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Can You Make Gel Wax Candles with Essential Oils?
Can You Make Gel Wax Candles with Essential Oils?
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Antonyblogger
1 post
Dec 12, 2025
11:45 PM
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When you are getting into the candle-making business and you are thinking about making clear, contemporary designs, chances are that you have been introduced to gel wax as an alternative. However, is it safe to add essential oils to these candles of uniqueness? The simple answer is yes, with some significant qualifications. We shall delve into all that you must know to make pretty, sweet-smelling gel wax candles.
Additionally, if you're exploring other ways to incorporate fragrance into your candles, you might also want to consider wax melts as a great alternative to traditional candles. Wax melts offer a cleaner, more direct way to enjoy your favorite scents without the need for a flame, making them an excellent addition to your candle-making repertoire.
What Makes Gel Wax Different?
Gel wax is not really wax. It is a combination of mineral oil and that forms a transparent, jelly-like consistency. This material is ideal in decorative candles, unlike conventional paraffin or soy wax, in which you can make beautiful transparent designs incorporating objects inside the wax— a feature that is not achievable in traditional wax. Nevertheless, its special make-up makes you smell it in a different way compared to how you would a traditional candle.
The Essential Oil Challenge
Whereas essential oils are great in traditional wax candles, they have certain challenges when it comes to gel wax. Essential oils are volatile substances that evaporate easily at high temperatures. Because gel wax must be heated to about 200-220°C (93-104°F) to pour properly, a lot of your desired fragrance in essential oils can be lost before the candle even solidifies.
Also, essential oils have lower flash points compared to synthetic fragrance oils, meaning they are more likely to burn or cause safety hazards when mixed with the greater melting point of gel wax. This does not imply that it is impossible; it only requires additional care and experience.
Best Practices for Scenting Gel Candles
Provided that you are eager to use essential oils in gel wax-based candles, here are the best practices to follow:
Temperature Control: After taking the gel off the heat and letting it cool a bit (approximately 180-190°C), you can add your essential oils. This helps retain a larger proportion of the scent and minimizes the dangers.
Use Higher Concentrations: Since some essential oils will burn off immediately, you’ll need a higher fragrance load, about 6-10% by weight, compared to the 3-5% commonly used in soy or paraffin candles.
Choose Wisely: Thicker oils, such as patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood, and ylang-ylang, work better in gel wax compared to lighter citrus oils that evaporate easily. These stronger scents can survive the heat and offer longer-lasting fragrance.
Test Extensively: Always test small batches before creating multiple candles. Observe the behavior of the essential oil upon cooling and burning. Some oils may cloud the otherwise clear gel wax.
Safety Considerations
Safety should never be compromised when preparing scented gel candles. Always ensure that you use containers rated for high-heat candles, provide good ventilation during the melting process, and never leave melting gel unattended. Always use a thermometer to ensure accurate temperatures.
The very transparent nature of gel wax that makes it aesthetically pleasing will also highlight any overheating or incompatible oils, which can discolor the wax. Furthermore, gel heats more than conventional wax, so any scent-related safety issues may be more serious.
Conclusion
It is possible to make gel wax candles using essential oils, but it is a demanding process in terms of technique, choice of oils, and realistic expectations of the scent. If you are a beginner in the candle-making business, it may be best to begin with fragrance oils in gel candles before attempting essential oils.
Gel candles are beautiful due to their glass-like appearance, which produces stunning effects. Regardless of whether you use essential oils or fragrance oils, the key is balancing aesthetics, scent, and safety to create candles that you will be proud to burn or display.
Ready to Start Creating?
Prepare your materials, begin with testing batches, and enjoy the creative process of making these contemporary candles. And if you’re interested in creating not just candles, but also wax melts for long-lasting fragrance in your home, be sure to check out our selection of wax melt supplies to get started.
Last Edited by Antonyblogger on Dec 12, 2025 11:46 PM
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