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With the holiday season in full swing, the time to get gifts is fast approaching. So make something special this year, like this rosemary mint soy candle scented only with pure essential oils. This DIY is one of the easiest ways to make homemade candles.

Three rosemary mint soy candles with an evergreen sprig.
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This rosemary mint candle recipe produces just the right amount of Christmas cheer. Make it for a hosting gift, include it in a Christmas gift basket, or light it yourself this season for a cozy holiday feel.

Before we begin, let me say that candle-making is pretty straightforward. The hardest step is not really a step at all; it’s cleaning the wax out of all the utensils and tools used to make the candle.

So I am going to show you how to do this without using any dishes.

Using a crockpot takes all the work out of candle making and leaves you with nothing to clean up afterward. It’s such an easy way to make candles!

I know you’ll love this candle DIY just as much as I do. It’s fun, it’s simple, and the candles smell amazing!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Soothing scent: Rosemary mint is the perfect scent for the holidays, but it’s also great for year-round use! Make a big batch for Christmas gifts and keep some for yourself to enjoy throughout the season. They make the whole room smell amazing!
  • Natural ingredients: Store-bought candles can be full of harmful ingredients, such as synthetic fragrance and paraffin. Making your own candles is a great way to ensure they are safe and healthy for your family.
  • Save money: All-natural candles can be so pricey. The ingredients for DIY candles cost a fraction of the price of many store-bought candles. Plus, you’ll have fun crafting it!
  • Make them your own: You can customize these candles in just about every way! Choose your own candle containers, mix up the essential oils, and even add optional decorations to make the candles your own.
  • Easy cleanup: As I mentioned before, this is an incredibly easy candle-making tutorial! Melting the wax directly into the jars in the crockpot removes most of the cleanup and saves so much time.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredients for homemade soy candles.
  • Soy wax: I recommend pellets because they melt easily. If you only have a block of wax, shred it with a cheese grater.
  • Wicks: It’s important to choose the proper wick size for the container you’re using for the safety and longevity of your candle. Most wicks are labeled with the candle size they are suitable for. I recommend opting for a hemp wick or a cotton, lead-free wick.
  • Essential oils: Rosemary and peppermint essential oils will give us a natural fragrance that smells amazing.
  • Candle containers: I typically use small glass mason jars for my candles. You can use anything heat-resistant that you’d like – metal candle tins, old candle jars, antique tea cups, small bowls, and more.
  • Crockpot: The crockpot is a really easy way to make mess-free candles. If you don’t have a crockpot, you can melt the wax in a double boiler. Learn exactly how to do that in my other soy wax candle recipe.

Substitutions and Variations

  • If you prefer to make a homemade beeswax candle, you may substitute it for the soy wax. Not sure which to use? Check out my post looking at beeswax vs. soy wax.
  • I love the smell of this rosemary mint candle, but you are free to substitute different essential oils in your candle! Lavender and wild orange are two of my personal favorites.

How to Make Candles in a Crockpot

Pouring water into a crockpot.

Step 1. Fill the bottom of a crockpot with about an inch of water.

Candle jars filled with wax pellets.

Step 2. Add wax to the top of the mason jars. Press the wax down firmly to fit as much wax in as possible.

Adding a jar of wax to a crockpot of water.

Step 3. Place the jars into the crockpot, secure the lid and set heat to high.

Jars of wax pellets in a crockpot, looking down.

Step 4. As the wax melts, add more of the soy shavings to keep the wax level ยผ-ยฝ” from the top.

Adding essential oils to a jar of melted wax.

Step 5. Once the wax is completely melted, carefully remove the mason jars from the crockpot with hot pads. Let them cool slightly, then add 20 drops of each essential oil to each candle.

A jar of melted wax with a wick sticking out of it, wrapped around a stick to hold it up.

Step 6. Insert the wick into the melted wax, holding it centered with two skewers tied together in an “X” shape.

Candles with wick holders cooling on a countertop.

Step 7. Alternatively, use metal wick holders or a piece of tape with a hole punched in the middle to hold the wicks up. Allow the candles to cool and harden for 24-48 hours.

Three rosemary mint soy candles.

Step 8. Once the wax has completely hardened, trim the wick to ยฝ”. Your candles are ready to use!

Expert Tips for Success

  • For an extra lovely candle, you can press flower petals to the side of the clear candle holder before pouring in the wax (similar to how I make my DIY mason jar candles with dried flowers!). You can also add a variety of other candle decorations.
  • To add texture, stir glitter or coloring into the wax after it has cooled slightly.
  • Don’t let the candles cool for too long before adding the essential oils, you want the wax to still be liquid! If the wax does harden too much, you can simply melt it again using the crockpot.
  • Don’t trim your wick shorter than 1/2 inch; this can cause the candle to burn down in a tunnel shape.
  • To clean any utensils used in candle making, wipe them with a paper towel to catch the wax before rinsing. This prevents clogged drains and keeps your supplies clean for next time!
Rosemary mint soy candles and evergreen cuttings.

