Inside My Candle Making Process

By Natalie Johnson

Although the idea of candle making, for many people evokes hygge—cozy rooms, soft light, and an almost effortless calm, it is actually a quite difficult, sometimes exhausting process, and as anyone who makes candles will tell you, there is a science to it. After several years of candle making every which way—with soy wax, paraffin wax, beeswax, in containers, metal molds, silicone molds, you name it—I can attest to this. I can also attest to having used credit cards to scrape spilled wax off my counters, having used candle mold putty that was an absolute joke and left my kitchen and hands covered in dyed wax, and having made my husband go in the bathroom yet again to sniff my tester candle to make sure I got the throw (that’s candle speak for how well a candle disperses fragrance into a room) just right.

Candles at Juniper boutique in Summerland, CA

I am not a perfectionist at all, however, I care about making a quality product. I know that there are a lot of candles on the market, but many of them, quite frankly, are subpar. After pouring hundreds of candles, I can say that the Buzz Botanical Soy Wax Ritual Candle is, in my opinion, a peak candle. I’ve made many beautiful candles with crystals, flowers, herbs, etc., but let’s be honest, those fancy candles are for visual appeal. They make amazing gifts and when I make one for myself, I leave it on my coffee table to admire its beauty for at least two weeks before actually daring to light it. To me, candles are about more than visual appeal, they are about atmosphere. Nothing creates better atmosphere than a soft glow and the light but distinct scent of essential oils filling the air.

What is so special about essential oils, you ask? Don’t worry, I am not going to recruit you for an MLM, although I realize I am starting to sound a bit salesy here. If you’d like to know why essential oils are more natural than fragrance oils, I have another blog post on that topic that you can check out here. Today I am talking about why they produce the best candle. Not just for your lungs or for the environment, but for your daily relaxation ritual.

Essential oils, when burned with pure soy wax, scent your space in the most magical way that I can’t even really describe. It’s light, but not in a way that leaves you wanting more scent, if that makes sense. It’s defined, but not in a way that gives you a headache. A soy wax candle scented with good essential oils relaxes you in a way that no other candle can, in my opinion. It may need to burn longer than a cheaper fragrance oil candle, but once the scent hits your nose, it’s well worth it!

A very messy spill!

And why is soy wax so important to the equation? Soy wax is like a wool sweater, not a sequined jacket. It’s warm, breathable, and meant to be lived in. Not dramatic or flashy, but comfortable and reliable. Even completely on its own, without any essential oils, it has a soft, beautiful scent. It creates a slower, cleaner burn with a steadier flame and allows the essential oils to smell like themselves. Soy wax is also made from a renewable plant source, making it a more sustainable option than petroleum-based waxes.

After years of experimenting with different candle wicks, I’ve found that hemp wicks are the best. They’re more substantial than cotton so they burn slower and more consistently, which prevents against excess soot, flickering, and tunnelling (ack!).

All of this is not to say that I never make an exception to my essential oil + soy wax + hemp wick formula (For example, it is one of my biggest woes in life that I’ve never been able to create a genuine “Christmas Tree” scent with EOs, so once a year I will make an exception and order some Balsam Fir fragrance oil!). However, here at Buzz Botanicals we are focused on bringing you everyday wellness essentials that can be used, well, every day! And if you’re looking for an everyday candle that you can feel good about in terms of scent, safety, sustainability, and cost, the Soy Wax Ritual Candle is it!

Soy Wax Ritual Candle in Lavender