How To Make A Pumpkin Pie Scented Candle?
Pumpkin scented candles are an extremely popular choice for the fall season. According to lemon8-app.com, pumpkin candles are one of the top fall candle trends that people search for every year. The warm, spicy scent of pumpkin evokes cozy feelings of autumn and is a great way to make your home smell like your favorite fall treats. Pumpkin candles can transport you back to memories of picking pumpkins, baking pies, and enjoying the changing leaves.
Making your own pumpkin pie scented candles at home is a fun DIY project that allows you to customize the fragrance and appearance. The basic steps include choosing wax and wicks, adding pumpkin pie spice oils, coloring the wax, and pouring into containers. This guide will walk through everything you need to know to make amazing homemade pumpkin candles that your family and friends will love.
Ingredients Needed
The main ingredients you’ll need to make a pumpkin pie scented candle are:
Wax – Popular options include soy wax, paraffin wax, beeswax, or a blend. Soy wax is a common choice as it’s natural and clean burning. Be sure to use wax intended for candles.
(Source)
Wick – Make sure to get wicks designed specifically for candle making as they are coated to burn slowly and evenly. Choose a wick size suited to your wax type and candle diameter.
Fragrance oil – Use a quality oil labeled for candle making, like a pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice scent. Use 1-2 oz of oil per 1 lb of wax.
(Source)
Pumpkin pie spice – Spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves can be added along with the fragrance oil to enhance the scent.
Coloring (optional) – Liquid candle dyes specifically for candle making can be used to create the perfect pumpkin color.
Choose Your Wax
There are several types of wax commonly used for candle making, each with their own properties and characteristics.
Paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum refining. It is inexpensive, burns cleanly, and can hold fragrance oils well. However, paraffin wax is not biodegradable or from a renewable source 1.
Soy wax is made from soybeans. It burns slower and cooler than paraffin wax, so the scent throw may not be as strong. Soy wax is renewable and biodegradable. It can also hold color well 2.
Beeswax is all-natural wax made by honeybees. It has a honey aroma when burning and creates brighter flames. However, beeswax is more expensive and can be challenging to work with compared to other waxes 3.
Consider the properties of each wax type when deciding which is best for your pumpkin pie candle. Soy wax or a soy-paraffin blend may allow the pumpkin pie scent to come through nicely.
Adding Fragrance
When adding fragrance to candles, you’ll want to use a pumpkin pie or spice-based fragrance oil. Standard usage rates are around 5-10% of the wax weight, but check with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Some excellent pumpkin pie candle fragrances can be found at The Flaming Candle (https://www.theflamingcandle.com/candle-fragrance-oil/fragrance-oil-a-z/vanilla-pumpkin-pie-fragrance-oil/) or Pro Candle Supply (https://www.procandlesupply.com/products/vanilla-pumpkin-pie-fragrance-oil).
As an alternative to fragrance oils, you can use a blend of essential oils like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger to naturally scent your pumpkin candle. Use more moderation with essential oils, starting with 0.5-3% of the wax weight.
Incorporating Spices
The key to getting a true pumpkin pie scent is using the right blend of spices. The classic pumpkin pie spice blend contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. You’ll want to use a teaspoon or two of pumpkin pie spice blend per pound of wax.
You can also use the individual spices themselves. A good ratio would be 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp cloves per pound of wax. Adjust to your taste preferences.
Besides ground spices, you can also incorporate essential oils like cinnamon and clove for fragrance. Add a few drops at a time until you reach the desired scent intensity.
No matter which form of spices you use, add them slowly and smell as you go. It’s easy to overdo the spices, resulting in an overpowering candle. The scent should be warm, spicy, and sweetly reminiscent of pumpkin pie.
Coloring the Candle
To achieve a rich, vibrant orange color reminiscent of pumpkins, you’ll want to use either liquid or powder candle dyes. Liquid dyes are the easiest to incorporate, requiring just a few drops to create a bold hue. Start with no more than 5-10 drops of orange candle dye per pound of wax and mix thoroughly before adding more as needed.
