Hand Dipped Taper Candles
I suffer from an overactive mind. This is not necessarily a burden as it leads to much of my creative inspiration and business ideas but, from time to time I need a helping hand that forces me to slow down and be present with the NOW. Hand dipping these taper candles was joyfully therapeutic and not only beneficial for myself but, for my six year old son as well, creating a moment in time that seemed to pass slowly in a way that we long for so much of the time in our busy lives.
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W H Y T A P E R C A N D L E S ?
There are so many wonderful things about candle light.
If you go back to the invention of the light bulb and how it has adapted over the years, the artificial lighting we use today is in fact, quite harmful to our eyesight and to the way our brains release hormones.
Candle light creates a soothing atmosphere that is conducive to thoughts and feelings of comfort much like a fireplace. I noticed a massive change in my sons nighttime behavior when I integrated using taper candles at night instead of turning on the lights. For a mother of a child with ADHD, this will be a hugely welcomed deviation from the normal disruptive and often chaotic energy before bed.
Gift giving. I for one will always advocate for handmade gifts however flawed or seemingly useless. The process one went through to create of their mind and bring to tangibility for the soul purpose of giving it over to you - simply lovely.
S U P P L I E S
Tall pot or stainless steel thermos. Choose an item for holding wax that is safe and is as tall as you would like your candles to be. In KY there doesn’t seem to be many Thrift stores as I was used to in CA, so I used my husband’s old Stanley thermos. Sorry love.
Bees wax (or other waxes you prefer. Bees wax is the cleanest burning wax) I rendered our own wax from our bees when I was still residing in California, soon I will have some in the shop, however you can find plenty of options on Amazon.
Braided candle wick
Weights to weigh down the wick. I used some washers my husband had laying around but you can use hex nuts, rocks, pretty much anything heavy enough to keep the candle from floating on the water when dipped and also to keep the wick straight while you dip
Scissors
A tall jar of water (optional)
If you by pass wanting to dip into the water, you’ll need a drying rack of sorts. I have used my pasta drying rack.
Candy or candle thermometer (optional)
A way to heat your wax
PRO TIPS : I NOTICED THAT DIPPING AND COOLING WORKED BEST WHEN I ALLOWED THE WAX TO COOL FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES. WHEN THE WAX WAS FRESH OFF THE HEAT, THE BUILDING UP PROCESS WAS VERY COUNTER PRODUCTIVE NO MATTER HOW QUICKLY I DIPPED. ALLOWING WAX TO COOL MADE IT EASIER TO BUILD UP WAX TO THE WICK.
Dedicate whatever items you decide to use as your candle making items as cleaning them afterwards and each time following will be a great hassle!
Lay down parchment paper as it is heat tolerant and will protect your surfaces from wax or burning. This comes especially in handy if you're having young ones help you.
L E T S B E G I N
Begin by melting your beeswax. There are a couple of different ways to do this. Some people prefer to use a double boil method by heating water in a pot and placing a bowl that is a bit larger than the mouth of the pot on top so that it sits above the water. Pouring the wax into this stovetop save bowl, the steam from the water melts the wax.
I simply used a hot plate kit. I poured the wax into the little pitcher and allowed it to melt and would add it to my thermos each time until it was quite full. You don’t need a high heat setting for this, in fact I encourage you not to use it. When the wax was TOO HOT and candles were redipped after being dipped in the water, the wax began to splash. This means the wax is to hot and it was trying to repel the water.
As your wax is melting, cut your wick. I cut mine several inches above what I knew would be needed since the washers I tied on a weights would hit the bottom first. Some folks cut one extra long wick and dip both ends and the same time. My thermos has a skinny mouth and this would have been far to difficult, and so I decided on dipping only one candle at a time.
Tie on your weights
Fill your large / tall jar of cool water. I used a half gallon Mason jar
Remove your wax from the heat and allow to cool for 10-20 minutes
Dipping the wick into the wax should be a steady and swift motion. Don’t dawdle to long or the heat will just keep melting off the wax and you’ll never progress at building up. Once you feel your weight touch bottom, pull back up and immediately dip into the cool water.
The rest is quite simple. Continue to simply dip down into the wax, and then dip down into the water. I did let the candle sit in the water a bit longer than I do the wax, perhaps re-dipping a couple of times before moving back into the wax. If the build up of on top of the water gets into your way, simply scoop out. Once the candle becomes to resemble more of what you are looking for, some people cut off the weight. In my experience, my candle still floated when being put into the water so, I keep it on until I am satisfied with the thickness.
I decided to pain on gold leafing. I tested a candle to make sure it wasn’t a fire hazard and it did just fine however, you can decide to decorate in a number of beautiful ways! I also rolled some in rose peddles, dried, lavender, calendula etc. You could stamp them with a beautiful symbol if possible as well.
As a cute gift idea, my son and I took mini Polaroid photos and tied them on with a string making silly faces.
I created some tags in Canva you could downlaod and print out to tie to your candles! (download at the end)
Click the “Printable labels” link to download lables.
Common questions about DIY beeswax candle making:
How many candles will 5Ibs of beeswax make?
Roughly 30-35 hand-dipped candles depending on desired size. This all will depend on your candle height, width, and type of wax you’re using.
How do I store my beeswax candles?
If you don’t plan to use your beeswax candles right away, you will need to store them in a cool dry place away from extreme temperatures. Wrapping them in paper and tucking in a drawer or cupboard are great places to help prevent warping.
How long will these hand-dipped beeswax taper candles burn?
It all depends on the size of your beeswax candle. Typically, the larger the candle the longer the burn, but I recommend experimenting. Types of wax, the size of your candle, and even type of wick
How do I make longer taper candles?
To make longer hand dipped taper candles you will need a tall candle dipping vat. Using a tall Mason Jar or finding a tin can at a local thrift store are both great options. You can of course find one on line with the dimensions you are looking for.
