Why Make Your Own Magical Candles?

As witches, our spells are powered by our intentions and energy as we interact with the universe and our magical materials. The more energy we can pour into our magical tools, the more powerful they’ll be in spell work. That’s why, whenever I can, I’ll use homemade tools. I’ve noticed that my intentions manifest faster when I power my spells with tools I’ve created with my own hands.

How to Make Candles for Your Spells and Rituals

Candle Making Material List

My advice here is to do your own research since there are pros and cons of each material. Pick the supplies that you’re comfortable using and that are within your budget. Trust your intuition!

Candle Wax: There are many options you can choose, but the three most popular waxes to use are beeswax, soy wax, and paraffin wax.

• Beeswax is the longest burning wax of the three I’ve mentioned and it’s all natural. It carries with it a slightly “honey” odor, so keep that in mind if you plan on adding essential oils. The downside of beeswax is that it’s pretty expensive.
• Soy Wax is less expensive than beeswax, but it doesn’t burn quite as long. This wax is all natural and holds scent really well. It works best when poured into jars or heat-safe containers. Soy wax tends to be more brittle than the other two waxes, so it’s difficult to use this wax for pillar candles or other candle molds.
• Paraffin Wax is popular because it’s available in most craft stores and it’s least expensive of these three waxes. It’s a durable wax that can be used with any kind of candle molds. The downside of this wax is that it has the fastest burn time of the three. Also, it comes from petroleum oil. There are some people who say that this wax emits potentially harmful chemicals when it burns. This hasn’t been proven though, and there are many sources who say this wax is perfectly fine to burn, especially if you open a window or use an exhaust fan while burning this wax. Again, do your own research here and pick the wax that works for your needs.

Double Boiler Pot: Look for a cheap double boiler pot at a second-hand store. You won’t be able to use this for anything else besides candle making because wax is near impossible to clean completely. Don’t spend a lot of money on this.

Heat Proof Spoon: You’ll use this for stirring your wax. Use something heat proof so it doesn’t melt in the wax. Also, see if you can get this second hand as well. You’ll never be able to get it totally wax-free after you use it.

Candle Thermometer: You can use this to keep track of the wax temperature as you’re heating or cooling the wax. Each wax has slightly different heating directions, so be sure to follow the instructions that come with the wax you’ve chosen to use.

Wooden Dowels: These are used to center your wick and poke holes in the center of your candle as it’s drying to ensure there are no hollow areas in the finished candle.

Candle Wicks: The two most popular wick options are cotton wicks and wood wicks. Both are inexpensive and available online or at craft stores. Soak the cotton wicks in essential oil and wax before you start your candle making. The wood wicks don’t need any prep work. I like these because they make a pleasant “crackle”-sound as they burn like a witchy bonfire. You’ll also need to buy metal wick holders and some kind of wick adhesive to connect the wick to the base of the mold or candle jar.

Note: Read the wick instructions first to ensure you’re using the right wick for the right sized candle.

Candle Jars: Mason jars are perfect for candle making because they’re inexpensive and are meant to withstand heat. You can also purchase glass, ceramic or metal candle containers. Remember to make sure your containers are heat-safe. It might be tempting to use a cute juice glass or an old vase, but DO NOT do this. It’s a huge safety hazard.

Candle Molds: Instead of making your candle in a jar, you can use a traditional pillar candle mold or purchase a witchy candle mold from an online witchcraft shop. Seven-knob candle molds, human figure molds, and flower-shaped molds are great for magic.

Set Your Intention for Your Candles

It’s helpful to know what you plan on using your candles for before you start the process. Your intention may affect what herbs and oils you use, the color of the candle, and the energy your cultivate as you’re making the candle. I make a batch of candles with all the same magical properties at once so I save time on cleaning.

Cleanse Your Materials

Once you know what materials you’re using, you’ll need to cleanse them before you begin your candle making process. Just like any other magical tool you purchase, your candle making supplies will be loaded with all kinds of random energy from the store they came from, the delivery process, and the moods of the people who handled the materials before you.

Because I usually have a good-sized collection of candle making supplies (pots, spoons, wax, wicks, etc), I use smoke cleansing (or “recaning” as it’s sometimes called) to cleanse everything at once. I light an incense stick and allow the smoke to pass over all my materials. Sandalwood, Cedar and White Sage incense sticks work well for cleansing. If this method doesn’t work for you for any reason, try letting the sun cleanse your materials.

You can do this by leaving your materials out in the sunlight for several hours. I like this method because the sun has a bright, fiery energy, and your candles will bring that same fiery energy to your spells.

Candle Colors

After you’ve melted the wax according to the directions specific to the wax you’ve chosen, you can add your colorant. I recommend using colored soy wax chips available online or at most craft stores. It’s the most natural option that will give your candles gorgeous, vibrant colors.

Another option is liquid candle dye, but I haven’t been able to get colors any darker than a pastel shade even when I add a lot more than I think I’ll need. Keep in mind your melted wax will look significantly lighter when it dries. It’s very hard to predict how the color will look until a couple hours later.

Steer clear of food colorings because those won’t blend properly with the wax. I also don’t recommend melting crayons into your wax. The crayon wax has a tendency to clog the wick, making your candle unusable.

Here’s an overview of what candle colors work well for different spells:

This list is by no means complete. Use this as a starting point for your spell candles.

