Candles They're on our birthday cakes, holiday decorations, and are usually featured in places of worship. Without question, candles enhance our quality of life. Aromatherapy candles, in particular, can brighten up any room and provide numerous mental and physical benefits to our general wellbeing. But if you think that the candles you purchase in stores are wonderful, wait until you make your own! Candle making is simple. Your entire family can enjoy the process and results of candle making, and most of the materials are inexpensive when compared to the cost of buying specialty candles. The recipes below provide basic candle making instructions. More advanced readers are welcome to elaborate on the recipes to create their own artistic versions. When adding scent to your candles, keep in mind that different aromas evoke different responses. Peppermint and grapefruit oils are energizing, jasmine and rose set a romantic mood, lavender is relaxing, and oregano and eucalyptus will make your home feel clean and pure. Refer to our Common Oils section for tips and information. Please remember that wax is extremely flammable! Never leave heating wax unattended. Basic Paraffin Candles Slowly melt 1 pound of paraffin wax in a double boiler on low to medium heat and stir continuously: for a little color, throw in a couple of broken crayons. As you stir the melting wax, have a friend or family member prepare candle molds by rubbing the insides of empty milk containers, orange concentrate containers, or even gelatin molds thoroughly with vegetable oil. You can get more creative with the molds or purchase special molds at candle shops, but these are good for beginners. Make wicks by taking a ball of thick cotton string and cutting pieces that are 3 inches longer than the length of each candle mold. When the wax is melted, dip all but two inches of your wick into the wax and place them 1 inch apart on wax paper. Make sure each wick is a straight line. Now add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil to the melted wax and stir. Slowly pour wax into the mold leaving a ? inch of space at the top edge. Insert wicks into each mold, wrap the unwaxed portion to a pencil, place the pencil horizontally across the top of each mold, and make sure the wick hangs horizontally. Let the candle sit for at least 24 hours and top off the candle to keep it from settling or sinking in the center. When candles have completely hardened, turn the mold upside down and tap the bottom of the mold. If the candle still doesn't come out, immerse the mold in a pan of hot water for a few seconds (this will soften the outside of the candle) and the candle should slide out easily. Easy Beeswax Candles Follow the directions for Basic Paraffin Candles and use 3 parts paraffin wax to 1 part beeswax. If you use beeswax alone, the candle will burn down only around the wick, so for best results combine the two!