Gel wax melts are a lot of fun to make, with their translucent appearance allowing you to add a whole host of embeds, colours and fragrances to create unique designs.

Compared to traditional wax melts, they are also less messy to clean up after they have finished burning, so you can simply peel the wax away to leave behind a clean tray. If you want to learn how to make gel wax melts, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide for you to follow.

Can you reuse gel wax melts?

You can reuse gel wax melts because no matter how many times you burn them, the gel will not evaporate. However, as with any other type of melt, the fragrance will expire over time, although it will last longer than melts made from soy, beeswax and more traditional types of wax. You should expect a gel wax melt to give you up to 40 hours of burn time, as the gel has a much higher melting point. To get the most out of your melt, turn it over after every use (ensuring the gel wax melt has cooled) so the fragrance can disperse evenly around the room.

How to make gel wax melts

To make great gel wax melts, you’ll need to gather some equipment and ingredients. Check that you have the following ready in the kitchen:

• Essential oils or fragrance oils
• Gel wax
• Candle dye (optional)
• Glass or plastic containers/moulds
• Double boiler
• Stirring utensil
• Pouring jug
• Weighing scales
• Thermometer

How to make gel wax melts method

To learn how to make jelly wax melts, follow the steps below:

1. Prepare the wax: Ensure you have a clear and clean space to work with and then weigh 100g of gel wax and set it aside.
2. Melt the wax: Take a medium-sized pan and pour about two inches of water before turning on the heat until it starts to simmer. Next, take a heat-resistant container that fits neatly into the pot, with the base sitting just above the water without touching it. Add 100g of gel wax to the heat-resistant container. Do not allow the heat to go up above 110°C, and continue to gently stir the gel until it is fully melted.
3. Add the colour dye: Take the pot off the heat and add the colour dye. The best way to do this is by pouring a small amount at a time, and mixing it in until you achieve your desired colour tone.
4. Mix in the fragrance: Use a 10% fragrance ratio for your gel wax melts, which equates to 10g of essential or fragrance oil for 100g of gel wax. Pour it into the mixture and gently stir.
5. Let the wax cool: Pour the gel into containers and set aside so the wax can cool. This will take about 3-4 hours, and then the melts are ready to use.

If you want to decorate your wax gel melts, you need to do this before step 1. Flowers and petals are a lovely addition, or you can try wax pieces or fruit. Once the wax is added, you should only see minimal movement, and you can adjust the embeds with tweezers if needed.

Whether you are learning how to make gel wax melts in the UK or anywhere else, you can use our step-by-step instructions above to make the process much easier. Most people choose to buy ready-made gel wax, but if you want to go a step further you can also make your own by combining thermoplastic resin powder and white mineral oil, although the instructions are a little more complicated.