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Craft guide

Candle & soap making supplies

Homemade candles and soaps make lovely gifts and fill the house with scent. Start simple and safely with the right wax, wicks and bases.

Container candles (wax poured into a jar or tin) are the easiest place to start: you melt wax, add fragrance at the right temperature, set a wick and pour. Melt-and-pour soap is the beginner-friendly route into soap: the base has already been made, so you just melt, colour, scent and set it in a mould.

Traditional cold-process soap uses lye (sodium hydroxide), which is caustic and needs goggles, gloves and careful measuring. Most people learn melt-and-pour first.

Supplies to look for

Candle wax

Container soy wax is popular for jars and tins. Wax blends and paraffin behave differently, so follow the wax supplier's guidance on pouring temperature and fragrance load.

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Wicks

Wick size depends on the jar diameter and wax type. Suppliers usually publish sizing charts; testing a few sizes is part of the fun.

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Fragrance oils

Choose oils sold specifically for candles or soap, and check the supplier's safety data before use. Essential oils are not automatically safer.

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Jars & tins

Use containers designed for candles that can take the heat. Lids help preserve scent and make them giftable.

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Melt-and-pour soap base

Available as clear glycerine, white, goat's milk, shea and more. Melt gently in short bursts or a double boiler.

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Soap moulds

Flexible silicone moulds release bars easily. Loaf moulds let you slice bars; shaped moulds are great for guest soaps and gifts.

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Buying tips

  1. Never leave melting wax unattended, and use a thermometer so you don't overheat it.
  2. Protect your worktop with newspaper or a silicone mat; wax spills are much easier to peel off than scrub off.
  3. Let candles cure for the time your wax supplier recommends before burning, so the scent has time to develop.
  4. Trim wicks before each burn and never leave a burning candle unattended.
  5. Spritzing melt-and-pour soap with rubbing alcohol helps pop surface bubbles.

Good to know in the UK

Thinking of selling? In the UK, soap is classed as a cosmetic, so each recipe needs a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) and correct labelling before it can be sold. Scented candles and wax melts containing hazardous fragrance ingredients need CLP safety labelling, and candles should carry fire-safety warnings. Look up current guidance from the Office for Product Safety and Standards, or speak to your local Trading Standards, before selling at markets or online.

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Just starting out? Read the beginners' guide or pick a weekend project.