Your first candles project can get complicated before you even heat up the wax. Soy wax, beeswax, paraffin blends, varying melting points, and different container guidelines can make the process seem more difficult than it actually is. If you are making your first candles, you don’t need to pick the best looking wax. You just need a wax type that works for a beginner’s project, that can be measured accurately, and that is easy to see through while you follow the candle making steps.
Container candles are often a good place to start, because the wax stays contained inside the heat resistant jar. It allows you to pay closer attention to the wick, centering of the wick, pouring temperature, and cooling process. A basic container candle soy wax tends to be easier to work with than trying different types of wax. Beeswax and paraffin blends have their place in candle making, but you are more likely to be confused and have a hard time understanding the cause of a bad finish, bad scent, air bubbles, or a bumpy texture, if you start off with different wax types. One wax, one type of container and one wick size helps keep the learning curve simple.
Look at what type of candles you are making before you buy any candle wax. Container candle wax may not be the same type of wax used for molded candles, and the same wax that works beautifully for molds, will not work the same when used in jars. This is a big mistake for new candle makers, who often just see a picture on the bag of wax and buy wax flakes. Always read the product label and look for what the wax is designed to be used in. If your first project is a jar candle, choose wax that specifically states for use as container candle wax.
Another thing to know is temperature. You are going to need a thermometer. Different waxes melt, heat and pour at different temperatures and you can’t tell by looking how the wax is heating up, how much it might smell like and how hot you need to pour it. Wax can look melted but it may still be hot enough to burn the fragrance oil, or it could be hotter than necessary for the pour you want. You can also waste a whole batch because you didn’t know the wax was cooling before you were able to pour. Have all the equipment ready, before you begin heating wax. This includes the melting jar or pitcher, a stirring utensil, the wick holder, a heat proof jar, and a heat proof surface on which to put everything.
Another thing to note is that the fragrance also has an impact on your wax choice. You are much more likely to go wrong, not because you have a “bad” wax, but because you have added more fragrance oil than the wax can handle. The wax label may list a recommended amount of fragrance oil to add. If you stay within that amount of fragrance oil, you are more likely to end up with a well set candle. Use a digital scale and weigh your fragrance oil, do not estimate. Your first project needs to be more about learning and less about smelling like something. You need precision when you pour wax, you need to stir slowly, and take notes.
An important exercise is to make just a simple first candle without adding in any color chips or dye or anything. Just take a wax measurement, note down your wick, pour temperature, and record how the candle looks once the top has cooled. You should see if you notice any wet spots, sink holes, air bubbles or a wick that has moved away from the center. The first candle tells you more than just a bunch of descriptions you may read, because this first candle is the one that will actually give you the results you want to see with your waxes, the way you are using them for your own particular jar, and within your own home environment.
The best way to choose a first candle making wax is to not make too much of it. You should choose a wax that you think will work for the type of candle you want to make, use a heat proof container, make your first recipe easy and don’t add in too many different items all at once. When you see how the surface turns out, how the wick sits and how much fragrance the candle holds, it will give you more information about what you need to do next time. These are better guides to making better candles than just trying to find the best wax to start with.