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Learn how to make candle wax melts with this simple 3-ingredient recipe. Use these homemade candle melts in a wax warmer to cozy up the home and add a lovely scent.
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.
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 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 so simple. It’s similar to my beeswax candles recipe, just on a smaller scale and without a wick, of course.
Why You’ll Love This DIY
- Great alternative to candles: I already told you I love wax melts because they provide the same benefits as candles without the fire hazard! Wax melts are also so much easier than a candle; I just turn on the wax warmer and my home is cozy and beautifully scented.
- Uses simple ingredients: I love that these wax melts use just 3 ingredients: beeswax, coconut oil, and essential oils. Simple, easy-to-find ingredients are always my preference in my recipes. If you regularly make DIY beauty and home products, you may even already have these ingredients on hand!
- Make lovely gifts: Homemade gifts are always a hit for birthdays and Christmas. These wax melts are a beautiful gift that can be customized for your recipient and paired with a wax warmer if they don’t already have one.
- Custom fragrance: It’s always exciting to make your own scented products because you can choose the exact scent you love. I always have fun experimenting with essential oil blends in my DIY room sprays, homemade perfumes, candles, and wax melts!
Materials Needed
- Beeswax: Beeswax is a natural wax with a delicate honey scent. You can use yellow beeswax or white beeswax for the recipe; it mainly comes down to which color you prefer. Soy wax can also be used.
- Coconut oil: Coconut oil is optional in this recipe, but it will make the wax melts smoother and allow them to melt more quickly. Be sure to use regular virgin coconut oil, not fractionated coconut oil.
- Essential oils: Using essential oils to add natural fragrance to these wax melts gives them a calming, delicate scent and some aromatherapeutic benefits. Keep reading for some essential oil blend ideas or for an easy option, use lavender oil.
- Silicone molds: Any silicone molds will work for this, even silicone ice cube trays. I do recommend using something silicone, though, as it makes it easy to pop them out of the mold. You can get creative with these and buy them in fun shapes if you want! Once you have the molds, you can use them again for homemade lotion bars, sugar scrub bars, and more.
- Wax warmer: Once your wax melts are made, you’ll of course need a way to melt them. You can use an electric countertop wax warmer, a plugin warmer, or a tea light warmer (you can even make your own with a mason jar). Whatever you use, be sure it is heat resistant and sturdy so you don’t have to worry about hot wax spilling.
Essential Oil Blend Suggestions
Calming
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops roman chamomile essential oil
- 5 drops vetiver essential oil
- 5 drops wild orange essential oil
Citrus
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops wild orange essential oil
- 5 drops bergamot essential oil
- 5 drops tangerine essential oil
Floral
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil
- 5 drops geranium essential oil
- 5 drops cypress essential oil
Scents of Fall
- 10 drops cinnamon essential oil
- 10 drops wild orange essential oil
- 5 drops clove essential oil
- 5 drops cardamom essential oil
Or, try one of my other favorite fall essential oil blends.
Christmas Scented
- 10 drops white fir essential oil
- 10 drops cinnamon essential oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops grapefruit essential oil
You may also like one of my Christmas diffuser blends!
How to Make Candle Wax Melts
Step 1. Add the beeswax and coconut oil to a double boiler or a glass bowl set atop a pot of boiling water. Melt the ingredients over medium-high heat.
Step 2. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Then, add the essential oils and mix.
Step 3. Pour the wax mixture into silicone molds then allow them to cool and harden.
Step 4. Once the wax melts have cooled completely, remove them from the silicone molds. Store them in an airtight container until ready for use.
How to Use 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 them several times before losing the scent.
When the scent has weakened, wipe the candle warmer out and add in new wax melts or add a few extra drops of essential oils to get a couple more uses out of them.
Expert Tips
- Always use caution when using your wax melts. Hot wax can cause serious burns, so keep it out of reach of children and allow the wax to cool completely before picking up your wax warmer.
- Be sure to wipe all of the wax out of your double boiler with a paper towel. Wax will clog up the sink drains. I like to warm it up again so it is liquid, then wipe it out very well.
- If you are making your own double boiler with a glass bowl and a pot of water, make sure you are using the right-sized bowl. The 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.
- Feel free to get creative and experiment with different essential oil blends and wax melt shapes. You can even use a white beeswax and add color to give them a fun flair.
- You can extend the life of your wax melts by adding a few drops of essential oils to the wax as your scent starts to fade.
Recipe FAQs
I prefer beeswax, but soy wax is also a great option. You can read more about these options in my blog post looking at beeswax vs. soy wax. I would avoid using coconut wax with this recipe as it will lead to very soft wax melts.
If you want a stronger scent in your wax melts, try adding more essential oils. As they are used, the scent will fade. You can remedy this by adding a few more drops of essential oils to the melted wax.
Heating essential oils is not typically recommended as it diminishes their therapeutic benefits. However, wax warmers do not get very hot, just warm enough to melt the wax and release the scent of the essential oils.
That said, be sure to allow the wax to cool slightly before adding your essential oils when making these DIY wax melts.
Yes! When I get to the bottom of my candles such as my homemade taper candles and vanilla honey scented candles, I like to put the last bit of wax into my wax warmer so it doesn’t go to waste.
Related Recipes
- Homemade Pillar Candles
- Rosemary Mint Soy Candle
- Mason Jar Candles with Dried Flowers
- Candle Dipping For Beginners
- Homemade Stovetop Potpourri with Essential Oils
If you tried this Homemade Candle Wax Melts Tutorial or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
How to Make Candle Wax Melts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup beeswax, (5 oz) measured using beeswax pellets
- ¼ cup coconut oil, (2 oz)
- 30 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- Add beeswax and coconut oil to a double boiler. Melt over medium to high heat.
- Once all the ingredients are melted, remove from the heat.
- Allow it to cool slightly, and then add in essential oils.
- Whisk together, then pour into silicone molds.
- Let them sit overnight and then pop them out of the molds.
- Store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Always use caution when using your wax melts. Hot wax can cause serious burns, so keep it out of reach of children and allow the wax to cool completely before moving your wax warmer.
- Be sure to wipe all of the wax out of your double boiler with a paper towel. Wax will clog up the sink drains.
- Instead of a double boiler, you can use a glass bowl set atop a pot of boiling water.
- You can extend the life of your wax melts by adding a few drops of essential oils to the wax as your scent starts to fade.
- Adjust the amount of essential oils for your preference. More oils will give a stronger scent.
- I’ve included the complete step-by-step video tutorial and photos in the post above!
Hi what’s a good air tight container to keep the molds in ? I ordered fall molds but will need something to put each one in. Thank you!
Any container would work I would think!
Hi, Laura!
I have never made wax melts, but I’m going to start with this recipe. I’m looking to make them as cheaply as I can. I’ve noticed that soy wax is MUCH cheaper than bees wax. Will soy wax still be a problem for our health if it’s melted with an electric wax warmer instead of a burning wick?
Hey! It would definitely be worth trying. I also have a recipe specifically for soy wax candles if you want to try that.
Very informative, thank you
You’re welcome!
I’ll be using a high quality FO with this recipe , how much fragrance oil should I use?
Can this be done in the microwave? It would be much simpler .
How many standard wax cubes does the recipe make?
Mine made 30
I made these exactly like the recipe and I can’t smell them unless I’m super close. Why?
Are you using a candle warmer?