Learn how to make DIY candle wax melts using essential oils to fill any room in your home with a natural, non-toxic fragrance. These homemade wax melts are concentrated pieces of scented wax that, when melted, will diffuse the oil scent into the room safely, and extend the time that the scent will last.

I first heard about wax melts from a friend at work. He shared with me how they were a great alternative to candles for diffusing scents into a room, and how customisable they could be depending on the essential oils used.

If you’ve ever tried to make candles before, you know it can be a messy and frustrating process sometimes (particularly if you get the beeswax everywhere, or you find that your candle ends up tunnelling). Getting the wick to stand just right requires a bit of practice and patience, too.

This is one of the many reasons why I prefer making wax melts. Not only are they easier to make, they are less expensive than candles, and you can make customised scents, shapes, and sizes with them to suit your preferences. It’s also easier to make smaller batches of different blends so you have more options to choose from. These melts are similar to my beeswax candle recipe, just on a smaller scale and with no wick.

You can also make soy wax candle melts. However, just be sure to source the soy wax from a trusted supplier, and ensure it is free from paraffin wax, as many vendors add a little of this wax into the blend to help it to burn.

What are Wax Melts?

If you’re not familiar with wax melts or how they are used, they are essentially blocks of scented wax that are heated on a wax warmer to diffuse different scents around the home.

One of the benefits of using wax melts is that they last longer than standard candles, so are more affordable in the long run. Wax melts also don’t give off any of the “soot” that burning wicks can (if not sourced carefully). This makes wax melts a cleaner way to enjoy the aromatherapy benefits that essential oils can provide.

The Problem with Store-Bought Wax Melts

Most of the popular wax melts (or candles, for that matter) are made using paraffin wax.

Paraffin wax is a petroleum by-product that, when burned, can emit toxins and chemicals like soot, toluene, or benzene into the air which have been found to be harmful to our health when inhaled.

But, it doesn’t stop there. Store-bought wax melts and candles also contain other toxic ingredients in the form of artificial fragrances and colourants. Since these fragrances and colourants don’t have to be disclosed, you don’t know what you’re burning or how it could be impacting your health.

Most chemical fragrances, for example, contain chemicals like phthalates to help prolong the life of the scent, and the long-term health implications of phthalates alone include cancer, human reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, birth defects and respiratory problems.

When it comes to incorporating scents into the candle wax, use around 100 drops of essential oil for every one cup of wax to achieve a noticeable scent. I like to keep to this ratio when making candles of any size or shape. Feel free to adjust the ratio of essential oils you’ll be using as you see fit, depending on how strong you want the scent of your wax melts to be.

Why Soy Wax isn’t Much Better

While soy wax is a step up from paraffin wax, it, too, isn’t always the best option to use. As I mentioned earlier, vendors may add a little paraffin wax to the soy wax blend to help with burning, and the vast majority of anything made with soy is made using genetically modified soy beans that have been treated with pesticides, herbicides, and so on. If you can find a completely clean soy wax that came from organic, non-GMO soy beans that were not treated with any chemicals, then go for it!

For the base of this recipe, we’ll be using beeswax, a wax that is much easier to source clean from trusted suppliers. Plus, beeswax can help to purify the air in your home as it burns. To scent the wax melts, we’ll be using essential oils.

Before we get started in learning how to make these homemade candle wax melts – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!!

Homemade Candle Wax Melts

For this recipe, you will need a candle warmer to place the wax melts in. You can make your own if you prefer, using a mason jar and tea light candle, or a torchiere-style accent lamp or desk lamp and a heat-resistant ceramic dish. But, if you don’t want to DIY it, there are many great candle warmers available online to choose from, such as ones that plug straight into the wall, which are perfect for small spaces.

Candle warmers simply warm the wax to release the scent from the essential oils.

This recipe also calls for a silicone mould to set the melts in, but you can substitute it with an ice cube tray if you don’t have any moulds on hand.

When it comes to the essential oils, you can use one oil or a blend of essential oils for your melts. I like to make a few different batches at a time with different scents so that I can switch up the fragrances depending on my mood, preference, or particular ailment I might have at the time. If you are looking for something calming and simple, just use lavender. It is absolutely beautiful.

Our Oily House shares a wonderful range of DIY essential oil blends to choose from to use for your wax melts, or you can experiment with making your own different oil blends, creating various personalised scents.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup beeswax, either shredded or in pellets
• 1/4-1/2 cup coconut oil
• 100 drops lavender essential oil or essential oils of your choice

To make:

1. Add some water to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Place a heat-proof bowl over the top of the saucepan to create a double boiler, then add in the beeswax and coconut oil. Melt the mixture over medium to high heat, stirring continuously until the wax has completely melted.
2. Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding in the essential oils.
3. Stir in the essential oils of your choosing. You can use an essential oil blend or a single essential oil. I love to make lavender wax melts personally, but the options are endless. From there, pour the wax mix into the silicone moulds or designated ice cube tray.
4. Let the melts set overnight to completely harden, then gently remove them from the moulds and store them in an airtight container.

To Use:

1. Place one to three homemade wax melts into your candle warmer, depending on the size of the warmer and the room you are trying to diffuse the scents in. They can melt and re-melt several times before losing their scent.
2. When the fragrance has weakened, wipe the candle warmer out and add in new wax melts, or add in a few drops of essential oils to the top of the melted wax to give it one last run before cleaning out.

If you have any questions about how to prolong the scent in your wax melts, what to do if your wax melts lose their scent, or the best way to store your homemade wax melts (or really any other FAQs you might have), see here for Living Well Mom’s full wax melts guide and FAQ page.

As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.

Have you made your own natural wax melts before? What did you think of them? Share in the comments below.

Lots of love,

🖤 Vanessa