10 Best Essential Oils for Candle Making

If you want to use essential oils for candle making, there is an array of scents and fragrances you can try.

Whether you want to boost your mood, cleanse the air, or create a calming atmosphere, it's easy to find an oil to suit your mood.

Most early-stage candle makers prefer to start out using a single oil scent, before experimenting with other blends once they have built up confidence.

We’re put together a list of the 10 best essential oils for candles, so you can enjoy your favourite fragrance anywhere in your home.

Best essential oils for candle making

Here are ten of the best essential oils for candle making:

1. Lavender essential oil creates a calm, soothing effect

One of the most popular essential oils for candle making is lavender essential oil.

The scent is calming and soothing and ideal for anyone who needs to unwind and relax.

Burning a lavender oil candle for a short while before going to bed can also help you to drift off more easily.

2. Give yourself a pick-me-up with peppermint essential oil

If you have a low mood and need an energy boost or want to create an invigorating and lively scent in your home during the day, peppermint essential oil is ideal.

In aromatherapy, the oil is also used by some people to relieve muscle tension and ease ongoing headaches.

3. Use eucalyptus essential oil to combat colds and infections

If you are bunged up because of a cold, struggle with allergies or are managing an asthmatic condition, eucalyptus oil is one of the best essential oils for candle making.

It’s a scent often used during the colder months to fight colds and flus as it can improve breathing and respiratory health.

4. Lemon essential oil brings bright, uplifting energy into your home

One of the most popular citrus fragrances is lemon essential oil.

It's a refreshing scent that always smells great around your home, bringing with it a touch of spring and summer.

Lemon oil can reinvigorate the senses and also help to improve your focus and concentration.

5. Calm feelings of stress and anxiety with lemongrass essential oil

Lemongrass essential oil contains a host of compounds that can offer strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.

If you want to calm stressful or anxious thoughts, or need to ease nausea symptoms, burning a lemongrass essential oil candle can offer some respite.

One of the best essential oil blends for candles is lemongrass and lavender, which is perfect for relaxation.

6. Sweet orange essential oil revitalises and refreshes the air

Releasing the fragrance of sweet orange essential oil into the air is a great way to lift your spirits and it may also be beneficial for your skin.

The oil has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicines to treat coughs, colds and infections, so it can also contribute to overall wellness.

7. Bask in the warm glow of frankincense essential oil

Frankincense essential oil is one of the oldest fragrances in the world, with its woody, aromatic scent enjoyed by people for well over 6,000 years.

Not only does it possess anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties, but its scent can bring a sense of calm to improve your mental health in difficult moments.

8. Cedarwood essential oil turns your home into a warm, cosy den

If you want to huddle up away from the cold, then there are few better options than cedarwood essential oil.

The scent is woody and grounding and because the oil also contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it may also be able to improve respiratory function and the health of your skin.

9. Cleanse and purify the air with tea tree essential oil

Tea tree essential oil is renowned for its cleansing and purifying qualities, whilst also bringing with it antifungal and antibacterial properties.

This is why many people burn tea tree candles in their kitchens and bathrooms and if you have a cold or cough it can also help to clear airways to boost respiratory health.

10. Ylang ylang essential oil offers tranquillity and relaxation

Ylang ylang essential oil is extracted from the Cananga odorata Tree and is most famous for its use in the legendary Chanel No. 5 perfume.

When added to a candle recipe, its beautiful scent can boost confidence, lower stress levels and may also be able to reduce blood pressure and boost immune response.

How to use essential oils for candle making

When embarking on DIY candle making, incorporating essential oils is simple. Here’s how to get started:

• Choose your essential oil blend: Start with one essential oil or experiment with a relaxing candle scents like lavender and lemongrass.
• Prepare your wax: Melt your wax and add the essential oils once it reaches the right temperature (around 60°C) to preserve the fragrance.
• Pour the wax: After mixing the oils, pour the wax into your candle containers and let them set.
• Burn and enjoy: Once set, light your candles to enjoy the relaxing benefits of your homemade creation.

If you are looking for the best essential oils for candle making in the UK, our list of ten oils will give you a good starting point.

To create a calm, relaxing atmosphere, lavender and lemongrass can ease stress and anxiety, whilst citrus oils like lemon and orange help to boost mood and reinvigorate the air.

The candle making part is also relatively straightforward, so once you find a recipe you can trust, you won’t have to be an expert to mould and scent the wax.

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