So you want to be a Candle Maker? How do you get Started?
By candle maker, I mean a profession that sells candles. It doesn't matter if you want to sell to just a few friends or sell a few hundred at craft fairs or if you want to stock all of Macy's! Candle making can be fun and profitable but there is a steep learning curve! How do you get started? There is so much information that it can simply be overwhelming! And unfortunately a lot of the information is either bad or incomplete. Most seasoned professionals keep their cards close to their chests. They don't share a lot of real information because they had to muck through all of the false information out there. The only real way to be a candle maker is to test everything for yourself. Ok, you say. I can do that. But what does that mean? Where do I start????
I can help so you don't get overwhelmed. The trick is to focus. Start on one thing and perfect that before moving on. A lot of newbies want to try everything! Paraffin, soy and palm wax. Jars, votives, pillars and tapers. So many possibilities! Pick one to start with. Pick one wax and pick one type of candle (votive, pillar, etc). I suggest soy votives because they are the easiest and least expensive way to start. This way you can start learning how wax works. But what ever you choose stay focused on perfecting that one thing first! So, lets say it is votives. You will need to get in a bunch of samples of different votive waxes to test to see which one works best for you. Not all wax is the same. Not all soy wax is the same. And to make your tests equal you should use the same scents in all of the different waxes at the same concentration to see which wax has the best scent throw, appearance, ease of use.
Once you have determined the type of candle and wax that you want to start with you should then choose 5 fragrances and a few dyes. You may need to go through a lot more than 5 scents to get ones that you like. Start with samples. Do quick scent throw tests and narrow your "line" down to the 5 that you love the most. Also, for your first 5 you will want a nice mix. You don't want to sell all bakery or florals.
Also, ask the manufacturer which wicks they recommend for each scent/wax/candle type. Don't be surprised if you are told to get a different size/type of wick for each scent. Scent affects how a candle burns and may require specific wicking. It doesn't hurt to have different wicks and dyes on hand as they are fairly inexpensive and you will go through them as you test. But just get a couple of each type or wick to start testing. You don't need a ton.
At this point you are almost ready to sell your candles. I know that it is tempting to want to sell candles right away but that could very well be to your downfall. If you sell someone a faulty candle not only will you lose that person's business they will also tell other people not to buy from you. It is better to plan for 6 solid months of candle testing before you make your first sale. Of course this does depend on the intensity of your testing.
As you test - take notes. Lots of notes. More notes then you ever thought possible. You want to be able to replicate your success. (I cover what to take notes on in my other posts and on my forum)
And lastly - stay focused! Start small and do the testing. You will learn what questions to ask as you go. Don't be afraid to contact the manufacturer/distributor with questions. Remember, this is like making a cake from scratch without a recipe. You are know the basic ingredients to buy but you don't know how to mix them together or in what amounts without a recipe. But that is the beauty of candle making. Each candle will be unique to you. The manufacturer/distributor can get you going in the right direction (how high to heat the wax/fragrance load/pouring temp, etc) But putting it all together will require your testing.
To recount on how to get started. Keep it simple -
1) Choose type of candle (votive, pillar, container)
2) Choose type of wax
3) Choose 5 scents and some dyes
4) Choose wicks
Then test these. Make them perfect. Start selling!
If you have any questions we are happy to help. We know our products pretty darn well and give you a jump start! customer@candlecocoon.com