Candle-making became a craft in England in the 13th century, when the cheapest variety was made from used kitchen fat, giving them a smoky flame. The more pleasant variety, made from beeswax, were too expensive for ordinary people, although they were used in church ceremonies.
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Scented candles have been around for hundreds of years, with incense sticks and boiled cinnamon added to the wax to mask the smell of animal fats, but it wasn't until the 1980s that scented candles became hugely popular in their own right to make the home smell pleasant.
Small businesses have enjoyed a boom in candle sales, with an increase of 71% since 2016. Today, the UK candle economy is worth an estimated £1.9 billion per year.
What are the benefits of making DIY scented candles?
Rather than spending a fortune buying expensive scented candles in retail stores, it's easy to make your own. Not only will they cost you a lot less, you can also have fun making them and choosing the scents that you really like.
It's easy to bring the rich, spicy scents of autumn into your home, so you can cosy up in front of the fire while enjoying the aroma of pumpkin, apples and cinnamon. They make great home décor, as well as brilliant presents – and it’s not too early to be thinking about Christmas!
According to aromatherapists, candles can also improve your mood, providing the perfect atmosphere to induce a sense of well-being. If you're feeling anxious, burning candles with a soothing and pleasant aroma can help with anxiety. People light candles during meditation to improve their feelings of calm.
Candles can also create a romantic atmosphere, as nothing can beat the flickering glow of scented candles at that romantic dinner for two.
Read on to find out how to get crafty and bring the scents of the fall into your home with these DIY candle ideas...
What materials do you need to make candles?
The first thing is to decide what you will use to make the wax. Paraffin is the traditional wax used in candle-making for hundreds of years and remains the most popular choice today.
If you prefer all-natural products, seek an alternative wax, such as soy. Created in the 1990s when people started looking for natural alternatives, soy is made with soybean oil and easily accepts colours and scents.
The third choice is beeswax, the more luxurious candle-making material. A by-product of the honey-making process, it is the most expensive of the three and can cost up to five times as much as paraffin or soy. You might pay as little as £1.50 for 1 lb of paraffin or soy wax, but you might be expected to pay £7.50-plus for the same amount of beeswax.
When choosing a wick, remember the wrong one can ruin your candle. They are normally sold in small, medium or large sizes and it's always best to go for the large when it comes to homemade candles - your candle is likely to have a diameter of a few inches and the large wick will burn better.
You will also need cups, glasses or other more decorative containers to hold the candles.
Choosing the fragrance
All scented candles are made with fragrance oils. Without the fragrance, a candle will look pretty but it just won't have the same effect as one with a pleasant aroma. There are literally hundreds of perfumed oils around. Some people use essential oils, or you can buy specially made candle fragrances.
Some of the most popular candle fragrances for autumn include a blend of clove, sandalwood and amber; spruce; apples and maple; whisky; buttered rum; apple and bourbon.
How to make a candle
First, melt the wax by putting boiling water in a pan on top of the hob and placing the wax in a heatproof container on top, stirring it with a spatula to help it melt more quickly. Melt about half a pound of wax - it will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
While the wax is melting, fix the wick to the bottom of the candle holder. You can use superglue, but a better way is to fix it down with molten wax. Once the wax has melted, add your chosen fragrance oils. The best bet is to add 1 oz of fragrance per 1 lb of wax.
Pour the mixture into your container, keeping a light hold of the wick so it stays in the centre and doesn't disappear into the molten wax. The wax normally hardens in around five minutes. Wait until it's fully hard and then trim the wick to the desired length, which should be around a quarter-of-an-inch.
Finally, enjoy your candle. You can make as many as you want, in every different fragrance imaginable, for a fraction of the price you would pay at a retail store.
Store your finished candles safely, in a lidded box, so they retain their fragrance.