Candlemaking is a fun activity to do with friends. Once you get the candlemaking basics, it is fairly easy to produce beautiful candles. However, candlemaking mistakes can be frustrating when your candle fails or does not turn out the way you wanted it to look.
Knowing common candle mistakes before attempting candlemaking can help save time and effort in case something goes wrong with your candle. Here are some of the most common candlemaking mistakes you need to avoid doing while candle making:
1) Not Knowing Your Scent Threshold
Never ever using too much scent for candlemaking is one of the most common candlemaking mistakes. If the fragrance oil concentration is too high, it may cause skin irritations or trigger allergies upon burning scented candles. Furthermore, people might find your candle unpleasant to smell since they are sensitive to strong fragrances or may find your candle nauseating.
2) Not Knowing the Appropriate Colour to Use for Candle Making
Knowing candle color theory can help you create beautiful candles that will look great with candle holders and lighting in addition to making better candle choices to suit different candle types, such as votives or pillars.
3) Using Blackened Beeswax When Making Candles
You must never use blackened beeswax when candlemaking because this will alter the color of your candle; the candle color will turn out darker than intended. If you are using dark-colored wax-like black, choose a lighter dye like ivory instead of choosing black dye for candle making. You can also mix two dyes together to make your desired candle color.
4) Burning a Candle for Too Long or Not Letting a candle Burn Long Enough
Your candle will look uneven and may also have a tunneling effect when you burn it longer than required. If you do not let your candle burn long enough, the candle may have soot marks caused by the incomplete burning of candle wax. In both cases, your candle’s appearance can be improved by repouring it into a candle container after allowing the candle wax to harden for some time.
5) Trimming Wicks Too Close to the Liquid Candle Wax
The wick must be trimmed before going to bed since this might cause the candle wax to drip on side tables or surfaces that are close to where you place your candle holders. You can also choose candle holders that have a wide base to avoid candle wax from dripping into the candle holder.
6) Not Waiting for Candle Wax to Cool Completely Before Pouring
The candle wax will look ugly if you pour it before or while it is still hot and has not cooled completely yet. If your candle container has a thin lip, try using a candlewick bar instead so you can easily remove the candle container when needed without damaging the candle wax at all.
7) Not Knowing The Difference Between Natural and Cosmetic Grade Fragrance Oils
Natural fragrance oils are derived from plant sources such as flowers, fruits, leaves, wood, spices, and herbs whereas cosmetic grade fragrance oils are those that have been manufactured with additives, stabilizers, and other chemicals.
8) Using Containers Made from the Wrong Type of Material
Choosing candle containers that are not intended for candle making can lead to candle disasters such as exploding candle or candle that does not burn properly and evenly.
9) Not Knowing Candle Making Safety Tips
Candlemaking safety tips will help you avoid common candlemaking mistakes such as spilling wax on your skin and clothing, getting wax stains, slipping on spilled candle wax, and burning yourself with hot candle wax during candle making.
10) Not Knowing What Appropriate Temperature to Work With
You need to use candlemaking temperature guidelines to help you avoid candle wax overflowing your container when candlemaking.
11) Not Knowing How Long You Should Burn Your Candle for
You must know how long you should burn your candle in order to get the best candle results. If you leave a candle unattended while it is burning, make sure that the candle can burn safely without causing fire or other accidents.
12) Not Knowing How Long You Should Let Your Candle Wax Harden Before Pouring
This is one of the most common candlemaking mistakes is knowing when your candle will harden. You must never pour candle wax when it has not hardened enough beforehand since this will cause problems with the candle’s appearance and may also cause cracks to form on the surface of yours. The recommended time for allowing candle wax to harden is one week.
13) Not Knowing the Ideal Candle Wicking Length for Your Wick Rod
The candle wick length must be appropriate or it may not burn properly and evenly. You can choose candle wicks that are shorter than what is recommended if you want votive candle sizes, for example.
14) Using Cheap Materials When Making Candles at Home
When making candles at home, avoid using cheap materials because they will lack the quality needed so your candle will turn out poorly made with issues such as candle wax melting excessively or candleglass cracking during burning.
15) Choosing the Wrong Container Size
A candle container that is too small cannot hold all of the melted candle wax before pouring, while a candle container that is too large wastes candle wax and requires more candlewick.
Conclusion
With the right knowledge and proper technique, you can easily make lovely candles following simple candlemaking procedures so you won’t have problems creating beautiful candles for daily use or special occasions. To learn more about candlemaking techniques and how to create great-looking candle decorations, visit our site.