Using Scented Beads to Make Homemade Candles

There are many ways to make your own scented candles, and in most cases, it's an easy process. Scented candles can fill your home with lovely aromas from jasmine to delicious food-based scents like vanilla and brown sugar. If you have never made scented candles before, then using scented beads is one of the easiest ways to do so.

When people think of scented beads, they usually think of beads for their bathtub that break and dissolve, leaving behind a lovely scent. Scented beads for candle making work with the same premise—they are made to melt and release the aroma once they do. This technique is also great to use because you can recycle your old candles and make new ones by adding the beads. Before you start, you will need a few old candles, scented beads of your choice, and a tin container.

 
Before you light your old candles, make sure that you're working in an area where the candles cannot cause a fire. Do not work near curtains, heavy drapes, or near flammable materials. Avoid wearing shirts with loose, long sleeves. Once you're ready, light the candles and allow the surface to burn down. Make sure that it burns as evenly as possible. Once the top portion has melted away, blow out the candle and use a potholder to pick up the candle and allow the melted wax to pour into the tin. Take care not to burn yourself or allow children or pets to be near the table during this phase. Open the scented beads and then drop a few into the candle that you just blew out. Make sure that you don't use too many and you space them out evenly. When they are properly positioned, light the candle again. After a few moments, the beads will begin to melt and release their scent.

Using scented beads to enhance your old candles is one of the best ways to recycle them and breathe life into all of those glass candles you might have sitting around the house. There are so many scents available that you're sure to find one that pleases you.

Starting Your Own Candle Business: Steps to Success

There is a great deal of money to be made in niche businesses, and one of the most popular niches today is the candle making business. Candles have enjoyed a surge in popularity recently as an interest in alternative healing and new ideas in home decor have put them in high demand. Scented candles are particularly popular, and you might be surprised at how you can turn your spare time and crafting skills into extra cash. If you're thinking about making and selling your own candles, there are several mistakes that you should avoid.

One of the biggest mistakes that new business owners make is that they jump in with both feet and try to sell their products right away. Usually, a lack of experience in both business and candle making is what causes them to fail. To avoid this error, gain some experience before you begin. If you don't have any idea how to make a website for yourself, hire someone to make one for you or take a college course on Web design. Before you try and sell your candles, take a few weeks and perfect your technique. Try and make a number of different candles of all shapes and sizes and then see which ones you're particularly good at. If you discover that you have a knack for one certain shape of candle, you should practice until you've completely perfected that style. Even if you put up one type of candle at a time on your site, it will benefit you much more than offering a bunch of candles that were made haphazardly. 

Another major mistake that many new business owners make when they decide to sell their own handmade candles is that they lack the proper equipment or space to make their product. Before you set up your work area, you must make sure that you have not only all of the proper tools and scents that you'll need, but that you also have ample space to make your product. If you don't have enough space, you will only become frustrated and maybe even cause yourself injury.

Selling handmade candles can be both fun and profitable. However, you have to be prepared and have the proper space to work if you hope to be successful.

Let Scented Candles Set the Mood for Someone Special

There are a lot of things you can do to set the stage for a romantic evening or afternoon with someone special. You can dim the lighting, set out your finest china, and cook a delicious gourmet meal. You can play soft, romantic music and pick out a funny movie to bond over later in the evening or afternoon. You can also set out scented candles for the added touch to your romantic atmosphere.

The scent and color of your selected candles should correspond in some manner to the romantic environment you are planning. For instance, if you set a vase of red roses in the center of the table, you could choose a rose scented candle. If you are creating a bright, sunny environment for an afternoon of fun, you could choose a yellow candle with a sweet scent.

If you know your loved one’s favorite color, you could go with candle arrangements featuring candles, flowers, and stones in that color. Include complimentary colored candles to create a more elaborate table setting that will set the mood and draw the attention of your special someone to the table.

Candles can also be used to sweeten up the bedroom, bathroom, and even an outdoor patio or deck for this special encounter. You can sit in comfortable chairs and enjoy the glow of the flickering candlelight while taking in the fresh air from a screened porch or back deck. Add your loved one’s favorite drink, a little hand-holding, and hours of entertaining conversation.

