Gel wax has greatly changed the world of candle making. With its transparency the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and the speed with which it sets makes producing large numbers of candles less time consuming than with traditional candles.

Making gel candles uniquely individual is one of the most appealing aspects of the process. The only thing that has to be taken into consideration is that containers must be used, unless of course the time is taken to make unique molds as well.

Gel candles can be made using seashells from vacations, coins from travels around the world, even beer cap collections can be used to make personalized candles.  They can be tinted using dyes and scented using fragrant oils.

Materials

Before you begin making the candles you need to assemble your materials. The most expensive part of the process is the gel wax itself. You will need:

• Gel wax
• Glass containers – use your imagination, shot glasses, martini glasses, fish bowls;
• Fragrant oils – if you want to add scent;
• Dye – if you want your candles colored;
• Wick – the length of which is determined by the height of your container; use wax coated wicks for gel candles, not paper wicks.
• Décor for putting in the candle if desired.

You should also have a pot or kettle to melt and pour the gel from. Camping equipment is an excellent place to find a sturdy kettle to use. It will stand up to the repeated heating.

Making Your Candles

First you need to make sure that your containers are very clean and dry. Any residue or foreign materials that remain inside the container can cause your gel wax not to set properly.

You will need to melt you gel; however, you must keep an eye on the gel as it is melting as it can reach its flash point very quickly and be on fire before you know it. Using a thermometer is the best way to insure that you don’t exceed the recommended temperature. Also, do not under any circumstances whatsoever melt the gel in the microwave, it is very dangerous.

If you are going to color your gel you can do this after the gel has melted. Test the color by pouring a small spoon of it on a sheet of white paper, if the color is darker than you want it, add more gel, if it is lighter than you want it, add more dye.

This is also the time to add fragrant oil if you want to make scented candles. Again, add more if you aren’t satisfied with the odor and if it has too much smell add more gel to the mix.

You are now ready to position your wick. The method you use will depend on how precise you want your candles to be. If you are giving them for gifts and don’t want bubbles, you will want to use the pencil method. If you are making them for yourself and don’t mind some bubbles use the easier, hot glue method.

The hot glue method entails using hot glue to secure the wick to the bottom center of the container. As the wax is poured in, it will react with the glue and cause some bubbles.

The pencil method requires filling the container with wax, dipping the wick in the wax, removing the excess wax from the wick and rolling it around a pencil. Position the pencil over the container with the wick in the center and dropping it down into the gel. When the gel cools cut the wick no longer than ¼ inch.

If you are adding embellishments to your gel candle you should dip them in wax and arrange them in the container before you pour the wax in the container. You should also arrange them closer to the outer edge to make them visible.

Enjoy

Once your candles set you are now ready to enjoy your candles. Gel candle making is not a difficult process and can make beautiful gifts to share with your friends and family, during holidays or just because you want to share your newfound talent.

Another theme or design you can use for making decorative gel candles is a jar of preserves. These candles are usually called “preserved gel candles”, though they are not actually preserved in anyway themselves. It’s just their look.

They are often made inside a canning jar, the type with the wire bale and hinged lid. It’s actually an excellent type of jar for a gel candle because it is quite thick and sturdy, and will be able to easily handle the high heat of a gel flame.

Inside the candle, it looks just like preserved fruit in syrup. The gel itself is usually coloured just a bit to match the type of fruit being represented, and embedded in the gel are artificial pieces of fruit. The fruit pieces are usually made of wax or glass, so they aren’t a hazard when the candle is being burned.

These candles to can be scented to match the fruit, though any scent can be used. They are a lovely addition to any room with a country or rustic theme.

By far the most popular design for gel wedding candles are those made in champagne flutes. Very traditional for a wedding, as long as your guests realize they are candles and not drinks. You can either leave them plain, to resemble a real glass of champagne, or jazz them up with some themed embeds.

A pair of gold or silver rings in each candle would be a nice touch, or wax version of the flowers used in the ceremony. Never use real flowers, because they will become a fire hazard when the candles are burning.

Planning a themed wedding? Use your gel candles to show that off. With some searching, you should be able to find safe knick knacks to suit your theme that would work in a gel candle.

When using gel candles in a wedding, you should never place them near any flowers or possibly flammable decorations. They will burn hotter than traditional candles, so plan their placement ahead of time.

Many gel candle suppliers or makers can accommodate your specific design needs, if you want to order a batch of custom made candles for your wedding. Of a bunch of crafty bridesmaids could get together and have a candle-making party.

One other look that gel candles are well-suited for are drinks. Candles can be made into very realistic looking mugs of beer, glasses of soda pop, and lovely flutes of champagne. And this last one is a particular favourite as a wedding decoration.

