Homemade beeswax candles are simple to make, cozy up any space, and are made with all-natural ingredients. Made with a beautiful honey vanilla fragrance oil, these honey vanilla candles are sure to warm up any room.
I love lighting candles in the evening after a long day. It just sets the mood, too relaxing and cozy. I used to buy candles from the store until I found out what was in them.
Most conventional candles are filled with synthetic fragrances, toxin-filled waxes, and even the wicks contain chemicals. Yes, they smell nice, but not without a price.
Lighting these chemical-filled candles can reduce the air quality in your home while making your own candles, on the other hand, do just the opposite!
HONEY VANILLA CANDLE
If you love the sweet aroma of honey and the warm scent of vanilla, you are going to love these candles.
After making this honey vanilla candle recipe, I can tell you that “honey vanilla” is moving up the list as one of my favorite scent combos.
It is similar to my beeswax candle recipe in every way, except that we are using a candle fragrance oil to scent these instead of essential oils.
BEST WAX TO MAKE CANDLES
Both beeswax and soy wax can be used to make homemade candles. I most often use beeswax, but I have made soy wax candles, too. The recipe will be the same no matter which wax you choose.
Beeswax makes a hard, dense candle and lasts longer than soy wax candles. It has a higher smoke point than soy wax and burns brighter. Beeswax also gives off a more natural light with a warm tone.
Soy wax is a great option when going the vegan candle route.
Paraffin wax can be used to make candles as well. However, paraffin wax can be altered, and you will want to check the purity of the ingredients before purchasing.
HOW TO SCENT CANDLES NATURALLY?
The best part about making your own candles is scenting them. This is the fun part, and the options are endless. You can get super creative or leave them plain.
Burning pure beeswax smells good on its own, or you can add herbs, essential oils, or abstracts to scent them more.
Strong-smelling herbs such as peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, clove buds, or lavender are very common choices to scent candles with.
To do this, add the fresh herbs into the wax as you are melting it, and once the wax is melted, simply strain the herbs out.
HOMEMADE VANILLA HONEY CANDLES
This post has been updated to use fragrance oil instead of pure essential oils and honey for easier mixing. If you prefer the original recipe, you can find it in our video tutorial.
INGREDIENTS
- 16 oz of beeswax (or soy wax)
- 0.8 oz of honey vanilla fragrance oil
TOOLS
- Wax melter (or double boiler)
- Heat resistant containers (mason jars, coffee mugs, etc.)
- Candle wicks
- Candle wick centering tool (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Melt the beeswax in your wax melter or double boiler. I do prefer using a wax melter because I can simply wipe it out when I’m done. If you do use a double boiler, ensure you don’t let any of the wax go down your sink drain when cleaning!
Step 2: While the wax is melting, glue the candle wick to the bottom of your candle jar.
Step 3: Once the wax is melted, remove it from the heat to cool to around 160°F and stir in your fragrance oil.
Step 4: Allow the wax to cool to around 150°F, and then carefully pour the wax into your jar. Center the wick using a wick-centering tool, or you can wrap the end around a pencil or bamboo skewer and lay it horizontally across the top center of the jar.
Step 5: Once the wax is completely hardened, you can trim the wick, and it is ready to light. It should be about a 1/4 inch long.
NOTE: It may take 24-48 hours before your candle is completely hardened and ready to light. Make sure it fully hardens before lighting it to ensure the longest burn time.
BEESWAX CANDLES WITH ESSENTIAL OILS
As mentioned above, you can add essential oils to your honey vanilla candles if you want to. Personally, I think they smell amazing on their own!
Lavender, chamomile, jasmine, or any other floral oils do pair well with the honey vanilla aroma. I also love the scents of Siberian fir, sandalwood, and cedarwood in my candles.
These woodsy scents are especially great for making DIY Christmas candles.
If you decide to add essential oils to your candles, you will notice that you need a lot in order to smell the scent.
This is why many homemade candles are made with fragrances and not essential oils.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CANDLES SCENT STRONGER?
The main reason homemade candles don’t have a strong scent is that the herbs, oils, or fragrances are added to the wax when it is too hot.
It is important to wait until the wax is cooled down to at least 160°F degrees before adding in scent.
The second reason is that not enough herbs or oils were added. It takes a lot of essential oils and herbs to scent candles naturally.
Lastly, pay attention to where you place your candles in your home. Place them in smaller rooms and away from air vents in order to get the most out of the candles.
HOW LONG DO HOMEMADE CANDLES LAST?
Candles don’t really expire as food does. However, they can lose scent and color over time. Most candles can last about one year after opening and lighting.
Homemade candles are no different and should be good for about a year before losing scent.
The best way to test your candle is by lighting it and smelling it. If it smells off, then throw it out and make new ones.
Recipe Notes
Fragrance oil: When choosing a fragrance oil to scent your candles, look for a natural or organic fragrance so that you don’t add synthetic fragrances to your recipe.
Beeswax scent: Beeswax naturally emits a fragrance, which is quite beautiful, in my opinion. Feel free to reduce the amount of fragrance you add to your candle so you can enjoy the beeswax scent as well.
Choosing the right jar: Be sure the jar or container you use is safe for burning candles. You can make two 8-ounce candles or one 16-ounce candle using this recipe.
