Learn how to make candle wax melts with this simple 3-ingredient recipe. These homemade wax melts can really cozy up the home during the fall and winter months.
Making your own homemade candle melts is so easy to do, and they smell wonderful! In this post, I will show you how to make candle wax melts using several different blends of essential oils so you can get the scent that fits your mood.
By using essential oils in our candle melts, we can receive the added benefits of aromatherapy the oils release.
I remember my mom was really into candle melts when I was little. It makes sense that all moms would love these, same great smell of a candle, without the fire hazard. Now that I have 4 little ones running around, I totally see the draw of these.
Several of my readers have asked for a recipe for these, and I am so excited to share this one because it is that simple. It is similar to my beeswax candles recipe, just on a smaller scale and no wick, of course.
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HOMEMADE CANDLE WAX MELTS
For this recipe, you will need a candle warmer to place the essential oil wax melts in. You can make your own if you prefer, using a mason jar and tea light candle. Or you can find candle warmers that plug straight into the wall; these are perfect for small spaces.
Candle warmers simply warm the wax, and as it melts, it gives us the scent. For this candle wax recipe, I use essential oils for the scent. This will leave your home smelling lovely and give off aromatherapy benefits at the same time.
ESSENTIAL OILS FOR CANDLE WAX MELTS
You can use one oil or a blend of essential oils for your melts. I like to make a few different batches at a time with different scents so that I can switch it up. If you are looking for something pretty and simple, just use lavender. It is lovely.
You can make different blends for the season or to help with a particular ailment. I find these to make a wonderful birthday or Christmas gift for anyone on your list!
Find more Christmas essential oil blends here or here.
HOW TO MAKE CANDLE WAX MELTS
All you need to make your own wax melts is beeswax, coconut oil, and essential oils. The coconut oil is optional but will make it last longer.
White or yellow beeswax both work well in this wax melt recipe. Other than the color, they will both work the same, so it really doesn’t matter which one you use. If you decide to add color to the melts, use white beeswax; the color will show up better. You can substitute the beeswax for soy wax if you prefer. It has virtually no scent, and it is softer than beeswax. The rest of the recipe will stay the same, and the outcome will be a much softer melt.
Now, you are going to need a double boiler to make these candle melts. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. Making one is easy, and how I do it for all my DIY projects that call for one.
Set a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water; the glass bowl should be big enough to sit on the sides of the pot with the bottom submerged about an inch or two in the water. And there you have a makeshift double boiler; simple as that!
Note: Be sure to wipe all the wax out of the bowl with a paper towel. Wax will clog up sink drains.
CAN YOU HEAT ESSENTIAL OILS?
It is best not to heat up essential oils. Heating essential oils will remove some of the therapeutic benefits. Most candle warmers don’t get too hot. Just be sure when making your beeswax candle melts to let the ingredients cool slightly before adding the essential oils in.
HOW TO USE CANDLE WAX MELTS
Place 1-3 homemade wax melts in your candle warmer, depending on the size of the warmer and the room you are trying to scent. They can melt and re-melt several times before losing the scent. When the scent has weakened, wipe the candle warmer out and add in new wax melts.
Or add in a few drops of essential oils on top of the melted wax to give it one last run.
The recipe will call for a silicone mold, but you can also make these in ice cube trays if you don’t have any molds.
Hi, I love your blogs and recipes and has been reading about your candle melts. I have been led to believe that burning essential oils isn’t good as it burns away the impurities. Would this happen by using the melts as they are melting over heat?
Hey Laura.. I literally made them and they turned out absolutely amazing.. It left my home smelling great.. I used the Christmas blend and it worked great.. I am in love with this recipe.. Thank you so much…
You can but fragrance oils are not natural and will still fill the room with harmful chemicals as normal candles do. Essential oils are a much safer option!
t is NOT recommended to melt beeswax in the microwave, since you run the risk of exploding the container used due to the high heat needed to melt the wax. With that being said, if you use 30 second cycles and a small portion you should be OK.
