Learn How to Make Gel Candles

Learning how to make gel candles is real easy. So easy in fact that in the minute it takes to read this article you will literally know how to make gel candles. But why gel? Because you can do some amazing things with gel that you can't do with wax. First of all gel is clear which is amazing enough. And you can suspend things in gel candles. Things like decoration. Things like marbles, coins, beads, glitter, beautiful stones or what ever decorations you want and because the gel is clear these things are visible.

Are you sold on gel candles now? Good you should be. So how do we make gel candles? If you know how to make wax candles you know how to make gel candles because it's basically the same with only some slight differences which we will cover.

Like all candles gel is made up mostly of oil. Gel candles are almost all mineral oil with a little bit of resin powder added. The combining of these will produce the solid gel. To make candles the gel is heated up to its melting point as are wax candles. But gel is heated slightly higher to about 200 degrees F and it doesn't really liquefy like wax does rather it becomes a thick syrupy substance which is a little more difficult to work with and a little harder to pour then the liquid wax. Gel needs to be carefully poured down the side of the candle container so as not to make bubbles in the candle (remember they will be visible) unless you want bubbles they are kind of decorative.

Candle wax is usually melted with a double boiler when making candles. A multi-cooker is used for gel. This is made of metal with a non-stick coating. It has a temperature dial that you set but you should still use a thermometer to verify the gel has been heated to the proper temperature. Gel can catch fire so you will need a chemical fire extinguisher.

Melting candle wax is usually stirred with a long wooden spoon or paint stick but this can cause bubbles in gel so hard plastic or metal is used for stirring.

When the gel is heated to the proper temperature, which I said above is "about" 200 degrees. This can vary with gel so to make sure you need to contact the manufacturer. You add coloring and scent when it is fully heated if you want these things. For gel you will want to use liquid candle dyes because they will allow the gel to remain clear. And only a tiny amount is needed. There is a wide variety of scents to choose from just pick the one you like.

You make sure your wick is centered before you pour your gel into your candle container and give it a few hours to cool and that's it. I said you would know how to make gel candles when you finished this article.