If you’re interested in making candles and want to learn more about coloring candles, then you’ve come to the right place.
There are several ways you can color your candles, and we are going to discuss them today.
We’re also going to tell you what ways you should avoid, even though they’ve recently become popular (don’t use crayons!).
With that said, it’s time to learn how to color candle wax!
The First Big No – Using Crayons
It seems like there is a trend for using crayons to color candles. It makes sense, it’s affordable, most people will have some lying around, and crayons are made of wax. Easy solution, right?
Wrong.
The type of coloring that is used in crayons, and the coloring that is used to traditionally color candles, are very different.
The type of coloring used to make crayons is derived from powder insoluble oxides, along with pigments. These work great in crayons! However, they are not compatible with candles, because they can, and will, clog the candlewick.
If the candle wick is clogged, then your candle either will not burn or will not burn properly. You might find that the candle keeps going out after a minute, and it’s impossible to get the wick to burn.
More than that, if you are working with scents, the scent is greatly impacted and altered when you add crayons to the mix.
That means you cannot get a precise scent, which is a nightmare for those who spend ages getting their candles ‘just right’.
Another negative about crayons is that they are made out of paraffin wax. Technically, it’s fine to make candles out of this type of wax, but it contains a carcinogen, which makes it very undesirable to use.
Plus, it is incredibly fast burning, meaning you’ll go through your candle in no time.
While crayons using crayons to color candles might seem like a savvy idea, it’s definitely one to avoid. Be sure not to color any candles with crayons.
The Second Big No – Food Coloring
This might seem like a good idea, but do not color your candles with food coloring.
Food coloring, as you can imagine, is food safe. It means you can use it in most cooking and baking activities.
You can also purchase it in a range of forms, such as gel, liquid, and ultra-concentrated. It’s incredibly great for coloring food products, but it is not suitable for coloring candles.
This is because the food coloring will not blend, or bind into the candle wax. Food coloring is full of additives, from corn syrup, alcohol, citric acid, to glycine – all of which cannot blend into the wax.
Even if you tried to, which many people have, it is a futile task. Most people end up with the food coloring at the bottom of the candle or discover it clumping.
Keep your food coloring for your next best bake, it’s definitely not going to be useful around here!
The Third Big No – Mica Powder
So many people love mica powder, including us, and for a very great reason. It’s a fantastic powder, perfect for cosmetic use. You can use it to create lip glosses, lip balms, bath bombs, and even soap!
We tried using mica powder a few times and had some mixed results. We concluded that if you want to make candles, then mica powder is not suitable.
However, if you want to make wax melts, then you can get away with using mica powder.
Basically, when you use mica powder as coloring in candles, it ends up clogging the wick. This is because the mica powder is too dense, it becomes incompatible.
The color itself is not bad, but the outcome is not good. A couple of times the flame heavily flickered, and we do not want to promote anything which could be unsafe to our readers.
However, with the wax melts, there wasn’t a problem. We concluded that this was because a wax melt contains no wick. The color looks pretty good here too.
So, if you want to color candles, you cannot use mica powder. If you want to color wax melts, you can, probably, get away with using mica powder.
The Essentials To Candle Coloring
Now that we have discussed all the ways you should not color candles, let’s discover how you can, and should, color candles.
So there are three different methods that you can use to color your candles, but they all are within a similar theme: they are dyes specifically for candles.
If you’re unsure what a candle dye is, it’s pretty much what it says on the tin. It’s made of synthetic chemicals which have been formulated to work coherently with candle wax.
Candle dyes are usually made out of anilines, which is an oily chemical substrate. These nifty dyes are exactly what you should be using because they were designed to behave in such a way that is not only compatible with but can thrive in candle wax.
You can get a range of different types of candle dyes. Today we will be discussing block, chip, and liquid form.
Candle Dyes: Blocks
As you can imagine, this type of candle dye comes in the form of a block.
Block candle dyes are non-toxic, skin-safe, as well as animal-friendly. They also do not stain clothes, which is a huge plus.
You can buy block candle dyes in a wide range of colors and shades, so there’s a huge variety to choose from.
How to Color a Candle With Block Candle Dyes
1. To prepare, you get your candle blocks ready. You are going to need to use 0.02 – 0.06 ounces, per 1 pound of candle wax.
2. Next, you need to prepare your candle wax, selecting the measurement suitable for your candle creation.
3. Either place the candle wax inside a double boiler or a glass mixing bowl.
4. Pop boiled water into a pan, around 3-5 inches of water.
5. Place the double boiler, with the candle wax, inside the pan.
6. You can now apply heat. The temperature will depend on the type of wax you are using, so make sure to check your wax’s instructions. Generally, the temperature should be raised to 180 degrees. Apply heat until everything is melted.
