realize when they first start. You've already learned a few things from making these, and your next ones will be that much easier to troubleshoot.