Repellent scented candles with citral, star anise and lemon eucalyptus

Ingredients

For approximately 5 smaller candles in 100 ml containers, you will need:

• 500 g soy wax or soy-coconut wax
• 8 g essential oil Citral
• 7 g essential oil Lemon Eucalyptus
• 6 g Star Anise essential oil

• candle dye of chosen color

• Stabilo wicks size 1

Recommended Packaging

• aluminum containers 100 ml

Production Process

1. Prepare your workspace.

   Work on a clean and stable surface. Prepare containers, wicks, wax, essential oils, dye, and everything else you’ll need for making. Having everything at hand helps work go smoother and reduces risk of mistakes.

2. Prepare containers and wicks.

   Fix the wick in the center of each container. Use a clip, skewers, or centering tool to keep it straight in the middle.

3. Melt the wax in a water bath.

   Place the wax in a spouted container and slowly heat it in a water bath. Take your time. Wax should melt evenly, not overheat.

4. Add dye.

   If you'd like colored candles, add a small amount of dye to the melting wax. It’s better to start with a smaller quantity. You can always intensify the color, but you can't lighten it. For summer candles, yellow, orange, or subtle natural tones work well.

5. Remove wax from heat and add fragrance.

   Once the wax is fully melted, remove it from the water bath. Add the essential oils:

   • 8 g Citral,
   • 7 g Lemon Eucalyptus,
   • 6 g Star Anise essential oil.

   Total fragrance is 21 g per 500 g wax, about 4.2%. This is a reasonable amount for scented candles. Do not exceed wax manufacturer's recommended dosages or fragrance safety limits.

6. Mix slowly and thoroughly.

   Stir the wax with essential oils for at least 2 minutes. Do not whisk, to avoid excess air in the wax.

7. Pour wax into containers.

   Carefully pour liquid wax into prepared containers. Ensure wicks are still centered; correct if they have shifted.

8. Let candles cure.

   Allow candles to cool in a calm, warmer place where they won't touch each other. Let them cure for at least 24 hours; longer is ideal. The wax stabilizes, so the candle burns better.

9. Trim wick.

   Once solid, trim the wick to about 5 mm. Close unused candles with a lid.

10. Give the candle time for the first burn.

    The first burning is important. Let the candle burn long enough for the wax to melt to the edges. It helps with even burning in subsequent uses.

Function of Each Ingredient

Soy Wax

Soy wax is popular for making container candles – candles poured into glasses, cans, or jars. Easy to work with, smooth look, suitable for beginners. Ideal choice for a simple plant-based wax for DIY home projects.

Citral

Citral has a strong citrus-herbal scent. In fragrance blends, it offers a fresh lemony note. In summer candles, it makes sense especially where you desire a light, clean, very fresh fragrance.

Lemon Eucalyptus

Lemon Eucalyptus has a typical fresh, green-lemon scent. Very popular in summer DIY blends, as it's traditionally used in outdoor formulas. In a candle, it helps create a clean, airy olfactory effect.

Star Anise Oil

Star Anise gives the blend a slightly sweet, spicy, and warmer tone. Combined with citral and lemon eucalyptus, it balances out sharpness of citrus and makes the candle more interesting. A small amount suffices as its scent is strong.

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And that's it! Summer scented candles are a simple project, enjoyable to make and use. Don't worry about perfect execution at first. The key is to understand basics: the right wax, suitable wick, reasonable fragrance amount, and calm cooling.

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