People are looking to sell candles from their homes, either to make extra money or to have creative escape.

Are you an artisan candle maker? Our step-by-step guide will show you how to make your hobby a profitable business.

This guide will show you how to start a candle-making business.

Beautiful candles

You’ll have a lot of fun designing and making candles. This is why you might consider this an artisan business or side hustle.

Candle making allows you to experiment with shape, scent, and color to make eye-catching products. Take this example:

Make personalized candles using photos from your memories

Use colors and molds to make candles that are inspired by desserts or landscapes.

Design centerpieces for weddings or festive tables

Make your first candle

Do you plan to make candles at home? Do you own a shop or commercial space? YouTube offers some helpful video tutorials for making candles at home.

Although the process is straightforward, it’s important to keep in mind that temperature and ingredients are crucial. If you pour too hot or too cold, your wax could become lumpy.

It can be helpful to test your ideas and get feedback from small groups of customers at this stage. You can evaluate your initial ideas and bring the best product to market by conducting thorough research.

Expanding your product line

After you have mastered the art of making candles, it is possible to expand your product range. You don’t need any extra to make wax melts, which are very popular.

How to make wax melting to sell

Wax melts can be wickless candles, which you heat using a tea light or a flame to release the scent. They are easy to make.

Bring a saucepan of water over medium heat to a boil.

Heatproof bowl: Place wax in a saucepan. Stir with a spoon

Your fragrance or essential oil can be added

Melt the wax in ice cube tray

What about candle business names.

A name can convey a lot. Your brand name is what makes you stand out from your competitors. Copyright laws and intellectual property laws protect brands and products.

These are our top tips to help you choose the perfect name for your company.

Choose something original. Make sure that no one else has your idea.

Make it memorable

SEO is a good option – Search your name in Google to find out what else you get

Check the domain is still available, even if you aren’t making a website yet

Don’t limit your brand – if you plan to expand your product range in the future, make sure that the brand name is still relevant.

For some light-hearted inspiration, check out our Business name generator if you are still struggling to find candle business names.

Find your niche

Eco-friendly candles? Scented candles? Luxurious candles? How to make luxury candles?

To see if there are gaps in the market, it’s a smart idea to check out what your competitors are doing. It might be a good idea to conduct a SWOT analysis on your business and major competitors in order to identify key areas to focus.

Create a budget and a business plan

Even though we all could do without business admin, a plan can help you understand your purpose, strategic objectives, as well as your competition. If you are applying for a startup loan, it can help.

Next, you will need to think about costs and create a budget.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to start your candle-making business. The initial costs for starting a business can be as low as 50 Pounds (depending on what supplies you choose).

You’ll need to consider:

Set-up costs (including equipment, supplies)

How long it takes to create your product

How much does each candle cost?

Shipping costs (if you sell online)

The right equipment for candle making

Here is a list of equipment and supplies that you will need to run a candle business.

Candle wax – paraffin wax, soy wax or coconut wax (or any combination thereof)

Candle wicks are usually made from paper or braided cotton.

Scents – Choose from a variety of synthetic and organic fragrances

Add dyes to your melted wax – either liquid or powdered.

Molds are available in many sizes and shapes. You can also make your moulds.

Candle glasses – These can be used in place of molds if desired

Thermometer – To ensure that your wax does not heat to 80°C

Heat proof bowl and saucepan – to melt your wax with the double boiler method

Also, think about how to package your candles. Get branded labels and gift boxes.

For selling candles, make sure you check the legal requirements