Thank you so much for you post! My sisters and I are making these this weekend as a party favor for my baby shower next month. I had 2 questions:
1. Do you know about how much the recipe yields with the mold? 1 tray? 2 trays?
2. Instead of letting them sit over night do you think it would be okay if we put them in the fridge for a few hours before we removed them from the molds? I have 6 silicone molds trays and we were planning to make about 150 molds.
I recently bought my ingredients to make these. My coconut oil is in liquid form (bought the one you have linked from Amazon).
Would I still measure 1/4 cup for the recipe?
Dawn Banks says
Hi, I love your blogs and recipes and has been reading about your candle melts. I have been led to believe that burning essential oils isn’t good as it burns away the impurities. Would this happen by using the melts as they are melting over heat?
Laura says
I wrote about this near the bottom of the post. 🙂
wilhelmina says
This is such a cool and informational post! It is great to be able to customize your own scents.
Suhani Sharma says
Hey Laura.. I literally made them and they turned out absolutely amazing.. It left my home smelling great.. I used the Christmas blend and it worked great.. I am in love with this recipe.. Thank you so much…
Laura says
You’re welcome! Merry Christmas!!
Shee says
hi Laura.
Can i use fragrance oils instead of essential oils?
Merry Christmas
Shee
Laura says
You can but fragrance oils are not natural and will still fill the room with harmful chemicals as normal candles do. Essential oils are a much safer option!
Mj says
could I use a microwave to melt the beeswax?
Laura says
t is NOT recommended to melt beeswax in the microwave, since you run the risk of exploding the container used due to the high heat needed to melt the wax. With that being said, if you use 30 second cycles and a small portion you should be OK.
Donna says
Can fractionated coconut oil be used? It’s more liquid.
Laura says
They won’t solidify as well with FCO.
Phylee says
Hi, may i know what type of coconut oil used? is it in form of liquid or unrefined?
Laura says
Unrefined. I have all the ingredients I used linked in the blog post. 🙂
Tania eze says
Hi can I mix the beeswax with burning oil? Or body fragrance oils?
Norman W Luther says
I have the Wax Melt Molds – Clear Plastic Wax Melt Clamshells. Would I pour the cooled wax into them directly and it not melt the clamshells?
Laura says
I use silicone molds. I am sure those would work since that is what it is made for. 🙂
Chassadee says
Thank you so much for you post! My sisters and I are making these this weekend as a party favor for my baby shower next month. I had 2 questions:
1. Do you know about how much the recipe yields with the mold? 1 tray? 2 trays?
2. Instead of letting them sit over night do you think it would be okay if we put them in the fridge for a few hours before we removed them from the molds? I have 6 silicone molds trays and we were planning to make about 150 molds.
Thanks again! We are very excited to do these!
Laura says
That is a great idea! It should make 2 trays, depending on the size molds you use. And yes, putting them in the fridge will speed up the process!
Gina says
Hello!
I was wondering if i could add color to these? If so, what would you suggest, and when would i add it? Thank you!
Laura says
Yes you could, but I would use white beeswax instead of yellow. Add the color after you melt the wax.
Stephanie says
After the wax melts no longer smell, do you re-fragrance that wax and reuse or discard?
Laura says
You can remelt and add more essential oils and reuse.
Cyn says
Do you know the approximate weight of one cup of beeswax?. I am a beekeeper and my wax is in 5 pounds solid blocks.
Ashley says
I recently bought my ingredients to make these. My coconut oil is in liquid form (bought the one you have linked from Amazon).
Would I still measure 1/4 cup for the recipe?
Laura says
Yes, coconut oil turns to solid at a certain temperature.
Deanna A says
I made these exactly like the recipe and I can’t smell them unless I’m super close. Why?
Laura says
Are you using a candle warmer?