In the past, making candles was a matter of having light for the hours of darkness. Candles burned much cleaner than some other ways of getting light for homes before the invention and widespread use of electric lights. Today, making candles is an enjoyable hobby and a creative way to prepare gifts for friends. Soy candle making supplies are readily available on the Internet and instruction can be found in any of the many candle making kits.

Soy wax is the most important component of a soy candle. Soy wax is economical and burns longer than some of the other types of wax. Soy wax is clean burning with a steady light. Soy wax comes from the same soybeans that are grown for food and animal crops. Some soy waxes are mixed with small amounts of beeswax to make them even more attractive to the chandler hobbyist.

You will need wicks for most candles. There are several different types of wicks that can be used in your soy candle. If you prefer, you can create a candle with no wick. If you choose to use wicks, they may be made with a cotton core or with a hemp core. Either type of wick is firm enough to use in a candle. Using a cotton core wick reduces carbon build-up, since the flame burns hot. A hemp core is enclosed in cotton fibers.

If you want to add soft color to your candles, dyes that are environmentally friendly are available. These colors are available in different intensities from pale to deep, depending upon the amount of pigment that you add. Pigment can come in liquid, gel or solid form so that you can determine the preferred way to add color. Liquid dye or color blocks can be melted into the liquid wax, or they may be used separately for dipped and sculptured candles.

Many chandlers like to add their aromatherapy oils to the soy wax for home or gift use. In this instance, only a few drops of scent are needed to permeate the entire room as the wax in the candle warms. You may use standard scents, including floral, spice or musk.

Inventive chandlers use all sorts of jars to form a holder for the candle wax and wick. Unless you are experienced in candle-making, you may want to limit your experiments to smaller containers at first. Once you become familiar with how the wax behaves in different environments, you can branch out and let your imagination be your guide. Standard decorative jars can be purchased online.

Many experienced chandlers delight in using different items as molds for the candles they design. Milk or juice cartons for rectangular shapes, water-filled balloons for a round dipped candle are fun for experimenting. If you browse the Internet, you can find dozens of molds for decorative and interesting candle shapes.

Soy candle making supplies cost less than an equivalent amount of beeswax or paraffin wax. Soy candles leave a lesser carbon footprint on the earth than paraffin. Thanks to the various types of candle jars, colors, and scents, the variety of candles that can be created is unlimited.