Posts Tagged ‘aromatherapy scented candles’
Discount Yankee Candles
Discount Yankee Candles are great when you can find them! Whether you find them online, at an outlet store or just on sale in your area, they are a very popular fragranced jar candle.
The Yankee Candle Company had a very interesting beginning, though, so let's take a minute to tell it, before going shopping!
Did you know that the very first candle made by the company founder was made from melted crayons? Michael Kittredge made the candle as a gift for his mother.
Now obviously he moved on to more traditional candle wax, and soon enough, friends and neighbors were asking to buy his creations. Michael began making more and more and finally decided it was time to officially open a business.
With a little help from high school friends Susan Obremski and Donald MacIver, the Yankee Candle Company was born.
The flagship store still exists in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, and as you might guess, it's a popular tourist attraction.
Buying Discount Yankee Candles Online
For those of you who like to buy online, you can buy discount Yankee candles at the worlds's largest online mall -- ebay.
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 Yankee Candle Green Bamboo Greenhouse Two 22oz Jars  US $28.99
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 Yankee Candle Lavender Two 22oz Jars Limited Time Only US $33.99
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 Yankee Candle Hazelnut Coffee Two 22oz Jars Limited US $31.99
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Enjoy your richly scented Yankee jar candle!
Tags: How to Make Gel Candles
How to make gel candles is both very similar and very different from making wax candles. While the same general supplies are needed, such as a thermometer, a melting container, wicks, etc., gel candles also need some special treatment.
If you read the page on gel candle supplies, you know, for example, that a gel candle uses a specific type of fragrance, called non-polar. And not using the correct fragrance could indeed cause you big candle problems.
Wicks are also a little different for gel candles; a cored wick with a tab is the best, because a regular wick won't be able to stand up to the gel (or in the gel, for that matter).
And then there are the fun things -- the gel candle insets! From found objects like seashells to realistic-looking wax fruits for "food" candles, the inserts are part of the creative joy!
Materials Needed
Here is a very basic list of the gel candle making supplies you will need:
- Thermometer -- the candy-making kind that measures to at least 300 degrees.
- Pot in which to melt the gel, preferably with a spout of some kind.
- Candle gel.
- Cored wick that has a wick tab; zinc core is the best for gel.
- Container for your candle.
Optionals are the neat stuff! These are what make making gel candles so much fun. They include:
- Non-polar fragrance, preferably one that's colorless (or it will cloud the gel).
- Dye that is compatible with gel candles; liquid dye is preferable, as solid dye may cloud your gel. You only need a teeny-tiny bit -- one drop of liquid dye can color 1 pound of gel!
- Safe inserts. Stick with non-flammables, obviously. Small seashells make a nice start.
- Sticky tabs, used to anchor your wick tabs in your container.
A Note About Supplies
If you're brand new to gel candles, consider buying a kit, as opposed to buying things seperately. It really is safer.
I was just at a major craft store and took a look at their offerings for how to make gel candles.
I saw gel, wicks, fragrance, dye. But nowhere was there any kind of label to tell me what kind of wick went with the gel, what dyes were best to use, and nothing about fragrance -- was it safe?
So...I really do think you're best off getting a kit in the beginning, to make sure you have what you need for making gel candles - safely!
Basics: How to Make Gel Candles
In essence, it's a matter of first melting the gel candle wax to between 205 and 215 degrees.
While the gel is heating (and it does take time), you anchor your wicks in your containers. You can use sticky tabs (preferably) or a little hot glue from a glue gun (which might or might not cause gel clouding).
Add your dye at any point once the gel is liquid, and your fragrance just before you are ready to pour the gel.
Resources: Books
Do you find it much easier to sit down with a book, than read from a computer screen? If so, here are two excellent books on making gel candles:
Gel Candles: 40 Creative Projects
The Complete Guide to Gel Candlemaking: Learn How to Create Beautiful, Scented Gel Candle Designs in Just a Few Easy Steps
Aromatherapy Benefits
What are some aromatherapy benefits? What makes them work to soothe or energize?
How can simply smelling something work to make you feel better?
If these are some of your questions, let's look at the benefits of aromatherapy, from a scented candle point of view.
Aromatherapy -- Called "The Fragrant Pharmacy"
The whole idea of aromatherapy started with the use of essential oils. Typically, they are mixed with a carrier oil (like almond) and massaged onto the body. The scent was a pleasant side-effect.
Then people began to realize that by simply smelling certain oils, they could reap the benefits. For example -- lavender and chamomile are well known for helping to relax for sleep. Lemon is great for clarity of thought. Rose and geranium and both balancing and soothing.
Another example: Smelling ginger can help with motion sickness, especially if you start sniffing before (or just as) the sickness starts.
(Take a look at the sidebar on the right to see some links for studies that have been done regarding aromatherapy.)
Now let's take at look at aromatherapy scents from a candle-eye view.
Aromatherapy Benefits and Candles
Now, richly scented candles rarely use straight essential oils. Rather, they use synthetic fragrances that mimic the smell of essential oils. Some of it is because essential oils don't always smell good when they are actually burning (like in the flame). Part of the reason is that synthetic fragrances are more stable in scent.
So, the question is -- can aromatherapy using scented candles actually have any benefits such as those using essential oils?
The answer is both yes and no. Yes, because think about it -- when you light a lavender or french vanilla scented candle, doesn't it relax you some? Don't you feel a little zippier when you burn a lemon or other citrus candle?
No, because essential oils can have other qualities that can't truly be mimicked. Burning a peppermint candle when you have a headache won't give you the same type of relief as rubbing a drop of peppermint essential oil (in a tiny amount of oil) on your temples.
Still, richly scented candles do offer some of the benefits of aromatherapy. Perhaps they can better be described as providing mood therapy. Wouldn't you agree?