How to make easy DIY candles
8.12.2025
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Pictures: Pia Seidel
Do you have a few old (jam) jars sitting in a cupboard? Perfect! They’re ideal containers for making your own decorative candles. You’ll have them ready in no time and they’ll make for a pretty little present with a personal touch.
I can count on one hand how many times I’ve given homemade gifts. It’s strange, because I actually love crafting and like receiving handmade gifts best. So this year, I’m focussing on festive gifts and stocking fillers I’ve made myself. By the way, my editorial colleagues have been joining in with their own gift creations. You’ll find the links to their ideas at the bottom of this page as soon as they’ve been published.
My project: making candles with a decorative extra.
What you’ll need:
- Heatproof containers such as old glass teacups, jam jars, etc.
- Wax beads (I use rapeseed wax)
- A pot to melt the wax
- Wicks with a metal base
- Decoration such as dried flowers or oranges, tea leaves, spices, aniseed stars, cinnamon sticks, etc.
- A few kebab sticks
- Tweezers
- Scissors
How to make your candle
Step 1: preparing
Wash your containers to remove any dirt or residue and dry well. This is particularly important if you’re upcycling. I went for a couple of shot glasses from a second-hand shop (can they take the heat?), a jam jar and an aluminium cream container to give them a second life as a candle.
Step 2: melting the wax
Put the wax beads in a pan (preferably one you’ll be using for this purpose only) and melt them on the lowest heat. Keep in mind that this will take a while. The wax only needs to turn liquid, not cause a nuclear meltdown. A slow melt also makes the wax cool down more quickly later on and prevents the wick from losing its footing.
Step 3: positioning the wick
Take the wick, briefly dip its metal foot into the liquid wax and push it against the bottom of your container. The wax will serve as an adhesive. Then leave to cool briefly.
Make sure your candle wick is long enough for your container. Jars with a large diameter are best equipped with two or three wicks to ensure the wax melts evenly and not just in the middle.
Step 4: pouring
Now it’s time to carefully fill your container with the liquid wax.
Step 5: positioning the wick
Make sure your wick’s pointing upwards and isn’t lying flat against the wax. The best way to do this is to place kebab skewers over the edge of the container (I didn’t have any, so used knives instead). They serve as a support to keep the wick in an upright position. By the way: If the metal foot comes loose from the base, this means the wax poured onto it was too hot.
Step 6: decorating and cooling
This is where things get a little tricky. Getting the timing right is crucial for the decoration. The wax should still be moist and soft on top, but still offer enough resistance so that heavy elements, such as cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices or star anise don’t sink in.
To get it right, wait until the transparent wax starts to look glassy and milky. What’s very important is to keep enough distance between the decoration and the wick. I placed mine too close to the wick on one candle and the star anise went up in flames immediately. For a visual extra, sprinkle a pinch of tea or spice blend on top and press down gently. Or carefully add dried flowers using tweezers.
To prevent cracks and uneven parts, I recommend letting the candles cool down at room temperature instead of putting them outside or in the fridge.
Step 7: trimming the wick
Lastly, trim the wick so that it sticks out of the wax surface by about one centimetre.
Very, very important!
I can’t stress enough that these candles primarily serve a decorative purpose. If the recipient still wants to light one, please tell them to always keep an eye on it. Even if you’ve placed the cinnamon stick or the like at a distance from the wick, it can still catch fire easily. In addition, the decoration might start leaning towards the wick as the wax starts to melt over time. If you want to minimise the risk, simply remove flammable materials from the candle first.
Looking for more DIY gift inspiration?
My colleague Pia had a go at making paper vases:
Header image: Pia Seidel
Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
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