Many new candle makers often wonder how to get the best results when attempting to color their wax. While candle makers may be familiar with the process of adding different types of colorant to their wax in order to create a beautiful-looking candle, the majority of beginners struggle with when they should be adding their colorant to their wax blend. Adding colorant to your wax while it is too hot can cause the color to not consistently incorporate with the wax, while adding it to your wax when too cold can cause the colorant to not dissolve completely, leaving behind annoying dye particles.

The process of adding colorant to your candle

Adding colorant to your wax blend is a very easy and simple process, the hardest part may be cleaning up! The first thing to note would be the amount that should be added to each pound of wax, which would depend on the type of colorant being used. If you are using liquid dye, one drop of dye should be enough to color a whole pound of wax. If you are using candle dye chips, one whole chip would be enough to color one pound of wax. As for dye blocks, shaving pieces off of the block would change the shade of the color you are looking to add. On average, a dye block would be able to color 5-50 lbs. of wax per block, so use very sparingly for a lighter shade. Please note that testing should always be done in order to ensure you receive your preferred color shade. Putting a couple of drops of wax on a white piece of paper will show the current color at which your wax will cool at.

When to add your colorant

The most important thing to remember before adding your candle colorant is the state your wax must be at in order to begin adding. Your wax must be fully melted in order to fully incorporate any colorant. Depending on the wax you are using, most times the wax would have fully melted at around 175°- 185° F. You want to add your colorant during this state in order to receive the best results. Adding candle colorant while the wax is still in a solid state or when the wax is too hot will result in the colorant underperforming. Dye chips/blocks for candles melt smoothly around 160°-180° F, so it is recommended to once again test different temperatures around that range in order to find which gives you the best result. Liquid dyes can be added any time after the wax has fully melted into its liquid state, although be aware of going too low a temperature or too high.

How does fragrance oil affect the process of when colorant should be added?

One final factor that can affect the timing of when the candle colorant should be added to your wax is the addition of candle fragrance oil. Fragrance oil can affect the chemical makeup of any colorant, so it is important to know the steps to take in order to incorporate both into your wax blend. The first thing to note is that your fragrance oil should always be added first. Adding your fragrance oil after the colorant can cause major color changes and will result in the wax undergoing discoloration. In order to have a wax blend that works with both fragrance oil and colorant, you must use products that will be compatible with one another. For example, a fragrance oil with a flash point between 130°-180° can be compatible with any candle colorant due to the lesser hazard this fragrance oil will cause due to its flash point. For fragrance oils that have flash points at 130° F or lower, it would be best to use liquid dye due to the fact that liquid dye will leave less dye particles once your wax has cooled and reverted back to a solid state. It is important to always do extensive research on the products you are using in order to receive the best, and safest results for your candles.

Making your own candles is already a fun and exciting accomplishment to start, but how can you take it to the next level? Plain white candles can be often boring and dull, but adding color to your candles can spice things up, especially for the holiday season of Christmas. A color that stands out during the Christmas season is the color red. Red reminds us of the many icons we think of during Christmas which include, Red Stockings, candy canes, and of course Santa Claus!

THE PROCESS OF ADDING COLOR TO RED CANDLES

The idea of adding color to your candles may seem like a difficult task, but this process can be completed within a few easy steps. First, you must melt the wax you are using to make the candles, make sure it is completely melted before proceeding. Next, add the colorants of the specific color you are looking to make, in this case, we would be using red. Finally, pour the wax into your mold, and you’ll have yourself a beautiful colored candle!

THE BEST COLORANT TO USE

The best colorant to use in order to make your candles red would be candle dye. There are three dyes in particular that are used for coloring wax, they include, liquid candle dye, dye blocks, and food coloring. It would be your personal preference based on which colorant gives you the best look for your candle, but all three work great with wax.

HOW MUCH COLORANT SHOULD BE ADDED

If you are using liquid dye, about 1 ounce of dye should be enough color for 125 lbs. of wax. So it is safe to say that one drop should do the trick for coloring your wax red. If you are using dye blocks or dye chips, it is recommended to shave off a couple of flakes in order to have a lighter shade of red, or if you are looking for a darker shade, you may add half a block or the whole dye block to receive a darker shade of red.

WHEN SHOULD YOU ADD COLORANT TO YOUR WAX

Depending on which colorant you will be using to color your wax, you would have to add them based on the temperature. For dye blocks, the recommended temperature at which you should be adding them is 185 F. For liquid dye, you may add one drop during the melting point in order to see the best results. We always recommend testing the results first in order to know how much should be added and at what temperature point the colorant should be added in order to best fit the candle you envisioned making.

CAN FRAGRANCE BE USED WITH COLORED WAX

Now that you have made your very own red-colored candles, it may feel like something more could be added to make them even more special. Adding some fragrance oil could help elevate the creativity of your candle. It is recommended to add the fragrance oil to the melted wax before adding the colorant to your mixture. Depending on the wax, we would recommend adding 1 ounce per pound of wax to get the best results.

DO THESE STEPS APPLY TO ALL COLORS

These steps go beyond more than just red holiday candles; it applies to whatever colors your imagination is set on. You can create multi-color candles that represent a multitude of holidays. You can create a blue and pink candle to represent the new baby at a gender reveal party, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and creativity. So go on and create some beautiful Christmas-themed candles, or create whatever your imagination envisioned.