Many wedding supply sellers are now offering these types of candles, but you can also make your own if you are looking to cut costs. It can also be a fun project to do with your bridesmaids or friends before the big day.

First start with sturdy glasses. Unfortunately, champagne glasses tend to be very delicate. Cheap ones are usually thicker and work better for these types of candles, because they burn hot and can shatter fine glass. To be on the safe side, extinguish the candles before they burn down too far.

If you are trying to make your candles look like real glasses of champagne, you’re not going to be embedding any objects within the gel. So you can use the light density gel (CLP). All you need to do is melt the gel and pour it into a champagne flute that has a wick fastened to the bottom. There are almost always bubbles in poured gel, which adds to the effect.

The trick is to get the right colour. Using either solid or liquid candle dye, you’ll need a tiny amount of an amber shade. The exact amount will depend on how many candles you are making. It takes very little dye to colour candle gel, so take it easy.

There are many places online that offer custom candle creation, especially shops that specialize in wedding or shower decorations. You can discuss your particular needs with them, and see if they can accommodate your artistic vision. When going this route, you will likely have to agree to buy a quantity of candles, though some smaller craftspeople can probably make you just one single candle to suit your needs. Be prepared to pay extra for it though.

You will also need to be realistic when designing your custom gel candle. There are limits to what can be done, and what materials can be used safely.

And instead of paying someone else to make your custom gel candles, you can always roll up your sleeves and make your own.

Many craft stores (both online and in the real world) are selling the supplies you need to make gel candles. You can choose the colour, scent and any additional embedded knick knacks to suit your purpose. This is where you can let your imagination take over to create exactly what you want.

The floating items can reflect your specific occasion, style of décor or any other theme that you need. Even one-of-a-kind personal items can be used inside a gel candle, providing they are not flammable in any way.

Making your own custom candles can be fun, and a good way to get exactly what you want. Not everyone is that handy though, especially when having to handle hot candle gel. If you can’t make it yourself, there will surely be a craftsperson out there who can do it for you.

For places that specifically sell gel candles, you will probably have to go online. A few shops to try are Gel Candle Depot, and Pam’s Designs Unique Gel Candles. Depending on the style and complexity of the candle, you will likely find that gel candles are quite a bit more expensive than typical solid wax candles.

Local home décor or candle shops might sell gel candles, but don’t count on it. They are still a very new item and are not really a mass-produced product yet. Gel candles might never be widely mass-produced considering the care it takes to keep a finished candle free of excessive bubbles.

When ordering gel candles online, take a few moments to ask about the products to make sure you get a safe candle. The glass containers should be fairly heavy so that the heat from the melting gel doesn’t shatter the glass. Also ask what the embedded objects are made of. There should be no embeds made of wood, plastic or other potentially flammable material.

Most candle-makers are aware of these safety issues, but you can never be sure about hand-crafted items unless you inquire.

The most attractive ones, are usually the ones that have a number of decorative items carefully placed and embedded in the gel to create a scene.

One thing that makes a good gel candle, is one that’s made for safe burning. And there are a few things you should look for when looking for a safe gel candle.

Stay away from gel candles that have been poured into thin or fine glassware. They may look nicer, or be higher quality but they are not safe. Gel candles burn quite hot, and if the glass is thin, there is a real chance it could shatter while burning. And because of the heat, the embedded items should not be flammable. Glass or stone are best.

Well-made gel candles will have a minimum of bubbles, unless of course the candle is designed to look like a carbonated drink that needs to have some bubbles. But otherwise, it can ruin the look of an ocean scene or set of floating roses. It also means the person making the candle didn’t take enough time to do it properly.

The best gel candles will also be made with authentic Versagel C candle gel. Other counterfeit gels may not be safe to burn, though there is no specific certainty they will be dangerous. You just never know.

Whether you are making your own gel candle decorations for the wedding, or buying them from a supplier, you need to ensure that the rings themselves are made from the right material or your candles may be hazardous.

Many craft stores sell plastic silver or gold rings, to be used for any number of wedding favor or decoration ideas. Unfortunately, these types of plastic rings most definitely should not be used embedded in a gel candle. The plastic is going to be flammable at the high temperatures the gel burns at, creating a fire risk as the candle burns down.

The rings need to be either metal, stone or glass in order to be safe for using in a gel candle. A bit more expensive than plastic, but safer.

And a quick candle-making tip for using rings in a gel candle, make sure to use the high density candle gel (sometimes called CHP). It sets up firm enough to hold embedded items. Rings set in lighter gels will eventually sink down through the gel and settle on the bottom of your candle.