Before you set off to add candles to your must-have list of supplies for an upcoming romantic get together, take these final tips for creating a kissable environment for someone special:

1. Position candles of different heights and widths in close arrangement to add impact.

2. Place smaller candles inside glass globes or decorative holders to ensure they do not tip over and look beautiful.

3. Do not place candles near drapes, the edges of tables, or in other positions that may cause a fire while your attention is directed toward your loved one.

4. Coordinate scents throughout your home so you do not have competing scents from room to room.

Take these tips and put together a beautiful evening or afternoon that your loved one will never forget.

Beyond the Candles: Behind the Smell

As you light up your scented candle, lay back and relax, you might have wonder at times what is it in our human brain that makes us smell, causes us to like or dislike certain scents, and seems to encourage our general attitude towards our olfactory environments? In other words, what does it really mean to be able to smell?

In the top part of our nasal passages, there are two yellow-tinted patches hosting about five or six million tiny cells, combined. These are our smell receptors, and the number of cells is directly related to the acuteness of our smell. For example, sniffing expert animals, such as dogs, have about 44x more of these “smell-cells.” And although we cannot begin to compare to our canine friends in this regard, sense of smell is an integral aspect of our daily existence.

Inside of our brains, each smell input is registered and processed at two different levels, in two specific centers. Even before the olfactory sensation enters our cerebral cortex, prompting our cognitive recognition of the smell, the limbic system of our brain is engaged and stimulated. The limbic system is the seat of the rawest of human emotion.

In everyday terms, this means that even before you are able to recognize that you smell something, and decide on what that smell is, the fact is that your body has already emotionally reacted to the sensation. In turn, this primary emotional reaction is going to affect the thought processes involved at the higher cortex levels of perception, influencing the thoughts of pleasantness and unpleasantness.

However, the positive and negative perceptions of smell are not entirely emotional-based. Familiarity plays a very important role in whether we find certain smells pleasant or unpleasant. In many studies, people labeled smells as pleasant, when they were able to readily recognize the source of the smell.

Finally, not all smells are created equal, and nor are all “smellers.” Women tend to significantly outperform men in scent acuteness and sensitivity. Also, we know that sense of smell deteriorates with age, beginning as early as late teens. Yet, there is also good news, which is that practice makes perfect even when it comes to smelling. Through continual stimulation, we can both improve our sense of smell and also prevent its decline with age.

So, let’s keep the scented candles burning and give our brains a good workout.

Tricks with Wicks: Using Scented Candles for Home Decor

Nothing fills a home with fragrance quite like scented candles. These candles, which come in a wide variety of colors and scents, can be used in a number of ways to add a perfect accent to any room, no matter what the season. In the living room, the guest room, the bathroom: no matter where you choose to put them, they please both the eyes and the nose of your family members and guests. If you would like to use scented candles to decorate your home but you’re not sure how to arrange them or which colors or scents you should use, follow the guide below to fill your home with the beauty and rich scents that these candles provide.

For the Bathroom

If you want to use scented candles in order to spruce up your bathroom, keep in mind that you will probably need to utilize a smaller space, but you can do so by using smaller candles on a decorative curved tile. The edges will keep the wax from spilling onto your countertops and will keep the candle stable. If you want to create the illusion of having a bigger bathroom, put some candles in front of a small mirror. The reflection of the flames will make the room look not only bigger, but brighter, too. Make sure that you keep the candles well out of reach of hanging towels and curtains. You can color coordinate this room by using candles that are the same shade as your walls or linens. Some popular scents for the bathroom are pine and vanilla.

 
In the Guest Room

When it comes to decorating a room that no guest will ever want to leave, you can use scented candles in a variety of ways. If your guest room is at a beach house or cottage, use some ocean water or beach grass scented candles on a small table in the corner, along with some matches or instant lighter as an invitation to use them. Many guests are hesitant to light scented candles because they think they’re only for decorative purposes, so make sure you let them know it’s okay to enjoy them. Place the candle on a square tray and surround the base with small seashells or dried starfish. If your guest room is in a country home, add a spray of berries or grapes to the base to a matching candle. Apple pie or cookie scented candles will make them feel right at home.

