Lavender Rose Travel Candles ~ DIY

i woke to the stillness of the morning
the sun barely cresting the horizon
its gentle light stretching through my window
like a sleepy yawn
both of us reaching toward the other

if you’re drawn to the beauty & meditative properties of candlelight and like the idea of packing a little comfort with you on the road, today’s feature is for you!

some advantages to making your own candles 

• using clean burning wax ~ soy wax (derived from soybeans) is a cleaner burning option than traditional paraffin wax which is derived from petroleum oil and produces harmful by-products when burned or melted; burning soy wax reduces the pollutants in your home – and your lungs!
• essential oils over synthetic fragrance ~ many (most) commercial candles are enhanced with synthetic fragrances that can be noxious (and migraine triggers); making your own candles allows you to use plant derived essential oils that are free of toxins, gentler on the system and an excellent way to capture the signature fragrance of botanicals; these same essential oil aromas can support our psychological and physiological wellbeing when harmonized with our particular response system.
• customizing the candle to your preferences ~  making your own candles means limitless customization possibilities both in terms of aroma and embellishments so gather up your favorites and have fun experimenting with different combinations of florals/fruit/grasses & woodsy herbs ~ i recently spotted crystals used as decorative toppers intermingled with florals ~ really cute
• affordability ~ purchasing a  quality 4 oz travel candle will generally start somewhere in the range $14 – you will quickly recapture your initial investment in materials to make your own and your unit cost will be significantly lower
• using your hands ~ another element that i love about making things that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough is the benefit of stepping out of our minds and activating our senses through the use of our hands ~ a bit like the ritual of tea making or washing dishes for that matter ~ the candle making process offers us an opportunity to be more fully in our bodies — not only at the melting and pouring stage (also fun) but also the picking and drying of herbs and flowers and arranging them in a unique design that serves as an imprint of the moment it was made.

what you’ll need 

• clean burning wax (i’m using soy wax shavings, beeswax is another clean burning option)
• 4 oz (113 g) capacity containers with lids – i recommend tin which is lighter for travel (i purchased mine on Amazon)
• candle making supplies kit – some of these kits also include the wax so you can look into that option and decide purchase preferences — i highly recommend the kit because all of the tools are useful including: the melting and pouring pot with metal spoon (you don’t want to be using one of your kitchen pots for this and then pouring leftover melted wax down the sink – yikes – a small designated pot for wax is the way to go), candle wicks, wick stickers (to hold the wick in place as you pour), and a wick holder.
• essential oils — i’m using essential oils of rose geranium (floral) and lavender (floral) in this candle with a touch of clary sage (herbaceous) this combination manages to be both both uplifting (hopeful, sweet and warm) and calming/grounding ~ of course you can choose whatever fragrance/s you like.  If you would like to work with rose, I recommend using rose geranium for both its fragrance (very reminiscent of classic rose on the nose) and affordability.
• dried flowers/herbs — it’s important to use dried flowers/herbs to avoid attracting mold from moisture — for this recipe, i’m using dried rose petals + buds and lavender flower which are both in bloom right now — i let them air dry, you could also use a dehydrator or purchase dried flowers.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Lavender Rose Travel Candles (DIY)

 

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An uplifting and restorative travel candle made from clean-burning wax and infused with essential oils of lavender and rose.

Author: kelly

Recipe type: diy

Serves: Makes 1 x 4 oz (113 g) candle

Ingredients

• FOR EACH 4 oz (113 g) CANDLE you will need:
  
  
• wax
• 2.8 oz (76 g) solid soy wax shaving for melting
  
  
• flowers: *please note* it's important that the flowers be fully dry before using to avoid attracting mold from moisture
• 3 or 4 dried rose petals (torn into smaller pieces as suitable) + 1 or 2 small dried rose buds
• small pinch dried lavender flowers
  
  
• essential oils: *please note* for a more subtle fragrance, use less essential oil and vice versa
• 1 tsp (4.9 mL) rose geranium essential oil
• ½ tsp (2.4 mL) lavender essential oil
• ¼ tsp (1.2 mL) clary sage essential oil (optional)
  
  
  
• 4 oz tin container + 1 wick (equipment listed in detail in body of post)

Instructions

1. clean and fully dry tin container/s
2. place 1 wick in the bottom center of the tin affixing it with a sticker (see photo)
3. place the wick holder across tin with the wick stem in the center circle slot position, this holds it in place while the warm wax is poured in (see photo)
4. make sure the tin is now in a location where it can sit undisturbed for the drying period.
5. weigh solid wax (i usually make 3 x 4 oz at a time but you can make as few or many as you wish using the amount needed for each)
6. transfer wax shavings to the metal pot and heat pot at lowest temperature on stovetop just until wax is fully melted using metal spoon to assist (do not overheat).
7. remove pot from heat and wait 1 minute before adding essential oils to the pot.
8. stir liquid wax and essential oils together
9. gently and carefully pour the melted fragranced wax into the tin container leaving some empty space towards the top.
10. wait about 20 minutes just until you start to see the sides of the wax adhering (whitening) around the edges ever so slightly otherwise whatever florals etc you place on top will likely sink (If you wait too long the florals won't stick).
11. gently place petal pieces and buds here and there along candle edges (ideally not on top of the wick :) - you can use tweezers for this if you like - sprinkle lavender flowers on top. Don't worry too much about the placement, part of the charm of a homemade candle is the haphazard look.
12. allow the candle to sit undisturbed for 24 hours before carefully removing the wick from the wick holder
13. place the lid back on the candle allowing the candle to rest for another day or two (curing time) in a cool dark spot (out of direct sunlight).
14. trim the wick down to about ¼" before lighting or offering as gift ♡ enjoy!

3.5.3251

blessings to all the luminaries in our lives ~ earthside and beyond ~ those who have birthed us and those who have mothered us in other ways