Candle-Making Supplies

• You'll need containers for your aromatherapy candles. Pint or quart-sized Mason jars work great, as do baby-food jars, jelly jars, pickle jars or any glass container that is the size you prefer. The jar opening should be wide enough for you to pour in the wax and to light the candle safely; avoid long-necked bottles and jars with small openings. The best wax for candle-making is beeswax, but that can get expensive if you're making a lot of candles. Natural alternatives such as vegetable and soy wax are less expensive and work beautifully. Paraffin wax is the least expensive alternative, but it's not recommended for indoor burning, so avoid using it for your aromatherapy candles. Wax and wicks in a variety of lengths are available from your local hobby store or from online retailers. A wick setter is recommended but not required.
  
  

Essential Oils

• Select the essential oil with the healing properties you require for your aromatherapy candles. Essential oils are made from the volatile parts of plants and herbs and are vital to making your aromatherapy candles. Aromatherapy bases treatment for everything from stress to depression on specific scents of essential oils. For example, lavender helps you relax, relieves your headaches and helps with muscle pains and colic. Lemon oil helps with obesity, flu and fever and also acts as a stimulant. If you're looking for an aphrodisiac, try jasmine oil or oregano oil in your candles. Look for pure essential oils in your local health-food stores or from online retailers.
  
  

Candle-Making Technique

• Candle-making techniques vary with the type of wax that you're using. Beeswax must be melted in a double boiler, but vegetable and soy wax may be melted in the microwave. Follow the instructions for melting the wax you select. After the wax flakes are melted, add 5 drops of essential oil for every 2 cups of wax. The amount of scent you prefer may be more or less, and you can adjust the amount of oil you use when you make your next candle. Thoroughly stir the oil into the wax. Stand the wick in the jar and pour in the wax; the wick setter will help you keep the wick straight. Let the candle cool until it's solid before you light it.