Powder dyes also work well, but take a bit more effort to dissolve into the wax. Use 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of orange powder dye per pound of wax. Sprinkle the powder slowly into the melted wax, stirring constantly with a whisk or spoon to fully incorporate. The more dye you use, the darker and more saturated the orange color will become. Just be careful not to overdo it or the candle may take on an unnatural looking neon hue.
Prepping the Wick
Choosing the right wick size is important for getting a good burn in container candles. As a general guideline, for container candles 4-6 inches wide you’ll want to use a medium wick around CD 10-12 size. For containers 2-3 inches wide, a smaller CD 5-7 wick works well. The wicking experts at Better Bee recommend testing different wick sizes to find the optimal flame for your wax type and candle vessel size.
To prep the wicks, first use a wicking needle or pin to poke a hole in the bottom center of each candle vessel. Thread the wick through the hole so it’s centered in the container. Pull the wick up until about 1/4 inch is exposed above the top rim. Use a drop of hot glue to secure the wick to the bottom of the container. Let the glue dry completely before pouring wax.
Having the wick perfectly centered will promote an even burn and minimize issues like tunneling. Meyer Bees sells handy ready-made wicks with a wick bar attached that makes centering and stabilizing the wick in the vessel a breeze.
Melting and Mixing
The key to properly melting wax is monitoring the temperature carefully. Heat the wax slowly over low heat until it reaches 185-200°F. Use a candy thermometer to keep track of the temperature, as wax can quickly go from a liquid state to burning if overheated. The wax should melt clear into a liquid – if it starts to discolor, your temperature is too high [1].
Once the wax is fully melted, remove it from heat. This is when you’ll add in the fragrance and spice oils that will give your candle its pumpkin pie scent. Good spice options include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove. Use .5-1 ounces of fragrance oil per pound of wax. Carefully stir to incorporate the oils, avoiding creating bubbles [2].
After adding the fragrance, you can add liquid candle dyes if you want to color your candle. Stir thoroughly to distribute the color evenly. The wax should be fully combined, with no sight oil separation.
Pouring the Candles
Proper pouring temperature is crucial for achieving the best look and burn quality in your pumpkin pie candles. According to candlescience, the ideal pouring temperature for most soy wax blends is between 135-145°F (57-63°C) [1]. Pouring wax too hot can cause issues like frosting, wet spots, and poor scent throw. On the flip side, wax that is too cool may not flow smoothly into the container or adhere properly to the wick. Use a thermometer to carefully monitor the temperature as you melt the wax.
After pouring the candles, allow them to fully harden and cure for at least 24 hours before lighting them. Curing gives the wax time to fully solidify and the fragrance oil to stabilize within the wax. Well-cured candles will have a stronger scent throw and burn more evenly. According to Haus Von Eden, patience is key – resist the urge to light the candles too soon or you may end up with issues like tunneling [2]. Let your pumpkin pie candles fully cure for the best results.
Finishings Touches
The final step is adding any decorative touches and packaging your homemade pumpkin pie candles. Here are some ideas for presenting your candles:
– Make custom labels – Print out round labels sized to fit your jars and decorate them with fall images, your candle name, ingredients, etc. Adhere the labels to the jars.
– Add twine – Cut twine into segments and tie them around the jar opening for a rustic look. Raffia ribbon also works well.
– Use leaves – Real or faux colorful fall leaves can be placed around the base of the jar for decoration.
– Package in boxes or crates – Place your candle in a vintage box, small crate or mini pumpkin for gifting. Add shredded paper, raffia or leaves as filler.
– Make a gift set – Bundle your pumpkin candle with other fall treats like cookies, tea and cider packets for a seasonal gift.
– Decorate the lid – If your jar has a metal lid, attach fall rubber stamps or punched shapes using strong glue.
– Add hang tags – Hang small tags with jute twine identifying the scent. Inspire with sayings like “Spiced Pumpkin Pie” or “Fall Cozy.”
With some simple touches, your homemade pumpkin candle makes for a warm, nostalgic fall decoration or handmade gift. The cinnamon spice filling any room with the scent of cozy pie is sure to delight.
