Making Votive Candles: Scented or Unscented?

Aromatherapy candles make terrific gifts, and making them yourself can be fun and rewarding.

Here are a few tips to help you get started with one kind, known as the votive candle, and whether you should make it scented or unscented:

Votives originated for spiritual purposes, particularly by churches, so that members could use them for contemplating the passing of loved ones, as well as for other matters of the soul.

The most common wax used for home candle-making is paraffin, as it tends to last longer than other types of wax, such as beeswax, is more easily obtained, and is possibly less costly as well.

Votive candles are easy to make, as they are small and the paraffin is fairly easy to work with. Just melt and pour into tiny holders. Even a shot glass works for this! Place the wick in after it has set a while, but before it becomes solid.

The components you will likely wish to manipulate are color and scent, as plain old white, flat little candles aren't very interesting.

However, left plain and white, the uses would mostly be for lighting and atmosphere, with a gentle flickering, such as part of a centerpiece for a romantic dinner. The dining table is one place you do not want scented candles anyway, as they can interfere with the delicate aromas of the foods prepared.

But setting the scene for other reasons, not related to eating, you may wish to use various scents to achieve different effects.

For example, try the scent of lemons, limes or oranges to enhance one's energy.
For romance, use rose, sandalwood, jasmine or vanilla.

Add some color to the mix for visual appeal.

Enjoy!