Pro Tips
Common Candle-Making Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Feb 20, 2025
Candle making is both an art and a science, requiring the right balance of materials, techniques, and patience. However, even experienced candle makers encounter common mistakes that can affect the quality, burn performance, and appearance of their candles. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your craft, this guide will help you identify and avoid some of the most frequent candle-making mistakes.
1. Choosing the Wrong Wax
The type of wax you use significantly impacts your candle’s burn time, scent throw, and overall quality. Some common mistakes include:
Using low-quality wax that contains additives or impurities.
Selecting the wrong wax for your candle type (e.g., using soft soy wax for pillar candles instead of a harder blend).
Not considering wax compatibility with fragrance oils—some waxes hold scent better than others.
How to Avoid It:
Research different wax types (soy, beeswax, coconut, paraffin, etc.) and their properties.
Choose high-quality, natural waxes for a cleaner burn.
Test how your wax interacts with fragrances before making large batches.
2. Using the Wrong Wick Size
The wick plays a crucial role in how a candle burns. A wick that is too small or too large can cause issues like tunneling, excessive soot, or uneven melting.
Common wick mistakes:
A wick that’s too small creates tunneling, where the wax doesn’t melt evenly across the surface.
A wick that’s too large causes high flames, excessive soot, and a faster burn time.
Using low-quality wicks that don’t provide a stable burn.
How to Avoid It:
Use a wick size chart to match the correct wick to your wax type and container diameter.
Test different wick sizes and materials (cotton, wood, or hemp) to find the best fit.
Trim wicks to ¼ inch before burning to prevent excessive flame height and soot.
3. Incorrect Pouring Temperature
The temperature at which you pour your wax affects how it cools, adheres to the container, and holds fragrance.
Common temperature mistakes:
Pouring wax that’s too hot can cause sinkholes, cracks, or fragrance evaporation.
Pouring wax that’s too cold can lead to air bubbles and poor adhesion to the container.
How to Avoid It:
Follow the recommended pouring temperature for your wax type (e.g., soy wax: 50-70°C / 122-158°F).
Preheat containers slightly to prevent temperature shock.
Stir wax gently before pouring to avoid introducing air bubbles.
4. Overloading with Fragrance Oil
Scent throw is one of the most important aspects of a candle, but adding too much fragrance oil can cause issues.
Common fragrance mistakes:
Exceeding the recommended fragrance load percentage (most waxes hold 6-10% fragrance oil, but adding too much can make the candle oily or cause poor burning).
Not mixing the fragrance oil at the right temperature, leading to weak scent throw.
How to Avoid It:
Check your wax’s recommended fragrance load and measure accurately.
Add fragrance oil at the correct temperature (usually 65-75°C / 149-167°F) to ensure proper binding with the wax.
Stir gently and thoroughly to distribute the scent evenly.
5. Not Allowing Candles to Cure Properly
Curing is the process of letting candles sit after being poured so the wax and fragrance bind together fully. Skipping this step leads to weak scent throw and inconsistent burning.
How to Avoid It:
Let soy wax candles cure for at least 24-48 hours, but ideally 1-2 weeks for best results.
Store curing candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Test-burn a candle after the curing period to check scent throw and burn quality.
6. Using Low-Quality or Unsuitable Containers
A beautiful candle can be ruined by a poorly chosen container.
Common container mistakes:
Using glass jars that aren’t heat-resistant, which can crack.
Choosing containers that don’t allow proper wick placement, leading to uneven burning.
Not cleaning or prepping containers before pouring wax, which affects adhesion.
How to Avoid It:
Use heat-resistant glass, ceramic, or metal containers.
Ensure the container is clean, dry, and free of dust or oils before pouring wax.
Choose a size and shape that allows for an even wax pool and balanced wick placement.
7. Rushing the Cooling Process
Candles need time to cool and set properly. Rushing this process can lead to frosting, cracks, and poor scent performance.
How to Avoid It:
Allow candles to cool at room temperature without moving them.
Avoid placing candles in the fridge or freezer to speed up the process.
Cover candles while they cool to prevent dust or air particles from settling on the wax.
8. Ignoring Burn Testing
Skipping burn tests can result in poor candle performance for customers or personal use.
How to Avoid It:
Always test one or two candles from each batch to check the burn time, scent throw, and wick performance.
Track burn time and adjust wick size or fragrance load if needed.
Record results to improve future batches and maintain consistency.
Mastering Candle Making with Confidence
Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, but with the right knowledge and techniques, you can create high-quality, professional candles every time. In my Candle Making Course, I go in-depth on how to avoid these common mistakes, ensure perfect results, and troubleshoot any issues that arise. Whether you’re making candles for fun or starting a business, my step-by-step guidance will help you master the craft with confidence.
Want to take your candle-making skills to the next level? Join my Candle-Making Course (click here) and start creating flawless candles today!
Happy candle making!
