I love finding new and practical ways to use the herbs from my garden – especially ways that I can use for gifts or enhancing my home. Candles are one of those do-it-yourself crafts that fit the bill. Over the years, I’ve figured exactly which are the best herbs for making scented candles to fill my home all-natural scents.
Many of us think of self-sufficiency as only being about food. I like to extend that concept by making things that help around the home. Candles are practical as they can be used for light in an electric outage, to contribute to your health and wellness, or just to make a room smell nice and homey.
While you can always make a candle without herbs, I think adding some lavender or rosemary to the wax is a special treat. The heat releases the scent from the herb’s oils, which not only smells nice, but can have health benefits as well. It’s also a smart way to use up extra herbs that you may have at the end of the growing season.
Candles make a wonderful homemade gift for friends and family. In addition, candles make a great value-added product that you can sell at farmer’s markets.
This article will show you the best herbs for scented candles, along with some tips for making jar or orange peel candles to get you started.
The Importance Of Scent
Scents are an important part of any candle. They make the room smell pleasant and can cover up annoying household smells. Think wet dogs on the farm, for instance.
Scents can also be used as part of aromatherapy. The smell of lavender can help you relax after a stressful day. Other scents are as good as coffee in the morning and can make you feel energized and ready to start your day.
The Best Herbs for Scented Candles
As every gardener knows, herbs all have different scents and medicinal qualities, so experiment with single herbs or blends to find out which ones you like best in your candles.
1. Rosemary
Rosemary is from the Mediterranean area of Europe and likes full sun and sandy soil. It doesn’t handle the cold too well, but thrives in a greenhouse or as a potted plant.
Rosemary has a fresh, pungent smell that wakes up a room. For a stronger scent, crush the rosemary leaves before you add them.
You can also put in a couple of whole dried sprigs in the wax to add visual interest. To do this, harvest sprigs of rosemary that are at least six inches long. Hang dry for two weeks. You can also dry in a dehydrator. Glue the sprigs to the inside of the jar under the wax line. Then, pour in your wax.
2. Thyme
Thyme is a fuss-free herb that grows in zones 4 -9. It tolerates partial shade and its low growing habit makes it ideal for rock gardens.
With a strong, herbaceous smell, thyme is known as a cleansing herb. It brings a fresh woodsy fragrance to your room. Make sure your thyme has plenty of air circulation while it is drying as it can mold easily.
3. Lavender
Lavender enjoys a sunny location in zones 5-9. It grows best in well-drained sandy soil. If, like me, you have thick clay soil, try adding some sand, or try growing lavender in raised beds or pots.
Soothing and relaxing, lavender has a reputation as a calming herb. There’s evidence that it can relieve anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and pain. Lighting a lavender candle after you come in from a hard day’s work is heavenly.
Lavender leaves are a great addition to a scented candle – but don’t forget the flowers. You can dry the blossoms before they open and then glue them to the inside of the jar before you pour the melted wax.
Harvest lavender in the early morning and hang upside down to dry for several weeks. You don’t want to use fresh leaves in your candles or they may mold.
4. Chamomile
Soothing chamomile is a staple herb for not only scented candles, but for tea, and medicinal uses as well. It grows in zones 3-9 in full sun to part shade.
It’s ideal in soothing candles where you want a more subtle scent. Blend the flowers with lavender, apple, or sage.
5. Lilac
Technically lilac isn’t an herb, but it’s so wonderful in scented candles that I’m making an exception to include it here. Lilac grows in zones 3-7 in full sun, and has the most pungent, sweet scent that always reminds me of spring.
You can always find artificially-scented lilac candles at the store, but candles made with the real thing are on a whole other level. Mix it with orange or rosemary to cut down on the sweetness.
6. Cornflower
Cornflowers have a peppery, earthy scent that I find lends itself perfectly to candles. You can grow them as an annual in just about any zone as long as they have plenty of sunshine.
While cornflower is a lovely herb for scented candles, I think it’s a particularly nice addition because it looks so pretty in or on the outside of a candle.
7. Licorice
Licorice is a lesser-known herb for scented candles, but it deserves more attention. It grows in zones 6-11 in full sun or part shade.
The root adds a touch of sweetness without being too sugary. I like to mix it with cardamom and anise for a candle that is good enough to eat.
