Want to start a new hobby making homemade candles?? Probably, just like anyone else, the first thing you wonder about is the cost of making your first candles. In this article, I will go through all the details one needs to get started.
Candle-making is not an expensive hobby. You can start at around 59.95 USD but can also go up to 132,55 USD. This highly depends on what kind of equipment you want to buy and how much you wish to buy.
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Candle making is surprisingly a quite popular hobby, and to some, it is even considered art. It is probably one of those hobbies a lot of people considered trying or were at least interested in at some point. Perhaps because they are commonly used at home, but also because they are the ideal gift for an event.
Either way, it is not the most challenging hobby out there, but it does require some patience and creativity. However, a lot of people don’t really realize how much it costs to make candles. And this is the point where most of them also give up.
What do you need to make candles and how much do the supplies cost?
You do not need that much to get started. You can find all the supplies you need to make your first candles in the list below.
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- A melting pitcher
- A saucepan or cooking pot
- Stirring utensil
- Thermometer
- Wax
- Fragrance oil
- Dye
- Jars
- Wicks
- Wicks holders
- Cutting equipment
The cost (which I go into detail about later in this article) can vary from 60USD to 135USD or even higher. This highly depends on what you wish to do. What I mean by this is, are you planning on using these candles yourself or gifting them on some occasions? Or are you planning on selling them in the future?
Is it cheaper to make your own candles?
The tools (or supplies) can be as expensive as you wish them to be. However, unless you are only thinking of using them for yourself or gifting them, I would not advise this as a future business.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying there is no chance to succeed. Making a profit with homemade candles can be quite challenging. Compared to bigger companies who, first of all, are producing everything in bulk and also buying most of their equipment and ingredients in bulk, you will end up with a much higher cost to make your own candles than buying them in stores.
Let’s say you are not buying things in bulk, or even worse, you buy them from different stores. You will end up with a lot of shipping costs. Also, don’t forget the time you put into making them. What is the value of your time?
Starters kit or buy everything separately?
In some cases buying everything as a set might sound like a good idea, but it is usually the more expensive option. But this is not the case when it comes to candle making. If I were to start today, I would probably buy a candle-making kit just to see if this whole process is something I like doing, if it’s hard making candles or if I am ready to spend the time it needs on this new hobby of mine.
I will give you two options in which you have more or less the same equipment. One is a starter kit that gives you the basic needs to make your first candles, and the other one is the tools you need but then separated to make candles.
Buying them separately might not be the best option, but it might be, in case you already have some of the items at home and/or you are sure you want to dive into this hobby.
The starter kit:
This starter kit:
The starter kit has all you need to make your candles with fragrance and color. It is ideal to start off and see how the process works. Otherwise, you have all you need except for one item, which you will probably have at home.
Buying separately: $132,55
- A melting pitcher:
If you are going to use the double boiler method, you will need a melting pitcher for 4 pounds or 2 pounds; you will use this pitcher to melt your wax. And a regular pot (saucepan or cooking pot) to fill with water where your melting pitcher will go in. - Stirring utensil:
For this, you can use any spoon or utensil, but be careful as the wax gets really hot, and you might end up melting the item you are using in this process. - Thermometer:
Most experienced candle makers are not using a thermometer as they can see and feel when the wax is melted, but as a beginner, this is advised. You do not need to buy anything expensive. A 15 USD one should o just fine. - Wax:
The type of wax is something you can only choose once you have tried all of them. However, in this example, we will go with simple soy wax, which is considered cheap. - Fragrance oils:
Fragrance oils are the most expensive part of candle making. So if you buy them, buy them in bulk, or else you will end up paying a lot of shipping costs. You will also need some kind of dish to pour the oils in. Just make sure to use one that can stand up for it.
Also, using essential oils instead of fragrance oils is not something that is recommended if you do not know what you are doing. A lot of them are not made to be burned in candles. So fragrance oils are what you should be aiming for. - Jars:
The type of jar you need should be resistant to fire, leaks, and cracks. Try to look for heat-resistant containers. But in case you have some empty jelly jars (with the lid) at home, it should also do the trick. - Wicks:
Wicks come in many sizes, and this should be something you need to be aware of. I advise you to buy the jar first and then the wick, as these two should be the same. So be careful before purchasing, or you might end up with something too short, which means you need to buy another jar or new wicks, or too long and waste money on it as you’ll need to cut the majority of it. - Wick stickers:
This is something you do not really need to buy, as there are other options out there. You can use a hot glue gun (it must be high-temperature glue) or a Red RTV, which is the best option and is easy to use. But this is all personal preference. - Wick holder:
To be honest, you do not need to buy this item; you probably have one of the following things at home that work really well as a wick holder.
Popstickel: Drill a hole in the middle just enough to get your wick through, and voila!
The best and easiest solution out there is a bag clip. They hold really well and are cheap, and probably most of us have them at home anyway. - Cutting pliers:
Finally, once your candle is ready, you will need to clip the wick. For this, you can use a scissor, but you will notice that it slips instead when cutting. Use cutting pliers, it cuts really well, and you won’t have a much easier time cutting in bulk.
Is Candle Making worth it?
Candle making is only worth it if you buy everything in bulk and if you sell them afterward. Otherwise, you might end up paying even more for a high-end candle you could buy for less in a store. You might be able to make your candles a little cheaper if you do everything right, but then this would be done purely as a hobby you enjoy!
The reason? Big companies can buy everything in bulk and have machines producing this faster and much more efficiently than you’ll ever do. They probably can cut a deal with their suppliers, but you, with your small kitchen and a limited amount of money, won’t.
What you use also makes a difference, I already mentioned fragrance as the most expensive, but the same can be said for waxes. If you want to work specifically with some scents, you might end up forced to use a specific type of wax as others would not give you the best result but would give you a much better result.
Numerous people online earn well from making candles online, so I would check how and what they exactly do. But just like me, you might end up giving up in the end because the profit you make might not be as attractive as you want it to be.