Seasonal Candles

When you’re using scented candles to decorate your home during the holidays, color and scent should be used together to create an effect that will have your home looking and smelling great. Use green, red, and white candles for Christmas and pick scents like pine, peppermint, and gingerbread. Use both tall and short candles to create groups on Christmas themed trays throughout your home. Decorating with scented candles not only beautifies your home, but it allows you to use your own creative ideas to create fun and festive looks your guests will love.

How to Host a Scented Candle Party

Almost everyone enjoys the smell of a scented candle. From vanilla to cinnamon and jasmine, there is a huge variety to choose from, and they all provoke different memories and images for each person who catches their scent. These candles are growing in both variety and popularity, and if you’re looking for a way to have fun at your next gathering, there is no better way than to have a scented candle making party. These candles are fun and easy to make, and even younger people can manage, with adult supervision. If you want to host a candle making party, there are several steps that you need to take in order to make sure it’s a success.

Planning Your Party

The first thing you’ll need to take care of is a little bit of planning. Sit down and ask yourself a few questions, such as how many people you’ll plan to invite, whether or not it will be an adults only event, and what kind of food you’d like to serve. Will people bring their own candle kits, or will you collect money from them and then supply everything? Usually, people will want to pick out their own kits and decorations, so it’s best to let people choose the candles they want to make and provide a few extras, such as spare bottles of scented oils, wicks, and other supplies. Make sure you let people know well in advance about your party so everyone can plan to come. For a bit of extra fun, you can send out scented invitations. 

Setting up the Kitchen

You’ll probably want to eat before you start your candle making, so plan to have something quick and easy so there won’t be too much trouble with cleanup. Have people bring a dish or a dessert so it’s a potluck affair and you won’t spend the whole day cooking before you host the party. Once everyone eats, prepare the candle-making area by spreading out everything you’ll need: the paraffin, scented oils, wicks, and other supplies. There are several different kinds of waxes that people can choose from, including the kind that’s made specifically to be poured into glass containers, soy wax, gel wax, and even wax that produces a kind of sparkly effect when it dries. Set up a kind of production line so your guests can use the stove one person at a time.

Creating the Candles

While each candle-making kit will come with different instructions, there is a basic formula for making scented candles. First, you set the wick into the mold. Next, melt the wax as instructed by your kit and add the scents and dyes. When it gets to the right temperature, pour it carefully into the mold. Repeat to fill in any cracks. Once the candle is cooled, remove it from the mold and enjoy. Scented candle parties are a fun way to get together with friends and make beautiful candles for your home at the same time.

Spice Up Your Valentine’s Day with Scented Candles

With Valentine’s Day coming up, you might be wondering how to make your spouse or honey feel special. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a big meal at a crowded, overpriced restaurant on Valentine’s Day; instead, you can make it special right in your own home with just a few creative ideas that involve scented candles. Not only are scented candles beautiful and enhance your home with a variety of wonderful smells, but they can also put you and your partner in the mood for love this Valentine’s Day.

Before your spouse or partner arrives home, give your house a quick cleaning and then set out a variety of scented candles. There are three scents that you can use for the evening, each in a different part of your home to set the mood. Use vanilla to create a soothing effect so the scent will gently envelope and calm them when they first step inside. There is nothing more relaxing than this simple but enticing scent, and it will set the mood for the rest of the night. 

When it’s time to eat, let the smells of dinner take over for a bit. Have a light meal that won’t leave you too full for romance afterward. A glass of wine or two will help you unwind as well. Take your time with the meal and engage in some casual conversation. When dinner is over, it’s time to retire to the bedroom. Draw a warm bath for you both and light several ylang ylang scented candles, making sure they’re in an area where they can’t be knocked over. This scent has been a favorite for lovers all over the world for decades, and its light, clean scent is a definite aphrodisiac that will have you both in the mood for love in no time. Scented candles are a perfect way to enhance your romance not only this Valentine’s Day, but any time you want to put your partner in the mood for love.