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The whole truth about using essential oils in candle making

  • The whole truth about using essential oils in candle making

    Recently, essential oils have become extremely popular in candles and body care products. Aromatherapy has suddenly become a panacea. So ... do essential oils really deserve this fame? We won't write about aromatherapy or cosmetics. We are interested in the use of essential oils in candles. 

    WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS?

    Essential oils are natural, often fragrant, highly concentrated plant extracts. They can be extracted from the roots, leaves, stems, flowers or fruits of plants using a process called distillation.
    Essential oils are strong, 100% natural and can be extracted from lavender, cedar, geranium, ylang-ylang, orange, cinnamon leaf, cypress, patchouli, lemon, vetiver, clove, sage and balsam ... We haven't even mentioned half of them. And how many more are there!

    WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ESSENTIAL OILS?

    We'll start with the good stuff.
    • The essential oils are 100% natural. Who wouldn't like that? This is by far the biggest advantage of using essential oils in candle making.
    • In the information age, many candle manufacturers and cosmetic companies are changing to use more natural ingredients in their products.
    • The use of natural ingredients is particularly appealing to consumers, who are increasingly taking this into account when purchasing cosmetics and home care products
    • The scent of essential oils is very strong and concentrated and is valued for its therapeutic and mood-enhancing properties. For example, studies have shown that lavender can calm and reduce anxiety, while citrus scents can provide energy and improve mood.

    WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF USING ESSENTIAL OILS IN CANDLE MAKING?

    • In candle making, essential oils give off a faint aroma. We don't want to upset you, but we want to be open and honest. Yes, essential oils do give off a very strong aroma, but if you plan to use 100% essential oil to scent your candles, it will give off very little aroma when the candle is burning, even though the unlit candle will smell great.
    • Many essential oils break down at higher temperatures as the candle burns, so the scent won't be as strong and can be disappointing.After testing thousands of candles, we've seen this for ourselves. We have also found that some essential oils give off an unpleasant, even musty smell when burning.
    • Essential oils can also sometimes change with heat, so be sure to pay attention to how this will affect your product and test
    • Essential oils are expensive. If you plan to use 100% essential oil for your candles, be prepared to spend more and don't be fooled.
    • Essential oils are pure extracts (not synthetically created) and it can take a lot of natural materials to extract a drop of oil. For example, you would need 113 kg of lavender to produce 450 g of lavender essential oil and 4535 kg of rose petals to produce 450 g of rose oil! Genuine rose or jasmine essential oil costs more than €1000 per kg, so we doubt if any mid-priced candle maker uses it in the scents of the products they create.
    • Not all aromas can be extracted from essential oils. Some substances simply don't exist in their natural form, so you can't physically create scents like caramel, chocolate, cherry, cotton, etc.

    OUR TIPS FOR USING ESSENTIAL OILS IN CANDLE MAKING

    • Use scented oils specially formulated for candles. Please make sure that these products are phthalate-free and have not been tested on animals. Scents specially formulated for candles will not disappoint you and will give off a great scent whether the candle is burning or not. We offer Aurae products for your scent. We have spent a lot of time and effort in selecting them so that only quality products reach you.
    • If you still want to use natural oils in your products, feel free to suggest natural oils. Natural oil formulas are based on and identical to essential oils. The molecules that are combined give off the same scent, but the products are adapted for candle making. With them, you can make candles that smell great (whether they are lit or not), and the fact that your candles have been made with natural essential oils means that you can use this in marketing. It is also more cost-effective than using 100% pure essential oils.
    • If you are absolutely determined to use 100% natural essential oils, look for multi-oil blends rather than simple oils made from a single ingredient. This makes for a more sophisticated and sophisticated scent. We also recommend avoiding citrus oils.

    A word of advice.
    • Add the essential oil to the wax mixture when the wax has cooled slightly to prevent the scent from evaporating. Stir the melted wax and fragrance for at least 120 seconds.