More people are taking an interest in candle and soap making than ever before. Both industries are huge on their own but put them together and it is pretty amazing. The steps involved in making candles and soap are really quite simple, whether you want to do it as a hobby on the side or actually start up your very own business. The gel candles are the most popular today because they burn longer and cleaner.
In terms of the ingredients you will need, if you have ever made paraffin wax or soy candles it is pretty much the same list only you need gel instead of wax or soy. The ingredients will vary depending on what specific recipe you are following but get started by placing a wick into a container and gluing it in then cut up your gel into small pieces and heat in a pot. Once you have the gel heating in a pot be aware of the temperature you are heating it at because if it is too high you can end up burning the gel. Now you add in the fragrance then once it has melted completely and there are no hunks leftover you can pour this into the candle container, holding the wick up so it does not get wet.
If you practice and produce quality gel candles, or business is sure to be very successful. If you want to learn how to make soap as well this process is also very easy. There are different ingredients called for depending on which soap recipe you are following but for a basic recipe you would need a few different oils like palm and olive oil, some lye and some fragrance oil of your choice. Keep in mind that the fragrance oils each have a purpose and you will want to research on that to offer the best soaps to your customers, all which should be moisturizing and gentle on the skin.
No longer do you have to use that old bar of soap that is drying and irritating to the skin, as the soaps of today are really quite lovely. Mix your lye solution, let cool, melt your solid oils, and add these two mixtures together. Just as with the candles you need to heat only over a medium temperature and no hotter, to avoid burning your ingredients. Stir together and add in the fragrance.
Use your sense of smell to determine how much fragrance you want to use for each batch of soap. Most people can tell by their nose how potent they want the soap to be. Pour the soap into the molds and it will usually take a couple of weeks for it to cure completely. You can have so much fun with candle and soap making and have lots of success if you have your own business.