Easy Honey Vanilla Candle Recipe
Equipment
- Heat resistant container
Ingredients
- 1 pound of beeswax or soy wax
- 0.8 oz honey vanilla fragrance oil
Instructions
- Melt the beeswax in your wax melter or double boiler.
- While the wax is melting, glue the candle wick to the bottom of your candle jar.
- Once the wax is melted, remove it from the heat to cool to around 160°F and stir in your fragrance oil.
- Allow the wax to cool to around 150°F and then carefully pour the wax into your jar. Center the wick using a wick-centering tool, or you can wrap the end around a pencil or bamboo skewer and lay it horizontally across the top center of the jar.
- Once the wax is completely hardened, you can trim the wick, and it is ready to light. It should be about a 1/4 inch long.
Notes
More of my Favorite Candles:
- Homemade Citronella Candles
- Rosemary Mint Soy Candles
- Homemade Candle Wax Melts
- Pillar Candle Recipe
Stacey says
As a beeswax candle maker, I would never recommend adding honey and/or vanilla to your wax. I clean my wax multiple times to make sure I get all of the honey out of it before I use it to make candles with it. Having these items in your wax (and even essential oils) can cause separation of the wax, uneven burning, and clogging of the wicks which wastes your precious beeswax. I don’t add anything to my wax, except coconut oil or wax if I am trying to make a candle in a container, which beeswax doesn’t really work the best for, but I wouldn’t recommend any of these other additives as some can be flammable and some don’t burn at all. If you want a stronger scent, then I would recommend only using a fragrance oil that is designed to be used in candles. That is your safest bet.
Amber D Thompson says
So i found that if i make this and add the honey at 120° then stir continuously until fully mixed over a tiny flame then i don’t have the separation issue. However! My wick doesn’t stay lit. I’m using a cotton wick. What wicks is everyone using? I’m making mine in a tin with 6oz of wax.
Crystal Martin says
For the vanilla, does that mean vanilla extract or oleoresin?
Laura says
vanilla extract
Kay Nelson says
I have made several batches trying to figure this out, but the the honey always separates at the bottom. I cannot figure out why this happening.
Anne says
So my daughter and I made these tonight. If I let the beeswax cool to 125 degrees it was starting to harden. I waited till about 145 degrees and added the honey. The honey turned into globs. All I had in the cupboard was raw honey. Maybe that was why? So I just reheated everything but the honey then separated. Thoughts on this?
Jane hunter says
What the burn time on your honey coconut candles please
Jane says
When adding vanilla, what vanilla do you mean ?
Laura says
Vanilla abstract
Cristen says
So excited to try your recipe. Definitely inspiring me to gift for presents. I want to get the kinks worked out before I try.
When you said vanilla abstract… Do you mean vanilla extract?
Were you able to come up with a solution for the Honey at the bottom other than the layering process?
Jenne says
Hello,
I’m new to candle making, this will be my first time. Do you use all three ingredients, honey, vanilla and vanilla essential oil? How much of each scent would you use for a 8oz candle?
Thank you,
Jenne
Laura says
Yes, I use all three. The recipe is at the bottom of the post with the exact measurements.
Claudia Townsend says
The honey sunk to the bottom of my jar. How do I prevent this?
Laura says
Try allowing the ingredients to cool slightly before adding in the honey. You can remelt and try again.
Laura Nelson says
I need your help here… I have made this recipe 3 times and each time the honey is at the bottom of my jar when the candle has cooled. I constantly stir as I pour the beeswax into the jars and cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. Thank you so much for any suggestions.
Joanna says
I’m having the same issue. I thought maybe it was cooking too quickly because of the temperature in my home but I’m not sure. Did you ever find the solution to this?
The candle smells amazing, but I’d like to fix this issue before I make these again for gifts.
I’d love any tips!
Teanna says
Hi! I haven’t made this specific recipe, but last night I tried something similar and my cinnamon sunk to the bottom. So today I tried pouring it in layers and allowing it to cool between and it seems to have worked really well!.
I am doing 8 oz jars and I poured in 5 layers. Pour a bit, stick it in the fridge to harden, then pour the next layer. A bit more inconvenient since you’ll need to keep the unused wax warm until needed, but this way you’ll get multiple layers of honey even if they do sink! Hope this helps!
Andrew says
What kind of thermometer do you use to determine when the wax has cooled to 125 degrees? What kind of glue do you use to secure the wick to the bottom of the jar? What wicks are 100% cotton (natural and non-toxic)?
Laura says
I use a candy thermometer and a hot glue gun.
Kathi says
Thank you so much!
Question: Do you recommend adding coconut oil to the candles? If so, how much?
Laura says
Just a tablespoon or two, it will help tp make the candles burn a little slower.
Carline Julia says
Thank you for sharing. So informative, brilliant for the coming school hols!
Kathleen says
How many candles will this recipe make using mason jars?
Laura says
It depends on the size of the mason jar, I used a 1/2 quart mason jar and it made one.
Karen says
Great info. and tutorial. Thanks
Debbie says
What a joy reading how to make these delicious candles. Will certainly give them a go.
Melissa says
Do essential oils dry out your skin?
Laura says
I have not noticed that.