Are you a seasoned candle maker and would like to begin selling your handmade candles? If the answer is yes, but you don’t know where or how to start selling, worry no longer our candle making expert is here to help!

Note: In this blog I will let you know the necessary steps it will take to begin selling your candle, not what you need to do in order to launch your candle business.

Before I go over all the necessary steps it will take to begin selling your candles I'd like you to ask yourself one important question? Are your candles ready to sell?

Meaning have you made at least 83 candles and have done the necessary tests for your candles to be sustainable to safely burn in other peoples homes. If you believe your candles are ready to sell, let's get started!

Find a reliable Supplier

When you first begin crafting candles it’s easy to get your supplies offline from different sources as well as from store fronts depending on what you need for your at home projects. Now that you are taking the next step, to begin profiting of your candles you will need a candle supplier that will be reliable and carry all the necessary supplies you will need for your candles. This is Important because once you begin selling your candles you will notice what products your customers like and will consistently be coming back for and you will need those specific products previously used.

Where do you want to sell your candles?

There are many ways to sell your candles, you can sell your homemade candles almost anywhere from online sites, your very own online store, via apps on your phone, becoming a vendor at your local crafts markets/fairs, on Instagram or by even setting up a Facebook shop. Homemade candles are very popular and travel well so it is easy to sell them both on and offline.

Get a sellers permit

Depending on where you live and the different rules regarding selling homemade products you may need to follow legal steps to ensure you will be safe to sell as well as if your candles are eligible to sell in certain spaces.

To obtain a sellers permit in California please headover to Obtaining a Seller's Permit (ca.gov) to learn more.

Market your Products

In recent years there has been an influx in the candle making industry, so when it comes to selling your candles you will have many competitors; it is crucial that you come up with marketing strategies to optimize the candle making sellers market. Many candle sellers and both small and large candle businesses take advantage of social media outlets to promote and market their candles.

Begin selling your products!

Important Notes:  When you are selling your candles it is also important to know your target audience because who you are selling to is who you also need to target your marketing toward. It is also important to know that you will need to establish a brand for yourself meaning a name and niche, who are you and why should people buy your candles?

Are you new to candle making?  Do you want to learn everything candle-making from what supplies to use & what candle containers to buy?

If the answer is yes, you are in the right place! When you first begin candle making it can be nerve racking and overwhelming as you research the best products for candle-making projects but here at General Wax & Candle Co. We make shopping for your candle-making supplies a bit easier as we carry a variety of products that will fulfill your candle making needs.

To begin I'd like to start by telling you that when you first begin crafting your candles it’s more than ok to ask questions and it’s important that you do so in order to ensure you're not only crafting safely but in the best way possible! It’s also important that you know there are many waxes, wicks, fragrances and candle vessels out there for you to use but here I'll tell you what products are best to use when you first begin making candles.

1. G1 Superior 100% Soy Wax: Start by first choosing your wax, we recommend that a good reliable and natural wax for beginners is our G1 Superior Soy wax. Soy wax is a very good wax not only because it is a natural product but because of its clean burn and great adhesion to glass containers.

2.  Fragrance Oils: Here at General Wax & Candle Co. We carry a variety of different high quality fragrances that are GMO free. Both of our regular and ultra fragrances are great for beginners.

3. A standard Melting pitcher and Pot: are used for double boiling.

4. Monticiano Clear Glass Container is the perfect starter candle jar for new candle makers

5. 105 HTP Wick: Our 105 HTP is a great standard high quality wick to begin with when using our Moticiano 9.5oz candle vessels.

6. Glue Dots: Highly adhesive Glue Dots are the easiest way to keep your wicks perfectly centered in your jars.

7. Wick Bars: Our wooden wick bars are great for candle-making as they will help center the wick while you pour the wax.

8. Thermometer: A thermometer is an essential tool for candle making, as wax is very temperature-sensitive.

How to make tea light candles: Tealight candles are the perfect candles for any occasion! They are also great candles to create for beginner candle makers to slowly step out of their candle-making comfort zone. Tealight candles are easy to create, and take well to fragrances as well as dyes.

Check out our previous blog “The Basic Supplies For Making Tealight Candles”  to learn about what exact products you will need for this project.

Step 1: Weigh and Melt  Wax

To begin, place your Melting pot on your scale then tare the weight of the melting pot. By doing so you will eliminate the weight of the pot, this is important because once you weigh out your wax you will only want the weight of your wax. Then weigh 1Ib of wax (100% Soy Wax or Soy and Paraffin blended wax) using a double boiler or hot plate heat your wax to approximately 185F if on stove top keep heat on low.

Step 2: Prep Your Candle tealight cups

While your wax is melting, prepare your tealight cups; attach a glue dot to the bottom of your pre-tabbed wicks. Place a wick in the center of each of your tealight cups.

 Step 3: Add Dye and Stir

Once your wax is fully melted add 1 to 2 drops of liquid dye of your choice, if you are using dye blocks/chips use only ¼ - ½ of a dye block and 1 chip per pound of wax being used. Then begin to gently stir your dye into your wax until your dye is fully blended into your wax.

Step 4: Add fragrance oil and Stir

Remove wax from the double boiler then add the fragrance oil of your choice. Add 1oz per pound of wax you are using and stir gently.

Step 5: Pour you wax into tealight cups

The final step to crafting your tealight candles is to pour. Once your wax has cooled to at least 135F it is safe to pour your wax into your tealight cups. Pour carefully and slowly making sure that your wicks are sticking straight up through the middle. After pouring, give your candles at least 24hrs to set.

