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Snowed In and Making Soy Wax Candles

So, we haven't exactly been snowed in. But it's been brutally cold and frequently snowy here in Ohio - the perfect opportunity to make some soy wax candles for spring. Valentine's Day will be here soon, so I created 3 new scents for a sweet, romantic Valentine's (or Galentine's) Day: Chocolate Raspberry, Wild Rose, and Almond Macaron. These are now available in my Etsy shop.

Chocolate Raspberry soy wax candles for Valentine's Day
Chocolate Raspberry Candles for Valentine's Day

Making candles is a cozy pastime for a cold day. After adding a wick to each tin, I begin by heating the wax to 185 degrees, hovering over the pot and stirring gently while it warms. It's comforting, a bit like making a warm pot of soup. Once the wax reaches 185, I portion it off into a separate pitcher, then add the fragrance oils and stir for a few minutes while the scent infuses the wax and the ingredients marry together. Then the wax must cool to the perfect temperature before pouring it carefully into the tins and other containers.


Just-poured soy wax candles in containers
Just-poured soy wax candles take several hours to go from their melted state to a semi-solid, shiny white wax.

Once poured, candles must sit undisturbed for about 24 hours - and even then, they aren't quite ready to burn. The wicks must be trimmed and the tops finished one by one with a heat tool for a perfectly smooth surface. And then, the candles need to cure for 1-2 weeks before they are ready for use.


A basket full of candles in cute tins
One-day-old candles are semi-solid and curing before their first use.

Once the candles have cured, they're ready for you to burn and enjoy them! In addition to the Valentine's Day scents mentioned above, I used this most recent snowstorm to get a jump on creating some new scents, including:


  • Orange Blossom

  • Fog & Fern

  • Fresh Lime & Coconut

  • Coffee Shop

  • Spa Day

  • Clean Laundry


I'll be watching closely to see which scents are most popular with my customers this spring. The best sellers from this batch of scents will become the start of a new series of scents available year-round. What types of scents do you enjoy year-round? I value your input - please leave me a note in the comments below.


I hope you are safe and well during this arctic blast. Stay cozy!


~Stephanie

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