Hi, welcome to my blog! In this blog post, I will take you through how to make your own tea cup candles with essential oils as the fragrance. These candles make perfect gifts or projects to do just for fun. One of the things that I like most about this DIY is that it is super affordable! I was able to find some very cute tea cups at a local thrift store and order the rest of what I needed from Amazon.
Also, you could use tea cups that maybe have some imperfections, such as a tea cup that has a broken handle or a small chip around the rim of the cup!
FAQ’s
Are tea cups safe to make candles in?
Yes! Tea cups that are made out of glass are designed to withstand high temperatures.
What is the best wax for tea cup candles?
I personally love beeswax. Beeswax is all natural, so you don’t have to worry about any toxins being released into the air when burning beeswax candles. Also, beeswax has a longer burn time, and is environmentally safe.
You can find out more about the benefits of beeswax here.
But the choice is yours! So if you would like to use a different type of wax, go for it. Just know that I used beeswax and so I will only be discussing beeswax in this post.
Can I make the beeswax a different color?
Yes, you can dye the wax a different color if you would like. There are a few different ways to do this. You could use spices or herbs or even crayons. wikiHow does a great job at going into further detail on how to dye beeswax. I didn’t dye my beeswax because I personally like how the natural look of the beeswax is with the tea cups.
How can I make tea cup candles smell good?
You could use essential oils, herbs and spices, or fragrance oils that are specifically made for candles.
What if the candle starts tunneling?
Candle tunneling is when the candle hardens at an uneven rate and this causes the candle to have a shallow to deep cavity in the wax. To prevent this from happening, make sure that you pour the wax when it reaches 155 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and that the candle is in a room that is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit with no drafts. Also, make sure that the candle is sitting on a solid, even surface.
If tunneling has already happened, you can place your candles on a cookie sheet in the oven at about 175 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the oven. Monitor the candles closely and once the wax is melted and completely even across the surface, take the candles out of the oven to harden again.
Where to Start.
First off, you will need to find a tea cup(s) to make your candles in. I found the tea cups that I used at a thrift store, which is a good place to look if you don’t already have any.
Next, you will need some beeswax or the wax of your preference. I went with beeswax. Also, you will need some candle wicks, a wick setter, and a wick bar. The wick setter helps to firmly secure the base of the wick to the inside of the tea cup. Usually this is also done with some sort of sticker to help the wick stay in place. Then, you will need a wick bar that also helps the wick to stay in place and stand upright.
Side Note: If you order the same candle wick kit that I used, you will get the stickers to hold down the bases of the wicks with the kit. Also, the kit comes with little labels that you can write on!
Additionally, you can use some essential oils (optional). I used some essential oils from Young Living. The oils that I used were lemon, vanilla, lavender, jasmine, and patchouli. You don’t have to use the same oils or combinations that I did. You could experiment with other oils if you’d prefer or not use any oils at all.
List of Tools.
A kitchen scale (optional)
An old pot or pan to melt the wax in
A candy or meat thermometer
Candle wicks
Wick bars
Essential oils (optional)
A vessel to pour the beeswax into the tea cups
Some type of surface protector- a few examples (a mat, newspaper, paper plates)
And tea cup(s) of course!
How to Make Tea Cup Candles with Essential Oils.
First, measure the amount of beeswax that you would like to melt down. I started out with about 230 grams for an 8 ounce tea cup that I used. And then I later did about 340 grams of beeswax that I divided for two smaller tea cups and a cylinder cup.
Then, decide the tea cup you would like to use for the candle. Once you’ve decided, firmly press the wick down into the middle of the tea cup using the wick setter. After that, add the wick to the wick bar.
Next, melt the wax on your stove top. To do this, make sure that you have your warmer on low. Then, wait for you beeswax to be completely melted, stirring it occasionally.
Wait for the wax to reach about 155 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. You can measure the temperature with a candy or meat thermometer. And don’t forget to add some fragrance if you would like! For more about how to best add different blends of fragrances, be sure to check out this website! Then slowly and carefully pour the melted wax into your tea cup(s).
Now, let your candle harden and cure. The curing process takes about two weeks, so make sure that you place the curing candles in a secure place where they won’t be moved. For more on the curing process and why it’s beneficial to candle making, check out this website.
Finally, trim the wicks a little, light your candle and enjoy!
Different Essential Oil Blend Ideas.
-Lemon and Vanilla
-Patchouli, Jasmine, and Vanilla
-Lavender and Peppermint
-Lavender and Eucalyptus
When I made my first set of tea cups candles, I did lemon and vanilla for one of them. Patchouli, jasmine, and vanilla for my second one. Then for my third tea cup candle, I just did lavender.
Also, the neat thing about creating your own essential oil fragrance blends is that you can experiment and decide what you like the best! Just be sure that you add enough drops of oil for your candles to have a strong aroma. One of the mistakes I made the first time making candles was not using enough drops of oils. So you will want to use around 100 drops of essential oil, depending on how strong of an oil you use.
If 100 drops of your essential seems like too much, you could try using fragrance oils that are made specifically for candles.
How to Make Tea Cup Candles with Essential Oils.
Equipment
- A kitchen scale (optional)
- An old pot or pan to melt the wax in
- A candy or meat thermometer
- Candle wicks
- Wick bars
- Essential oils (optional)
- A vessel to pour the beeswax into the tea cups
- Some type of surface protector- a few examples (a mat, newspaper, paper plates)
- And tea cup(s) of course!
Instructions
- How to Make Tea Cup Candles with Essential Oils.
- First, measure the amount of beeswax that you would like to melt down. I started out with about 230 grams for an 8 ounce tea cup that I used. And then I later did about 340 grams of beeswax that I divided for two smaller tea cups and a cylinder cup.
- Then, decide the tea cup you would like to use for the candle. Once you’ve decided, firmly press the wick down into the middle of the tea cup using the wick setter. After that, add the wick to the wick bar.
- Next, melt the wax on your stove top. To do this, make sure that you have your warmer on low. Then, wait for you beeswax to be completely melted, stirring it occasionally.
- Wait for the wax to reach about 155 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. You can measure the temperature with a candy or meat thermometer. And don’t forget to add some fragrance if you would like! For more about how to best add different blends of fragrances, be sure to check out this website! Then slowly and carefully pour the melted wax into your tea cup(s).
- Now, let your candle harden and cure. The curing process takes about two weeks, so make sure that you place the curing candles in a secure place where they won’t be moved.
- Finally, trim the wicks a little, light your candle and enjoy!
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