Fabulous Candle Making For All - Certified Candler Level 1

Section 1 – Introduction to Candle Making

1.Introduction

Welcome to the Fabulous candle making course for all, my name is Tania Magdalene and I
have been teaching candle making for many years and in this course, I will share my
extensive knowledge and experience with you. I have made the mistakes through trial and
error so that you don’t have to!

2.Disclaimer

Safety precautions should be taken when making candles, the Academy of Ancient Magik is
not responsible for any injuries or fires sustained as a result of candle making, you do so at
your own risk.

3.The Interesting History of Candle Making and Being A Candler

Creating ceremonies around light has been depicted in hieroglyphics as long as 5000 years
ago, the flame of the burning oil lamp, fires and candles not only served as sources of
warmth and light but also of spiritual significance. The fires were lit to keep the darkness
away, to send prayers and invocations to the Gods that they believed in. The candle is said
to represent the 4 elements, the physical candle represents the element of Earth, the flame
of the candle represents the element of Fire, the melted wax represents the element of
water and the heat from the burning flame represents the air. It is said in Western
Christianity to represent Jesus as the light of the world.
However we use candles in our lives, we have all been part of a ceremony that uses candles
to bring light and something special to the event, whether that is birthdays, the candle given
at a baptism, the Christmas candles, the Festival of Diwali in Hinduism, or the lighting of the
7 armed Menorah candle for the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah to name a few.

The earliest use of candles is said to be from the Ancient Egyptian times, who made
rushlights by soaking reeds in melted animal fat and later used olive oil. However, the
rushlights had no wick like a true candle, instead the rolled reeds served as wick with the oil
as the burn pool.

The first dipped candles were made by the Romans from rendered animal fat called tallow.
They dipped rolled papyrus repeatedly in melted tallow or beeswax.

Early Chinese candles are said to have been moulded in paper tubes, using rolled rice paper
for the wick, and wax from an indigenous insect that was combined with seeds. In fact the
Chinese method of candle making today still starts with a rolled paper wick and uses two
scale insects that produce the wax: Ceroplastes ceriferus, common in China and India, and
the related Ericerus pela, found in China and Japan. These insects deposit their secretions
on the branches of certain species of Ligustrum (privet) tree. The insects and their
secretions are harvested and boiled with water to extract the raw wax.

In Japan, candles were made of wax extracted from tree nuts, while in India, candle wax
was made by boiling the fruit of the cinnamon tree.

Middle Ages
Candles were commonplace throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Candle makers (known
as candlers or chandlers) made candles from fats saved from the kitchen or sold their own
candles from within their shops, the smell was apparently horrendous. According to
Wikipedia , “The trade of the chandler is also recorded by the more picturesque name of
"smeremongere", since they oversaw the manufacture of sauces, vinegar, soap and cheese.
Tallow, fat from cows or sheep, became the standard material used in candles in Europe.
The unpleasant smell of tallow candles is due to the glycerine they contain. The smell of the
manufacturing process was so unpleasant that it was banned by in several European cities.
Beeswax was discovered to be an excellent substance for candle production without the
unpleasant odour, but remained restricted in usage for the rich and for churches and royal
events, due to their great expense. “ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_candle_making
Colonial Times

Colonial women in America discovered that boiling the greyish-green berries of bayberry
bushes produced a sweet-smelling wax that burned cleanly

In the 18th century, with the growth of the whaling industry, a new wax emerged called
spermaceti which was created by crystallizing sperm whale oil

Spermaceti is created in the spermaceti organ inside the whale's head. This organ may
contain as much as 1,900 litres (500 US gal) of spermaceti. It apparently created very good
odourless candles.

19th Century

In the 19th century there was the development of stearin wax, moulded candles and
paraffin wax. With the introduction of the light bulb in 1879, candle-making began to
decline.

The 20th Century

Candle making made a come-back in the 20th century with colours, shapes, sizes and scent becoming
popular.

Perhaps the most successful global candle brand that grew out of this boom is the Yankee
Candle, created by a young man who wanted to use up some old candles to make a present
for his mum.

Today

Today, candle-making is open to all with readily available ingredients and even complete kits
to make your own

4.Candler Terminology
As we go through your training you will hear some words that are unique to a Candler and candle-
making, you might like to print these off to keep as a reference guide. You will also never look at a
burning candle in the same way!

