How to Make a Mason Jar Candle

I love candles. They look pretty, add a gorgeous smell to a room and provide a cosy ambience, no matter what time of the day it is. But buying a quality candle in Australia can cost up to $40, sometimes more. For many of us, this is an extravagance we cannot afford. And for those who can, we might simply love trying new things and want to make our own. Which is one of the reasons I decided to give making a mason jar candle a try.

Candles are relatively easy to make in a jar or other container. And because they are handmade and can have fragrances I love and that are unique to our farm, I thought they would be a great addition to our farm shop.

Why Choose a Mason Jar Candle?

There are so many different kinds of candles why would I choose to make one in a jar? Here’s why…

Mason jars have a vintage look I love. They exude country charm and are a symbol of handmade style. Mason jars match the decor and feel in our home.

Secondly, once the candle has been burned, a jar can be used again. This appeals to my belief in being more sustainable in my choice of items for our home. A mason jar is very versatile. It can be used for almost anything from a vase to a herb planter.

Mason jars are made of glass. It’s a more natural material and one I am trying to use more of in our home. Glass is my plastic replacement.

Lastly, a mason jar candle is easy to make and very safe to use. If I leave the house and forget to blow out the candle, I know the house will still be there when I return!

Equipment Needed for Mason Jar Candles

• Soy wax (I bought a 3kg bag from eBay AU)
• candle fragrance or spices from your pantry. Think cinnamon, cloves, lavender or rosemary
• Quilted mason jars
• Wicks
• Thermometer
• Pouring jug
• Wick holder

STEP 1: Prepare your Mason Jar

Place the wick in the centre of the jar, making sure to keep it centred. Use a hot glue gun to secure the wick to the base of the jar. Once it’s dry pull the wick taut, and thread it through the wick holder or wrap it around a pencil. You can also use little dot stickers called ‘stickums’ to press the bottom of the wick onto the jar.

Do NOT pull hard on the wick when you straighten it. You don’t want it to come unstuck from the bottom – but do pull gently and firmly enough to ensure the wick is straight.

Step 2: Melting the Wax

There are two ways to do this: the double-boiler method or the microwave.

If you use the first method, melt the wax over a simmering pot. A Pyrex jug works best for holding the wax to melt because it allows for easy handling but you can use a speciality wax jug or even a jar. Whatever you choose as your vessel, don’t expect to use it again for other things. There will most likely be wax residue.

For the microwave method, I melted 300g of wax for 4 minutes. If you use this method keep an eye on the wax and take it out of the microwave when it is clear. The time may change according to the strength of your microwave.

Add the fragrance oil and stir until blended. The more oil you add, the stronger the scent will be. If you are using spices instead, this is the time to do it.

Add between 6-10% fragrance oil to grams of melted wax. To calculate this follow this formula: Container (ml) x 0.08 = Fragrance Oil (ml)

STEP 3: Pouring the Candle

When the wax has cooled to 55 degrees Celsius, pour into the container. Be sure to check the wick is still centred after pouring as it can move sometimes. Add spices or flowers to the top if you wish.

I did not wait long enough for the first couple of candles I poured. When the wax hardened, I was left with sinkholes near the wick. This can be fixed by using a hairdryer to slowly melt the wax again but I learnt my lesson!

STEP 5: Let the Mason Jar Candle Set

Leave the candles to cool and set for 24 hours. Then trim the wicks before burning.