• Purple candles can be used for spells relating to intuition, confidence, clairvoyance, and increasing your connection to the spiritual.
• Orange candles can be used for spells about courage, creativity, and goal setting.
• Blue candles can be used for communication, problem-solving, and learning spells.
• Green or gold candles can be used for spells around luck, prosperity, and money.
• Pink or Red candles can be used for relationships spells such as romantic love, self-love, friendships, and family relationships.
• Black candles can be used for spells relating to ambition, banishing, and home blessings.
• White or brown candles can be used for abundance, success, and peace spells.

Spell Candle Scents

Most candle making recipes advise you to add the scent right before you pour the wax into your molds or jars. This keeps the scent as strong as possible. You can either use candle fragrances available at craft stores or use pure essential oil to add scent. I recommend using essential oil because it’s natural and it’s commonly used for magic among witches.

The downside is this can get expensive, especially when you’re using them in your candle making. It takes about one hundred drops of essential oil per pound of wax to make your candle smell good.

When I make candles to use in my witchcraft, I’m not necessarily after the smell. I’m more interested in knowing the oils are in there to support my spell work. Because of this, I usually only use enough oil in my candle to perform my magic. If I know there’s rose oil in my love candle, I don’t worry about whether or not I can smell it.

How to Add Magic to the Candle Making Process

Using Magical Objects In Your Spell Candles

Experiment with adding objects to your candle while the wax is wet like coins or an old earring for abundance spell candles. Try adding herb powders or dried leaves that go with the candle’s intention. Use the herbs from a jasmine tea bag for love and dream spell candles. If you have any crystal chips you’d like to use in your magic, drop those into the wax as well.

If the wax hasn’t cooled enough, all of these items will sink right to the bottom. If you notice this happening, wait another ten minutes and try again. As the candled hardens, you’ll be able to evenly distribute your magical items throughout the candle.

Make sure you know how each object will react the heat and flames. Never leave your candle unattended, especially if you’d added herbs or any other flammable materials. You don’t need to use a lot of herbs in your wax, just enough to perform your magic. Use caution if you choose to add these materials into your candle.

Visualize Your Magical Intention

Begin your magic spells while you’re making your candle by starting your intention as you heat up your wax. While you wait for the wax to melt completely, visualize your desired outcome for the spell. This will add so much power to your candle because it can take up to 30 minutes to melt a couple pounds of wax. That’s enough time to get really detailed with your vision.

Drawing Sigils While Stirring

You’ll need to stir the wax frequently as it melts. I like to use my spoon to write out words in the melting wax that support my magical intention. Phrases like “new job” or “abundance” will charge the wax you plan to use for your money candle. You can also draw dollar signs or sigils that hold meaning for you.

Perform a White Light Meditation

Candle making involves a lot of waiting around. I’ll perform a white light meditation while I wait for my candles to harden enough to add some herbs, glitter or crystal bits. To do the meditation, I hold my hands over the drying candles and imagine a white light floating down from the sky, into the crown of my head, and out through my fingertips where it seeps into my candle wax.

Use the Lunar Cycles to Add Power to Your Candles

The new moon and full moon phases in the lunar cycle are very powerful. Any candles you make during these phases will have maximum manifesting power. If you want to make candles on other days in the lunar cycle consider coordinating your candle intentions to the moon’s energy. You may choose to set the intention “to attract” or “to grow” for the candles you make during the waxing moon. The candles you make during the waning moon can be charged with “banishing” or “releasing” intentions.

Try Making Different Types of Magical Candles

Multi-Colored Layered Candles

You can make a candle with different color layers on top of each other by filling half of your candle mold with one color and waiting an hour or so for it to harden completely. Then pour the second color to fill the rest of the container. These candles can have two different intentions that go together in some way. Maybe you want blue wax on the top of your “relationship” candle to help you communicate with your significant other more clearly, and red wax on the bottom to cultivate passion and strengthen your romantic love.

You can also use candle layers to represent each day of the spell. Try making candles with seven layers for a week-long candle spell.

Two-Toned Center Candles

You can make the outside of your candle a different color from the inside. This type of candle can be used for reversing spells or dual-intention spells. To create this effect, use a candle mold to make the inside of your candle. Wait for the wax to dry completely. Next, place the candle in a larger mold or jar and pour a different color wax to fill the space between the container and the already hardened wax.

Knotted Wick Candle Spell

Take a cotton wick and make seven knots spaced evenly along the length of the string. Set the intention for your spell and charge the wick with that intention as your tie each knot. Attach the wick to the bottom of your candle mold or container as you normally would and pour in the wax.

Burn this candle for seven days, extinguishing the candle once it burns through the next knot. By the end of the seventh day your spell is complete.

Simple Tea Light Spell Candles

If you don’t have time to make a whole batch of candles, take a handful of tea lights, place them on a foil-covered baking sheet and heat them in the oven until the tops of them begin to soften. Take out the tea lights and sprinkle your mixture of magical herbs, oils, crystal bits or glitter onto the melted wax. Use these quick and easy tea lights in your spells. I particularly like using glitter with these little tea lights because the glitter makes interesting shapes in the wax as it burns. I experiment with “reading” the glitter puddles after my ritual to see if my intuition finds any meaning in the designs.

Be a Crafty Witch

Your homemade magical toolkit doesn’t have to stop with candles. There are so many ways to create your own witchy supplies. Try growing your own herbs, making your own oracle deck and writing your own spells. Use your imagination to explore all the ways you can get crafty with your witchcraft.

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Updated on August 20, 2023 by Avery Hart