How to Choose Candle Wick Size

Choosing the right size wick for your candle is very important. If you choose a wick that is too small, this will cause your candle to burn down into a funnel-like tunnel.

If the wick is too large, it will flicker and the flame will be too tall, causing a potential fire hazard. The perfect wick will have an appropriately sized flame and does not flicker.

The wax, fragrance (if used), and size of the jar are all determining factors when choosing the right wick. Thankfully, most sellers label the size of the jar the wick is suitable for.

Be sure to check your wicks before using them and make sure they are compatible with the container you intend to use.

Recipe FAQs

How much essential oil do you need to scent a candle?

Even though oils are very concentrated, you will need quite a bit of essential oil to scent a candle. About 40 drops of essential oils for an 8-ounce candle is the recommended ratio.

Which essential oils smell good together for candles?

I’m a big fan of rosemary and peppermint or lavender and chamomile! If you want even more ideas, try out some of my DIY Christmas candle blends, fall diffuser blends, or peaceful diffuser blends. While they were made for the diffuser, each of these blends smells wonderful in a candle as well.

How do I avoid candle tunneling?

Tunneling occurs when the wax melts unevenly, forming a tunnel around the wick. To prevent tunneling, make sure you are using the proper wick size for your container and ensure a proper “first burn.” That means burning your candle for long enough to melt the entire surface of the candle the first time you light it. If tunneling does occur, trim the wick to the recommended length and allow the candle to burn longer during each use. Any wax left on the sides of the candle can be used as homemade wax candle melts so they don’t go to waste.

Related Content

If you tried this Rosemary Mint Soy Candle Recipe or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐Ÿ“ comments below. Thanks for visiting!

4.67 from 9 votes

Rosemary Mint Soy Wax Candles

Prep: 5 minutes
Active: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 35 minutes
Yield: 2 candles
Simple rosemary mint soy candle made in a crockpot with soy wax and pure essential oils.

Equipment

  • 2 mason jars, 8oz
  • Tape, bamboo skewers, or metal wick holders
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Fill the bottom of the crockpot with 1" of water.
  • Add wax to the top of the mason jars. Press the wax down firmly to fit as much wax in as possible.
  • Place the jars into the crockpot, secure the lid and set heat to high.
  • As the wax melts, add more of the soy shavings to keep the wax level ยผ-ยฝ" from the top.
  • Once the wax is completely melted, carefully remove the mason jars from the crockpot with a hot pad.
  • Let them cool slightly, then add 20 drops of each essential oil to each candle.
  • Center the wicks in the jars and hold them in place using tape, bamboo skewers, or a metal wick holder.
  • Once the wax is completely hardened, 24-48 hours, remove the tape and trim wick to ยฝ".

Video

Notes

  • For step-by-step images, see the post above.
  • To use tape to hold up the wick, run a piece of tape across the top of the jar. Punch a hole in the center, then feed the wick through the hole till it bottoms out on the bottom of the jar.
  • Don’t trim your wick shorter than 1/2 inch; this can cause the candle to burn down in a tunnel shape.
  • To clean any utensils used in candle making, wipe them with a paper towel to catch the wax before rinsing. This prevents clogged drains and keeps your supplies clean for next time!
Tried this recipe?Mention @our_oily_house or tag #ouroilyhouse!

About Laura

Welcome to Our Oily House, Iโ€™m so glad youโ€™re here! Explore DIY cleaners, homemade soaps, skincare and hair care recipes, fragrance-free solutions, and sustainable laundry tips for a naturally inspired home.

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4.67 from 9 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. Natalie says:

    5 stars
    Hi Laura, just wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise! I recently made your candy cane bath salts and whipped body butter as part of a group gift-making activity, and the participants loved it. I also just finished making the mint rosemary soy candles and the Christmas room spray for my own gift exchanges. It’s fun to create these products and to know that only natural ingredients are going into them. Merry Christmas to you from Northern Ontario, Canada.

    1. Laura says:

      Hi Natalie! So happy to hear this. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

  2. Hannah says:

    I would love to try this recipe! I have a question… can you use this recipe with Bees Wax as well?

    1. Laura says:

      I do have a beeswax candle recipe. You could just change out the oils on that one.

  3. Anne says:

    I am not sure about not affixing the bottom of wick to bottom of jar. They kind of bend when put in the hot wax. Any ideas?

  4. Linda Pack says:

    Thank you. I might try this