8. Anise
Anise grows in zones 4-9 in full sun, and the lacy leaves look pretty in the garden. When it comes to harvest time, the dried seeds lend a licorice-like scent to a candle. I like to grind up the seeds and blend them into the wax.
9. Sage
Sage is a sun-lover that grows in zones 5-9. It’s one of those drought-tolerant plants that I never have to baby throughout the year. When it comes to crafts, I think sage is one of the best herbs for scented candles. That’s because you can use the whole, dried leaves as decor inside the wax, and the crushed leaves make a delicious scent on their own.
I also find that sage compliments so many different kinds of other herbs and other plants. For instance, it works well with sea salt, citrus, teak, eucalyptus, lavender, and cedar, to name a few.
10. Lemongrass
If you live in a warmer area, lemongrass is an easy-to-grow plant with a subtle lemony scent. You can mix it with coconut for a candle that brings to mind a tropical vacation.
Use Your Imagination
There are many herbs that delight our senses that may not be the first thing you think of when making scented candles. Lemon basil, pineapple sage, and apple mint come to mind. You can even experiment with flowers and plant leaves. Roses are popular, but what about tomatoes or witch hazel leaves?
You can make your herbal candles even more flavorful by adding other plants, too. You can bring a hint of the tropics by using a peel from fruits like orange, lemon or lime. Or use eucalyptus for a spicier scent.
Spices like cinnamon and cardamom are classics, while cedar, pine, and vanilla are holiday favorites that work well with a variety of herbs.
Best Wax
There are a lot of different waxes out there for candle making. You want to choose a wax that is natural – like soy wax and beeswax – that won’t emit chemicals when you burn it. You can purchase organic options or make your own beeswax if you have hives.
Paraffin wax is cheap – but dirty. Paraffin is a by-product of the oil industry. Studies have shown that it emits harmful substances such as toluene and benzene. These two chemicals have been linked to respiratory illnesses.
Best Wicks
When I first started making candles I thought any piece of yarn or string would do as my candlewick. Not so. The wick has an important job and you want it to burn clean without making smoke.
There are many types of wicks. Some wicks are a single strand and some are braided. Most wicks are round, but square wicks are popular with people who use beeswax. It’s important to size your wick for the jar you plan to use. There are a variety of online guides to help you match the wick to the jar.
DIY Mason Jar Candle
This is one of the simplest candles you can make and my preferred method. It’s a good way to incorporate the best herbs for scented candles because it lends a homey, country vibe, and when you add a ribbon or bow around the jar, it makes a delightful old fashioned gift. It also makes it easy to add in the herbs and spices.
Mason jars ideal for candlemaking because they’re heat resistant and have a wide mouth. Both the half-pint and pint jelly sizes work.
Tools and Ingredients
Mason jars
Soy candle-wax flakes or beeswax flakes
Candle wicks
Scissors
Hot glue gun or glue tabs
Metal pouring pot and saucepan or double boiler – wax can be tricky to clean so use an old pot or have a dedicated candle making pan
Herbs, spices and or essential oils
Steps for Making Jar Candles
Trim your wick so that it is a few inches taller than your jar.
Using a glue gun or tabs, fix the tapered end of the wick to the center bottom of the jar. Another trick is to tie the wick to a craft stick then place the craft stick over the jar so the wick hangs down in the center of the jar.
Add about two tablespoons of your chosen dried herb to the bottom of the jar.
Weigh your wax according to your recipe. You can also fill your jar with the flakes and use that as a guideline. Place the wax in the pouring container or top of the double boiler – not with the water. It takes approximately one pound of wax for a pint-sized mason jar.
Place water in saucepan or bottom of a double broiler. Bring the water to a simmer. Place your pouring container with the wax in the pot of warm water. Allow the wax to melt.
Don’t leave melting wax unattended! It can easily burn. Stir the wax frequently so that it melts evenly. You can use a candy thermometer to make sure the wax gets to about 170°F.
Let the wax cool for about twenty minutes. It should be about 140 before you pour it into the jar. At this stage, you can add any essential oils into the wax and stir well. Add about 1/4 teaspoon per pound of wax and stir it in well.
Pour the wax slowly and carefully, making sure the wick stays in place.
Allow the candle to settle for 24 hours before moving or using it. Lastly, trim the wick to about an inch from the wax.
If you plan to keep your candle for later use or gift-giving, cover it up to keep the scent from evaporating. This is easy if you have used a mason jar. Just put on the metal lid.
