beautiful gel candles

gel candle

Making Gel Candles can be alot of fun and very profitable! But it's extremely important to make sure you are making them the right way. Unfortunately, there are very limited resources available where you can find accurate and detailed info on how to make gel candles properly. We hope to change that! Our goal is to provide you the candlemaker, and also the customers, info on the right way to produce these beautiful candles, and to ensure that only the safest gel products are being made and sold on the market and used in peoples homes! Once the public knows what to look for in a good gel candle, they can feel confident in buying gel candles with the Safe Gel seal of approval
This guide will be long and detailed, so be prepared and be patient. Please don't skim through, it's important to read it all completely! Gel candles don't have to be hard to make, but they do have to be made by exact specifications for ensured safety. For all you new "Gellers", don't let these technical instructions scare you away, just follow closely and you'll do fine!

Section 1. GEL

Candle gel is made of 95% mineral oil, and 5% polymer resin. This resin is a powder that, when mixed with the mineral oil, transforms it to a more solid state. Very similar to Jello!
Penreco is the company that manufactures the gel and holds the patent on this technology. This is the only brand of gel I recommend using because of it's quality and consistency. Versagel™ comes in 3 types: CLP (low density), CMP (medium density) and CHP (high density).
The thicker or more dense the gel is, the more fragrance oil it can hold.

Which type of gel do you need?
Well that depends on the candles you want to make. For a plain, light to moderately scented candle, the CLP is all you need. The CMP is a little thicker, and will hold more fragrance for a heavier scent. The CHP is the thickest gel and will hold the heaviest scent load. It is also the one you need if you plan to use any suspended embeds (such as glass fish, glitter, etc.). The thicker the gel, the longer it takes to melt, and the harder it is to pour. Remember that gel takes longer to melt than paraffin waxes, so patience is required.

Section 2. EQUIPMENT

First you will need something to melt your gel in. The double boiler on the stove method takes far too long with gel. We've found that Presto Kitchen Kettles work perfect. These are multi-cookers that you can buy at a local store like Wal-mart, for under $30. They are black metal with a non-stick coating, so they are fairly easy to clean out. They have a concealed heating element and a plug in temperature dial you can set to your desired temp. You do not need water with these, you can melt the gel directly in the pot. Use a glass (pyrex) measuring cup to scoop out the melted gel to pour into your candle jars. For larger batches, we recommend a direct heat unit with a heated pouring valve.

You will also need a thermometer. This is still necessary even though the Presto pot has a temp dial. You need to be able to get an accurate reading on the liquefied gel. I recommend a Digital Alarm Thermometer. These have a metal rod you put down in the gel, and you can clip the thermometer box onto your pot. Set the desired temp, and the alarm will beep when your gel reaches that temp! This way you can go about getting your jars and wicks ready while your gel is melting safely.

For stirring the gel, you can use metal knitting needles. You could also use a long metal or hard plastic spoon. Do not use wooden spoons as they can add bubbles into the gel.

And never forget your safety equipment! It is imperative to have a working fire extinguisher nearby at all times! It must be the chemical kind, not the water kind. Never put water on a wax fire, it will only spread the flames. Sand or baking soda can be thrown on a wax fire also. I recommend wearing safety glasses, a heat & liquid resistant apron, as well as gloves when making candles. Better safe than sorry!

Section 3. DYES

Most people use liquid candle dyes in gel because you want to maintain the gel's translucency. It takes very little dye to tint the gel, so be careful... you can easily overdo it! When making small batches and trying to get a very light tint. I suggest taking a toothpick and dipping the tip of it into the liquid dye, and then swirl it into the gel in tiny amounts until you get the color you want. It really does require that little! Sometimes even 1 full drop can be too much!

Solid forms of dye in a wax base, such as blocks, chips, buds or flakes, can also be used. But be careful not to use too much, as it could cloud your gel. Usually just a small scraping off a dye block is enough. Powdered dyes can also be used, again in very small amounts.

Do not use crayons, Rit clothing dye, food coloring, or soap dyes! These are not made for candles and will not burn properly.

Section 4. FRAGRANCE

This part is very important! Please read carefully! In order for a fragrance oil to be safe for use in gel, it must be non-polar, and over 170 flash point. Non-polar means that the fragrance is miscible (will mix well) in mineral oil. There is a way to test for this, and I strongly recommend testing any fragrance you plan to use before using it in gel.