7. When the wax is melted, take it off heat.
8. Add your color candle block and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Do not let the wax drop past 140 °F, otherwise, it will not mix, or bind.
9. When it comes to pouring, you also need to ensure the wax is at a temperature of around 140 °F, to avoid burns. Add your wick to the center of your desired container, so it is prepared. Once at the desired temperature, pour the wax into your desired container.
10. Wait until the wax is completely solid, which usually takes a couple of hours. Ideally, wait 24 hours to completely ensure the wax has solidified. Then, trim the wick and enjoy your candle!
Pros:
- An incredible variety of colors and shades – you can purchase your ideal colors
- Fairly affordable
Cons:
- Not as great for making small batches of candles (less than 1 pound (0.45 kg) a batch) – trickier to get the right color due to the ratios required
Candle Dyes: Chips
When it comes to candle dye chips, these can be pretty nifty, because they generally produce very consistent results.
They can also produce highly pigmented colors, so are perfect for any bold candles you might want to make. Most chips are skin-safe, non-toxic, and cruelty-free, so they’re a great choice for safety and ethical concerns.
How to Color a Candle With Candle Dye Chips
1. First, prepare your color candle chips. You will want to use .02 to.06 per every pound of wax. The higher the amount, the more vivid the color.
2. Then, you need to prepare your candle wax, selecting the measurement suitable for your candle creation.
3. Either place the candle wax inside a double boiler or a glass mixing bowl.
4. Pop boiled water into a pan, around 3-5 inches of water.
5. Place the double boiler, with the candle wax, inside the pan.
6. You can now apply heat. The temperature will depend on the type of wax you are using, so make sure to check your wax’s instructions. Generally, the temperature should be raised to 180 degrees. Apply heat until everything is melted.
7. Lower the temperature to the range of 160 °F – 180 °F. Add your candle dye chips and mix them into the wax.
8. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes.
9. When it comes to pouring, you also need to ensure the wax is at a temperature of around 140 °F, to avoid burns. Add your wick to the center of your desired container, so it is prepared. Once at the desired temperature, pour the wax into your desired container.
10. Wait until the wax is completely solid, which usually takes a couple of hours. Ideally, wait 24 hours to completely ensure the wax has solidified. Then, trim the wick and enjoy your candle!
Pros:
- Candle dye chips melt easily with candle wax – quicker and reliable colors
- Less chance of spills and strains
- Very affordable for making small batches
Cons:
- It may not be ideal for making big batches – requires a fair amount of candle color chips
How to Color a Candle With Liquid Candle Dyes
1. First, you need to prepare your candle wax, selecting the measurement suitable for your candle creation.
3. Either place the candle wax inside a double boiler or a glass mixing bowl.
4. Pop boiled water into a pan, around 3-5 inches of water.
5. Place the double boiler, with the candle wax, inside the pan.
6. You can now apply heat. The temperature will depend on the type of wax you are using, so make sure to check your wax’s instructions. Generally, the temperature should be raised to 180 degrees. Apply heat until everything is melted.
7. Lower the temperature to the range of 150 °F – 170 °F. Here, you can begin to add your liquid dye. Add between 4 and 8 drops, per 1 pound of wax. The more vivid you want the color, the more drops that are used.
8. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes.
9. When it comes to pouring, you also need to ensure the wax is at a temperature of around 140 °F, to avoid burns. Add your wick to the center of your desired container, so it is prepared. Once at the desired temperature, pour the wax into your desired container.
10. Wait until the wax is completely solid, which usually takes a couple of hours. Ideally, wait 24 hours to completely ensure the wax has solidified. Then, trim the wick and enjoy your candle!
Pros:
- Very easy to create bold and vivid colors!
- You only need a small amount – great for making big batches of candles
- You can mix colors easily – great if you only have primary colors
Cons:
- Incredibly messy and staining – you need to invest in a good pair of gloves and cover the surface to avoid stains
Summary
Okay, that’s all you need to know about adding color to candle wax! We hope you have found our article useful and informative, we love making candles, and adding colors is the most exciting part.
We’ve explained what not to do in detail, and explain what you should do, so you can make the candles of your dreams! Our top overall method is liquid candle dye, due to the fact that it creates vivid colors.
However, it’s incredibly messy, so if you’re new to candle-making, try blocks, or chips to start with.
The blocks and chips also produce great results, but when it comes down to it, liquid color dye wins the race!
Whether you want pastels, vivid or bold colors, rest assured with our guidelines, you can create the perfect candles!