Make an Orange Bowl Candle
You can repurpose an orange peel into a candle for a fun project. Not only does this method create a uniquely-shaped candle, but it adds a hint of orange to your herbal wax filler. To make:
Cut the top third off the orange.
Use a knife to scrape out the orange pulp and the skin. Try not to puncture a hole in the rind.
Place your fruit rinds on a baking dish. You can add some dried peeling from your orange top to the orange candle.
Measure your wick following the tips above.
Follow the steps 5 -7 under making jar candles to melt your wax.
After the wax has melted, add your dried herbs.
Pour the wax slowly into the rind.
Let everything cool.
These candles are perishable so burn them within a few days.
Take Away
Candles are an easy and fun DIY project, and using herbs from your garden only makes them more special. Whether you use them as gifts or to spice up your home, growing the best herbs for scented candles will set you on the road to making a special treat.
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Ensuring your wick is trimmed to at least half an inch before each burn time is vital for the candle to produce a strong enough scent. If the wick is too long, then the flame will be too large and burn the melted wax at a faster rate – giving the scent less time to evaporate and fill a room.
To scent a candle, herb plants can be finely chopped or crushed to help release their fragrance. Some candle makers prefer to steep the chopped herbs in the hot wax for a period of time to allow the fragrance to be incorporated into the wax. The wax is then strained before making the candle.
Infuse fresh herbs in melted wax. Heat the wax to pouring temperature (180°F for most candle waxes), and add strongly scented herbs such as rosemary, lavender, or lemon verbena. Maintain this temperature for about 45 minutes, then strain the wax, which will give off a mild fragrance.
THE WAX. Great wax makes great candles. The type of wax filling the container determines how long a candle lasts and the way its scent is released. Most candles use paraffin, the most inexpensive type of wax.
If you decide that you want a clean-burning candle that will give you the strongest scent throw you can get, you might choose paraffin. If you want a wax that is clean-burning, comes from a renewable source, has a great scent throw, and burns longer, soy might be the way to go.
This is where soy reigns supreme. Paraffin wax tends to be cheaper, and burns at a much faster rate than soy wax. In comparing two candles of the same size, a paraffin candle will usually have a lifespan of 35 to 40 hours whereas a soy candle can burn for 50 to nearly 80 hours.
You probably knew that citronella is a great bug repellent, but did you know that they also do not like basil (see here)? For this reason I decided to use some basil leaves in my candles for an added tinge of basil scent (plus I am not a fan of citronella by itself.)
Beeswax candles are the healthiest choice in candles. Made from the caps of bee honeycombs, beeswax candles burn clean, are very long-burning, and give off a pleasant natural fragrance as they burn. Beeswax candles are dripless when burned properly, and release negative ions which help clean the air in a room.
Adding salt serves the same purpose as putting the candle in the freezer—it slows down the rate at which the wax melts, giving you a longer, more economical burn. When you use salt in addition to the freezing method, you're doing all that can be done to squeeze extra time out of a candle.
Beeswax is another 100% all-natural wax. One of the best candle waxes on the market, beeswax can be used to make all types of candles, including pillars, tapers, votives and containers. It is also available in beeswax sheets.
Vanilla seems to have the most pleasing scent in the world, according to the new study. Researchers tested different smells with 235 people from a variety of backgrounds, many of them from indigeneous populations who have little contact with Western culture.
For the Druid priest-healers the seven 'sacred' herbs were clover, henbane, mistletoe, monkshood, pasque-fiower, primrose and vervain. This herbal knowledge may go back further than has been thought.
Cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and tobacco are sacred to Indigenous people across North America. These herbs are used to treat many illnesses and are crucial in many ceremonies.
Avoid aromatherapy candles made of paraffin or gel, both petroleum byproducts. In all things, avoiding the fossil fuel industry when you can makes sense for living a green life. Just like if you don't have to drive a car to get to your destination, don't; if you don't have to burn a petroleum-based candle, don't.
To avoid some of the toxins found commonly in candles, make the switch to beeswax or vegetable-based wax candles. These kinds of candles are entirely non-toxic and all-natural, as long as they are 100 percent beeswax or vegetable and not a blend. You'll also want to find a candle with a cotton wick.
Some basic ways to color candles is that it can be colored using dyes or pigment, but if one wishes to have a natural color then you should choose natural products like turmeric, which has been in use traditionally for making golden colors.
