Can You Use Coconut Oil For A Candle?

Making candles at home has become an increasingly popular hobby and small business in recent years. The creativity and personalization of homemade candles appeals to many people. Rather than buying mass-produced candles, individuals can craft candles with their preferred scents, colors, shapes, and designs. Home candle making allows for experimentation with different wax types, wicks, jars, and candle additives like essential oils and dyes. Coconut oil, in particular, has emerged as an intriguing option for homemade candles. Its natural properties provide some advantages over common candle waxes like paraffin or soy.

This article will provide a comprehensive guide on using coconut oil to make candles at home. It will cover the basics of coconut oil candles, from preparation to troubleshooting. With the proper steps and safety precautions, coconut oil can be a fun and effective homemade candle wax.

Benefits of Using Coconut Oil for Candles

Coconut oil offers several advantages when used to make candles. First, coconut oil comes with a light, natural coconut scent that many find pleasant and relaxing. The scent is subtle enough that it won’t overpower other fragrance oils added to the candle. Coconut wax also comes from a renewable resource – the coconut palm tree – making it an eco-friendly option compared to paraffin wax which comes from non-renewable petroleum oil (https://theboutiquebutterfly.com/coconut-oil-candle-coco-features/).

Additionally, coconut oil candles burn slower and cooler than other waxes, meaning they last longer. The lower burn temperature produces less soot, reducing mess from black smoke. Coconut wax is also rigid enough to allow candles to retain a smooth surface as the wax pool melts. All these features make coconut oil an excellent choice for homemade and artisanal candle making.

How to Make Coconut Oil Candles

Making candles with coconut oil is a simple process that only requires a few materials. Here are the main steps:

First, assemble your materials:

• Coconut oil
• Candle wicks
• Candle jars or containers
• Essential oils or fragrances (optional)
• Candle dyes (optional)

Prepare the wicks by trimming them to about 1/2 an inch above the top of the container. Use wicks made from natural fibers like cotton, as they burn cleanly.

Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan or double boiler over low heat until liquified. The melting point is around 76°F. Don’t overheat the oil.

You can add essential oils or candle dyes at this point if desired. Follow recipe amounts carefully.

Pour the melted coconut oil into the candle jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace. Place the wicks in the center.

Allow the candles to cool completely before lighting. The coconut oil will solidify into a smooth wax.

Trim the wick to 1/4 inch before lighting to avoid big flames. Enjoy your homemade coconut oil candles!

Coconut Oil Candle Wicks

The wick is a crucial component of any candle. It’s responsible for drawing the wax up as it melts so the candle can burn evenly and cleanly. There are a few options when it comes to wicks for coconut oil candles:

Cotton: Cotton wicks are the most common choice. They’re inexpensive and readily available. Look for braided cotton wicks to provide the best capillary action for coconut oil. Make sure to trim the wick to 1/4″ before lighting to prevent excess smoking.

Hemp: Hemp wicks are also very absorbent and great at pulling up coconut oil as the candle burns. Since they’re natural, they produce very little soot. Hemp wicks allow coconut oil candles to burn slowly and cleanly.

Beeswax-Coated: Coating the wick in beeswax makes it more rigid and prevents clogging in coconut oil candles. The beeswax coating melts along with the coconut oil, fueling an even burn. Use wire or paper-core wicks for best results with a beeswax coating.

Testing different wicks to find the best size and material for your specific coconut oil candles is recommended. This will help provide the ideal melt pool and burn time.

Ideal Coconut Oil Types

When choosing coconut oil for candles, the main options are refined and unrefined coconut oil. Refined coconut oil goes through more processing to remove impurities and neutralize the scent and taste. Unrefined or virgin coconut oil is purer and retains more of the signature coconut aroma (Refined vs. Unrefined Coconut Oil: What’s the Difference?).

For candles, refined coconut oil is often preferred since it has a higher melt point and more neutral scent that won’t compete with any added fragrances. Unrefined coconut oil melts at 76°F whereas refined coconut oil melts at 104°F, making refined coconut oil better for warm environments (Refined vs Unrefined Coconut Oil: Comprehensive Guide). If you want an authentic coconut aroma, virgin or unrefined coconut oil can provide that.

Test both varieties to see which performs best. Those in cooler climates may be able to use unrefined coconut oil while those in warmer places may need refined coconut oil. Shop for coconut oil labeled as “refined” or “unrefined/virgin” based on your needs.

Coconut Oil Candle Jars

When selecting jars for coconut oil candles, you have a few material options including glass, metal, and ceramic. Each has their own pros and cons to consider:

Glass Jars

Glass jars allow you to easily see the candle wax and flame. They also retain heat well to fully melt the coconut oil. However, glass breaks easily if knocked over and can get very hot to the touch while the candle is lit.

