Welcome All You Candle Lovers and Enjoy Your Stay!
Candle Pixie > Tealight Candle Supplies
Tealight Candle Supplies
Candle making is a wonderful and fun hobby, and tealight candles are a good start because they are among the simplest ones to make. Before you begin with the adventure, though, stop to see if you got all the supplies you'll need for the ride.
1. TEALIGHT CANDLE WAX
There are many different types of wax, with many different characteristics. When making tealight candles, usually a low melt point wax is recommended. For beginners, it is best to use 127° F - 130° F melt point paraffin wax. It is a petroleum based candle wax, and one of the most popular types used in candlemaking. It is less expensive than other forms of wax, so don't feel guilty if your first candles don't turn out right. You can buy paraffin wax in chunks or powder form, and it can be already colored or in a neutral color.For making tealight candles, you can also use beeswax, because of it's low melting point. It is a bit more expensive than paraffin wax and it's quite sticky, but is burns with a beautiful glow. Beeswax Candle wax is naturally aromatic, so you needn't add fragrance. It comes in flat & honeycomb sheets, blocks, chunks and pearls. The chunks, blocks and pearls tend to come in their natural color (the sheets can be bought precolored).
2. TEALIGHT CANDLE WICK
The wick acts as a fuel pump when the candle is burning and delivers wax to the flame. It is generally made of cotton fibers that have been either twisted or braided (plaited) together. Most often, when making tealight candles, pre-tabbed tealight wicks are used but you can also use a bulk wick (a cotton core or a zinc core waxed wick is recommended). You also need a wick clip or a tab, which is a metal disc whose function is to hold the wick upright during the last couple of hours of burning. Pre-tabbed wicks come with them, but bulk wicks don't.3. TEALIGHT CANDLE CUP
You can have your tealight candles in metal cups or in plastic cups. It is common and economic to simply take cups made of aluminium, though take caution when handling them since they are very easy to bend, especially when heated by the melting wax. And in case you take a plastic cup, just be sure you're not burning these inside of something that is enclosed, like a tealight house. Burn them out in the open, where heat does not build up, so that they don't melt.4. ADDITIVES, SCENTS AND COLORS
You may also need additives. The most popular ones for tealights are Vybar 260 and stearic acid (also known as stearine or stearic powder). Vybar is used to make your wax harder and to reduce shrinkage, usually needed with beeswax. Stearine is often added to paraffin wax, to brighten its color.Candle dyes come in liquid, block or flake forms. You can use a potato peeler or kitchen knife to cut pieces from dye blocks. Be careful with liquid colors, since sometimes all you need is a small drop of it.
For a special fragrance of your new tealight candle, you can add essential oils, herbs, spices or cooking essences. The additives, colors and scents are added into a completely melted wax, and it that order, unless stated differently by the manufacturer.
Now that you've gotten all the supplies, all you need to do is start making candles - try it and you'll love it! And experience is the best thing that makes an expert.