Essential oils are notorious for not playing nicely with candle wax. Unlike fragrance oils, essential oils oftentimes have very low flash points which cause them to evaporate when added to hot candle wax.
As you have seen making candles at home can be more than just a hobby to occupy your free time and help you unwind; it can also be a profitable business.
Parfums contain the largest volume of essential oils, which means they take the longest to evaporate. Eau de parfums (EDPs) are next in line for lingering time, followed by eau de toilette (EDT). Eau de cologne contains the least amount of long-lasting essential oils and will therefore not last as long on the skin.
Coconut wax is popular for this reason, but also because it holds fragrance and color very well, plus has a clean burn that produces very little soot. Unfortunately, it tends to be most expensive candle wax of the bunch.
This is a critical time for your store to be merchandised with appropriate fragrances and enough inventory. July and August are key months to plan and order stock to meet this demand. Plan each segment of the season separately – Fall, Holiday, and Everyday.
Add too much fragrance: Using more fragrance oil does not always guarantee a stronger scent throw. Each wax has a recommended fragrance oil load and going beyond that limit can cause the fragrance oil to separate from the wax which could be a potential fire hazard (not to mention the ugly "gooey" spots it can create).
Mix your essential oils into the wax. For an evergreen tree scent, combine 10 drops of balsam fir needle and 5 drops of eucalyptus. For a spiced cider scent, combine 10 drops of sweet orange and 5 drops of clove bud. For a snickerdoodle scent, combine 10 drops of vanilla and 5 drops of cinnamon.
Real fir needles are mixed throughout the candle and float around entertaining you as you enjoy your candle. The smell is like no other pine or fir needle candle you have ever had! You will feel like you are walking through an evergreen forest when you burn this candle.
Pour a small amount of crushed peppermint into the bottom of the jar. Melt the soy candle wax over a double boiler or in the microwave (follow package directions). We used a large Pyrex measuring cup for easy pouring. Once the wax is melted, stir in your peppermint oil (15-20 drops).
Yes.Mixing two or even three fragrance oils together is a creative and economical way to produce new and interesting candle scents. Remember to use the correct percentage of fragrance oil according to the type of wax you're using.
If you want to make scented candles, just add some essential oil while making them. Just a few drops is all you need, although it depends on the size of the candle. There are many possibilities, but you can use the most popular options such as lavender, citruses and lemongrass.
The 'throw' or 'smelliness' of your candle depends on many factors – the type of wax you are using, the actual strength of the fragrance, the size of the jar and the size of the room and how long you have been burning it for.
Little or No Scent Throw: Scent is less than expected when candle is burning. Possible Causes: Too small amount of fragrance oil used, poor quality of fragrance oil, adding fragrance at too low or too high temperature, not letting your candles cure after pouring, type of wax used, improper wick or wick sizing issue.
Expect to use about 10-15 drops of essential oil per 1 pound of melted wax. Natural sources of scent: This covers such things as crushed or powdered plants, spices and herbs, finely ground zest, etc. Some work really well with melted wax, such as ground cinnamon, crushed lavender flowers or finely ground lemon zest.
Paraffin wax—a very inexpensive wax—is most widely used across candle brands, says Fitchl, because it can hold a high amount of fragrance and color. It also comes in various melt points, making it suitable for making many different types of candles, from containers to pillars.
Most people recommend at least 24 to 48 hours for a paraffin-based candle, and up to a week for a soy-based candle. But there are things you can do when you are actually making the candle that will help too: Make sure to add your fragrance oil at the right temperature.
Candles don't have a hard expiration date like foods do, but they certainly degrade over time. Eventually, they might become difficult to light or not burn properly. There are two main factors that determine the lifetime of a candle: what kind of wax is used and how the candle is stored.
Candles should be cured with their lids on, away from sunlight and in a space that is around room temperature. The minimum cure time can range from 3 days to several weeks. I have found that the longer they cure, the stronger the hot throw.
A candle-making business can be highly profitable. It has a low startup cost, doesn't require much equipment or technical knowledge, and you can make candles at home. Candles are also easy to promote online, lowering your marketing costs and increasing margins.
A candle-making business can be highly profitable. Not only is there a low-cost barrier to entry, but the candle-making industry is expected to reach nearly $5 billion by 2026. People love candles, and they're most likely going to continue buying candles for a long time.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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