Glossary Of Terms for Candle Making

Burn Cycle
To burn a candle for approximately 4 hours then blow it out allowing it to cool. We use this method
to evaluate wick performance and calculate the candle’s burn time.

Burn time

The amount of time it takes for the wax in a candle to be consumed completely.

Cold throw

A term used to describe a scent and its strength before the candle is lit for the first time.

Container candle

A candle that has been created by being directly poured into a container and which will be burnt
from the container.

Cure
To age the candle whilst changes are still occurring to the molecular structure. During this time wax
will bond with the fragrance oil as well.

Double Boiler
A method used to safely melt wax by placing another metal container or smaller pot inside a larger
pot of water.

Essential oil
An oil derived from a flower, plant, leaves or woody stem, true essential oils will evaporate if
dropped onto white paper and will not leave a mark.

Flashpoint
The temperature at which a substance can ignite, all waxes and fragrances have a flashpoint. For
wax it is the temperature it must reach before it combusts and catches fire. For fragrance is the
temperature it must reach in order to catch fire when coming in to contact with a spark or even an
open flame.

Fragrance Load
The amount of fragrance used per the amount of wax. Usually between 8 and 10% of fragrance oil is
best and most common.
Fragrance oil
A blend of usually manmade scents used to create scented oil.

Frosting
A white dusty substance that appears in soy wax candles. It is not harmful and will not effect the
burn or scent throw of your candles.

Hot throw
The scent emitted from a candle when it is burning. To evaluate the hot throw of a candle, burn it
for at least 2 hours but not more than 4 hours.

Melt point
The temperature at which a wax will start to melt and become liquid.

Melt pool
The wax that turns to liquid as a candle burns and should be the diameter of the candle after 2 hours
if burning a container candle.

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

Mushrooming
Carbon build-up on the tip of a wick after burning that looks like a little mushroom, it can occur
when you are using the wrong wick size, wax additives or even fragrance can contribute to
the ‘mushrooming effect’.
.

P
Pillar candle
A candle made in a mould and meant to be free-standing.
Pouring Temperature
The optimal temperature to pour the fragranced and/or coloured wax into the container or
mould.

Relief holes
Holes poked in candles to release air pockets that can form as wax cools to prepare for a second
pour.

Repour
The filling of any cavity left after wax has completely cooled, can be used to make the top of the
candle level.
S

Scent Load
Amount of fragrance a wax will hold; usually stated in a percentage and is around 6 – 12% of the
weight of the wax used.

Sink Holes
Crater-like holes that appear on the surface of a soy candle after it has cooled down
completely. They are caused by air bubbles or pockets that are trapped in the wax during
the cooling process.
Sweating

A sweaty looking candle surface where too much fragrance oil has been used and the wax is
literally sweating out the oil !

Tunnelling
When a wick does not burn the full diameter of the candle and leaves a ring of un-melted wax on the
sides.

'Wet spots'.

When wax The process whereby you need to use a thicker wick or a thinner wick to get a better
burn/melt pool

cools too quickly it shrinks and can pull away from the glass.

Wick
Material that delivers fuel to the flame in a candle, can be made of cotton, and wood.

Wick bar
A small metal bar used when making candles to stabilize a wick at the top of a candle

Wick clip assembly

Wick tab
A flat metal disc with a small hole in the center for a wick; holds the wick at the bottom of a candle.

Wick Up & Wick Down

The process of increasing or decreasing your wick size to get a better burn rate.

5. Your First Really Easy Way To Make A Candle

Click on the link to subscribe to our Youtube channel for more candle making
learning.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjIdesyehVF3T4jGDpqbg5Q/featured
What you will need,

A container to burn your candle in

A Wick

A Wick Sticker or something to hold the wick in place

2 scoops of wax flakes using the container you are making the candle for.

A jar or jug to melt your wax in and a pan of water to stand your jug in

Method

Collect the equipment and materials needed

Make sure your equipment is clean and that your container is suitable for burning a candle in.

Take 2 scoops of wax flakes using the candle container and place them in a jar or jug to melt them
using a pan of water to stand the jar or jug in.

Fix your wick to the centre of the candle container, trim your wick to just about ¼ inch above the top
of the container, you can finish trimming when it is dry

When the wax is melted pour at a steady pace into the container

Cover the container and leave to “prove” for 24 – 48 hours.