If you’ve been crafting candles for a while now and think it’s time for you to step out of your comfort zone and want to try something new, Votive candles are a great direction to head in as they are easy to customize and can create the perfect ambiance for any setting or event.

Our candle making expert will go over the basic supplies of what you need to get started!

1. Required Items

• An inexpensive double boiler setup that prevents the wax from reaching dangerously high temperatures.

Wax melting kit, this includes a Melting Pot, thermometer and stir sticks.

• Use a wax specifically designed for votives and container candles.

Our 128 house Wax is our own special in-house wax that is blended primarily for jar container candles, votive candles and taper candles. When making votive candles using 128 House blend, it is necessary to add 1% Vybar 260. This will help harden and shrink the wax, making it more opaque and easier to remove from the mold. While also creating an overall smoother finish for your candle.

Our Regular 130 Candle Wax is excellent for making votive candles and glass container candles. This wax may require additives.

•      Votive Metal Candle Molds

Here at General Wax & Candle Co. We carry 2″ Votive Metal candle molds in a pack of 6 or in singles. Both seamless with no wick holes, they hold up to 0.12 lb. (2 oz.) of wax.

•    Wicks

 Pre-tabbed wicks that are specifically used for Votive candle making.

Cotton-core wicks usually perform very well with Votive candles.

Here at General wax & Candle Co. We care wicks specifically for Votive candle making which are Pre-tabbed.

If you plan on using the molds listed above we suggest using Pre-tabbed votive wick, or 34-34 cotton core waxed (“E” wick).

       2. Recommended

Additives :

Vybar 260 or 130 depending on which wax you use.

Colored Dye Chips/Blocks or liquids:

Dozens of colors to choose from! Take a look at our blog post about Dyes to learn more!

Fragrance:

Recommended usage is 1/4 – 1 ounce of scent per pound of wax.

        3. Average Startup Cost

Approximately $40 - $50 depending on how many holders you will purchase and how much wax you will need.

If you plan on ordering online you will also have to add shipping cost.

Supplies available on

Everything candle makers need to know about Dyes

Are you new to candle making and need to know which wicks will work best for you candles? If the answer is yes, you’re in the right place here’s everything you need to know about wicks from our candle making expert!

      1. What type of wick should I use?

Here at General Wax & Co. We carry three different types of wicks all of which can be used for candle making. When you are choosing wicks it is important that you choose the wicks that will properly burn with the wax you will be crafting with.

   2. What kind of candle are you creating?

 It’s important to understand that whichever wick you choose to craft with that your wick should be compatible with the type of wax you will be crafting with. It is also important to note  that your wick will also need to be compatible with the type of candle vessel you will be crafting with. Once you’ve chosen the type of candle you will be making and the vessel it will be in you could now narrow down the wax that would be best for your project.

    3. Choose your wick: Wick Types

It’s important before choosing your wick that you measure the vessel whether you are using a mold or a container for your candle. You will need to find the diameter of your vessel to ensure you pick the right wick that will burn your candle properly.

Diameter is the distance from one end of the circle to the other, straight across. For some candle makers you may need to choose if you need to use one wick or multiple wicks.

 For larger candle vessels you may need two or even three wicks for your candle to burn properly. Larger containers, which can be anything larger than 3-inches, typically benefit from multiple wicks in the candle.

4. Craft your candle

After choosing your wax and wicks you can now begin crafting your candle. Keep in mind it is important to test out many wicks as well as waxes to craft a candle to your liking. It is also important after you’ve crafted your candle to do a burn test to ensure your candles will burn properly.

For more information on how to properly craft and candle please visit our previous blogs as well as visit our IGTV on Instagrams for further guidance.

Here at General Wax & Candle Co. We carry four different types of candle dyes, all of which can be used for your candle making projects. Before you begin working with dyes It’s is important to choose the correct dye for your project. To learn more about different dye types in which we carry read our previous blog Everything candle makers need to know about Dyes.

To Begin crafting with dyes it is important to note that different dyes will appear differently in different waxes for instance, Soy and Soy wax blends will take on a lighter tone and may create a more pastel colored candle; therefore you may need to add more dye to your candle wax.

When using dyes in paraffin waxes the dyes usually create more vibrant colors, so it’s important to test your dyes depending on what wax you will be crafting with.

1.       Begin Crafting your candle with Dye

First, add your wax to your double boiler, as your wax begins to melt it is important to keep a close eye on the temperature. Check on your wax periodically and keep stir, the goal is to have your wax smooth and a clear liquid before you add any dye.

2.       Add Your Candle Dye

Check the temperature of your wax, once it has hit 185 Fahrenheit depending on if you are using dye chips you’d need to carefully use a knife to shave pieces of the block into the melted wax and stir well. Stir well but not vigorously as this will cause air bubbles. Keep stirring until the liquid appears to be uniform in color then remove from the double boiler from heat.

If you are using liquid dyes you may repeat the same steps but to begin only add 1 to 2 drops of liquid dye, stir well and then adjust the color as needed.

Candle Dye Chips/Blocks

• To start, use only ¼ - ½ of a dye block and 1 chip per pound of wax being
• Take one block or one chip and shave it down into your wax for an easier melt, if the color is too light add more dye to your

Liquid Candle Dye

• To start, use only 1- 2 drops of liquid dye per pound of wax being
• Stir the liquid dye thoroughly in your wax, and adjust color as needed but be sure not to add too much liquid dye as it may affect the way your candle will burn. Note that if you are crafting non-fragranced candles or wax melts, add the dye when the wax gets up to your pouring temperature (your pouring temperature depends on the wax you are crafting )

We recommend you always test out trying new colors or even mixing colors to your liking, but be sure to take note on which dyes and how much of each dye you are using when creating for future use.