Metal Jars

Metal jars like tin and aluminum are extremely durable and won’t break if knocked over. They also dissipate heat faster than glass. However, metal jars don’t allow you to see the candle wax. Tin can also develop rust over time.

Ceramic Jars

Ceramic jars have an attractive, natural look and feel. They hold heat well to melt the wax. However, they can chip, crack or break more easily than metal. The pores in unglazed ceramic can also retain old wax smell even after cleaning.

No matter the material, make sure to thoroughly clean and dry any jars before pouring in melted coconut oil to remove residue, dust, etc. Washing well with soap and water should suffice. When reusing old jars, scrubbing with baking soda can help remove wax remnants.

Adding Fragrances

One of the best parts about making coconut oil candles is being able to add your own custom fragrance blends. The most common way to scent coconut oil candles is by using essential oils. Some popular essential oils for candles include lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, sweet orange, grapefruit, lemongrass, and lime. Essential oils not only provide fragrance, but can also have aromatherapeutic benefits.

When adding essential oils, a good rule of thumb is to use 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon of essential oils per 1 cup of melted coconut oil. You’ll likely need to experiment with different amounts to achieve your desired scent strength. Start with less and add more as needed. Since essential oils are potent, a little goes a long way. Be careful not to overdo it on the essential oils or you may end up with an overpowering scent. The essentia oil aroma will get stronger as the candle burns.

You can blend two or more complementary essential oils together to create your own custom scent. Some popular scent combinations include lavender-lemon, peppermint-eucalyptus, sweet orange-lemon, and tea tree-grapefruit. Get creative and see what unique essential oil blends you can come up with!

Allow your scented coconut oil to cool completely before pouring into jars or containers. This allows the essential oils to fully incorporate into the oil. Then you’ll be ready to light your homemade scented coconut oil candle and enjoy the lovely aroma!

Coconut Oil Candle Dyes

Coconut oil comes in both solid and liquid forms which can impact how dye is incorporated. For liquid coconut oil, simply add a few drops of liquid candle dye and stir to distribute the color evenly. For solid coconut oil, it’s best to melt the oil first before adding dye. Start with just 1-2 drops of liquid dye per 1 cup of coconut oil and mix well. The dyed oil can then be poured into containers or molds.

There are a few dye options that work well with coconut oil candles:

• Liquid candle dye – A concentrated liquid dye designed specifically for candle making. Start with just a couple drops and add more as needed for your desired color intensity.
• Gel food coloring – The gel format helps the coloring distribute through the oil smoothly. Use an oil-soluble variety.
• Powdered candle dye – Can be mixed into melted coconut oil. Offers bold, vivid colors. Start with a small amount and add more as needed.

A key tip when using any dye is to add it slowly and test the color. It’s easy to add more dye but impossible to remove it! Always do a test with a small sample before coloring an entire batch of coconut oil.

For pastel or light colors, liquid candle dye is the best bet. Powdered dye works well for darker, richer shades. Whichever dye type you use, mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the color throughout the coconut oil before pouring into containers.

Troubleshooting

Coconut oil candles can sometimes develop issues like sooty smoke, wet spots, or tunneling. Here are some tips for troubleshooting common problems:

If your candle produces black, sooty smoke, it likely means the wick is too large for the wax pool. Trim the wick to be slightly shorter to prevent excess soot. According to experts, wicks that are too long will create larger flames that produce more soot (source).

Wet spots or oily spots can occur if the coconut oil did not fully solidify or melt. Try allowing extra time for the coconut oil to fully melt and incorporate any additives. Using refined coconut oil also helps prevent wet spots compared to virgin coconut oil (source).

Tunneling happens when the wax melts unevenly, creating a tunnel down the center. To prevent tunneling, make sure your wick is centered properly and trim it to an ideal height. You can also pour candles at a slightly lower temperature or try a harder wax blend (source).

Final Tips

Here are some final tips for working with coconut oil candles:

Properly curing your candles will help them burn longer and prevent issues like wet spots. Let candles cure for at least 1-2 weeks before burning to allow the coconut oil to fully solidify. Store cured candles in a cool, dry place away from direct light.

Feel free to experiment with coconut oil candle blends! You can combine coconut oil with beeswax, soy wax, paraffin, or other waxes to create custom blends. Start with a small test batch to find your ideal ratio before making larger batches. According to Virginutty, blends with at least 50% coconut oil will retain more fragrance.

Keep testing wick sizes, fragrance levels, and dye amounts to customize your perfect coconut oil candle. Vary one component at a time to understand how each ingredient impacts burn time, scent throw, and color vibrancy. Be patient through trial and error – creating great candles takes practice!