Ever since man “invented” fire, he knew it was a great source of light and the use of candles has been prevalent since antiquity. Egyptians used beeswax candles and evidence of crude candles were found in caves in France. These crude methods involved using animal fat and beeswax while burning them on leaves or twigs. While the process of candle burning is still the same, the process of candle making is quite different today.

Candles are typically made of a wax called paraffin wax, sometimes they can also be made of beeswax and lately a popular medium is soy wax. Paraffin is a natural substance that comes from plants and can be purchased from refineries or specialty stores. Beeswax, as the name implies, comes from the honey bee and is actually what the use to make those intricate honeycombs. When making a candle, a wick made from cotton fibers is placed in the middle of the melted wax and left there as the wax dries. Some candles have more than one wick and some have thicker wicks making the flame bigger.

If you want to start candle making, then you probably want to start off small. Although it is rather an easy process it can be dangerous as the wax is very hot and can cause severe burns. Once you have made a few basic candles, and you have the process down pat, you can move on to different colors, scents, shapes and sizes.

You can buy the supplies for making candles at most craft stores and they don’t have to be too expensive. You want to just get the basics at first and once you decide you like the hobby, then go ahead and splurge on some of those expensive accessories. Making candles is not something that happens quickly and it can be quite messy so be prepared to set aside a good amount of time for setup, making and cleanup.

Candle making can be a fun hobby, but you can also turn it into a profitable business. Watch out, though because if you really enjoy the hobby you might discover it isn’t that much fun once you have to do it in the confines of a business and you might be better off leaving it for a fun and enjoyable activity you can do in your spare time.