We hosted a candle making class for Pinterest at the Calyx in the Botanical Gardens. During the workshop participants were able to create their own lemon and orange peel candles and each took home their creation home at the end of the day.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make your own citrus peel candles:
Materials:
- Oranges, lemons or other citrus fruits
- Knife
- Spoon
- Soy Wax
- Container / pot
- Stirrer / stick
- Scissors
- Glue dot or glue gun
- Cotton / candle wick
- Stove or microwave
- Fragrance (optional)
- Colour dye (optional)
Instructions:
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Prepare the Orange:
- Cut the fruit in half horizontally with a knife. Try to cut it as evenly as possible so that the two halves can sit flat on a surface.
- Gently scoop out the flesh of the fruit using a spoon. Be careful not to puncture the peel. Remove as much of the pulp as possible.
- Then place in the fridge to dry.
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Insert the Wick:
- Use a wick slightly taller than the lemon or orange peel and use a glue dot or hot glue gun to attach in the centre of the lemon / orange.
- To secure the wick we have used a plastic holder and placed this in the centre of the lemon / orange for the wick to lean onto.
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Pour the wax:
- Melt your soy wax and in the same container add your fragrance and / or colour dye. We suggest using 5% fragrance for this project. During the class we had a selection of fruity scents e.g lemons, oranges, coconut and pear. You can also experiment by blending scents together and combining coconut with a hint of lemon.
- We also added yellow or orange colour dye to the lemons and oranges to enhance the candles (1 drop of colour). Mix your wax, colour dye and fragrance together with a stirrer or stick.
- Pour your wax into the lemon or orange peel, leaving half a cm to the top.
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Allow to dry:
- Allow your candle to solidify or place in the fridge if you would like to speed up the cooling process.
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Light the Candle:
- Once the wax is solidified light your candle and enjoy the warm glow and fragrance. Never leave the candle unattended. Also note that the lemons and oranges are perishable and will need to be lit within the next 2 days of making the candle.
