Candles have long been employed as lighting before gas lamps and electricity technology.
Today, candle-making is a popular art and hobby for many people.
Looking to start candle-making as a new hobby?
Like anyone else, you are probably wondering about the starting cost and whether it is worth it.
So, Is Candle Making a Hobby Worth Pursuing?
The simple answer is yes! Candle making is a trendy hobby that is worth pursuing. Many people enjoy candle-making in their free time and feel highly relaxed when testing out different methods, scents, and colors. You can make candles for fun or even as a side hustle by earning some extra cash from selling the candles. Candles also make creative and unique gifts so you can craft them for your family and friends. Either way, it’s not a challenging hobby compared to other hobbies, although it needs some creativity and patience.
Even better, it is cheap to start candle making as a hobby. You can begin creating your candles with just a few essential kitchen tools.
This way, you can create a perfect ambiance for your home if you are a candle lover cheaply.
In general, there is a lot to love about candle making that makes it worth pursuing.
It is a rewarding and fun activity that allows you to develop valuable skills. So, if you are interested, go and try it out.
How Expensive Is Candle Making?
The best thing about candle making is that it’s an inexpensive hobby.
You most likely have some of the needed materials to start candle-making at your home.
However, it will cost you relatively more to purchase the additional ingredients during startup, including containers and wax.
You can begin candle-making as a hobby at about $60 but can also go over $10,000 depending on the kind of tools you want to purchase and how much you want to buy.
However, it is cheaper to make your candles than to buy them.
While it usually costs about $3 to $5 to make a candle, purchasing a candle goes for around $10, which varies depending on where you buy them.
Additionally, making your candles gives you more control over the look and smell of the candle.
Lots of individuals prefer making their own candles to customize their fragrance and look.
Therefore, if you love burning many candles at your home, you will surely benefit from knowing how to make them.
This way, you will also save on the cost of purchasing store-brand candles while on it.
What Do You Require to Get into Candle Making as A Hobby?
As already stated, while you require many ingredients to begin candle-making, you most likely have most of them in your kitchen.
1. Wax
The first step is choosing the type of wax you need.
Depending on your preference, you can either use a specific kind of special wax or even create a blend of waxes. There are lots of different waxes online.
The most commonly used candle waxes include;
- Coconut wax
- Soy wax
- Beeswax
2. Fragrances
The next step should be choosing your fragrances.
There are lots of different candle scents available online.
Therefore, ensure you explore the different fragrances to find the one you like.
More so, always make a test candle to find out how strong the scent will end up before deciding to use it on larger scales.
3. Wicks And Containers
Lastly, you will require wicks and containers.
The commonly used container choice by most people is Mason jars.
But don’t worry if you don’t have one.
You can still use any glass, tin, or ceramic container.
However, never use plastic because the fumes released during melting are harmful to breathe in.
Ten Needed Basic Tools
Now that you have your containers, wax, and wicks, you will need other basic tools to make the candles.
These include;
- Kitchen scale
- Double boiler
- Thermometer
- Paper towels
- Scissors
- Straws or chopsticks
- Wooden or silicone spoon
- Paper towels
- Newspaper or parchment paper
- Isopropyl alcohol spray
There is a higher probability that you already have some of these candle-making tools in your kitchen.
But if you don’t have any of these tools, you can consider buying a starters kit with everything you require at a cheaper cost.
Once you have all these needed items, you are ready to go!
You don’t have to buy expensive tools when starting candle making as a hobby.
You can purchase higher-quality after you are sure that you enjoy candle making as a hobby.
Can You Make a Side Hustle of Making Candles?
If you are interested in making candles as a hobby, you are probably wondering if it’s possible to make a living off the hobby.
The good news is that it’s possible to make extra money from the hobby.
Lots of people sell their products on online sites like Etsy.
However, the amount you will make will depend on the number of candles you make, the number of candles you sell, and the costs of making the candle.
To avoid any loss, you should ensure you make about 50% or more profit margin on your selling amount.
This way, you will regain the money used in purchasing ingredients and extra cash to count for your time and money.
You don’t want to sell your craft at a lower price to avoid making a loss.
Also, it is vital to work on marketing your homemade candles.
Although the candle making process can take longer, it is worth it.
Generally, you require to be willing to put in maximum effort.
Social media platforms provide an excellent place to market your small business.
From there, you can find what works for you best.
You can also consider starting a website platform to market your candles online. Most people shopping online has to be in your marketing strategies.
How To Price Your Candles
If you are looking to make money from your candle-making hobby, knowing how much to charge your candles is essential.
Begin by listing down the amount you have spent on materials, the cost of completing an order, and your target profit margin.
Ensure you are careful in calculating the cost of ingredients and charge more; otherwise, you will lose money.
After you have the total costs of making your candles, ensure to add in the labor cost and time to come up with the final price.
As a general rule, you should charge the candles twice the fee for the ingredients used.
It is also an excellent idea to analyze the competition regarding how much other people are selling a candle of the same size.
You can base some of your prices based on your competitors.
Some online calculators can help you estimate a more accurate cost of your candles.
But do not overcharge your products; otherwise, you won’t find clients.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, candle-making is a perfect hobby many people enjoy, and it’s worth pursuing.
You are sure to feel more creative and relaxed while making your candles while experimenting with the designs and scents.
You can even turn the hobby into a small business opportunity.
And while candle-making can earn you extra cash, you don’t have to make it a side hustle to enjoy the hobby.
So, it’s a perfect hobby to try out!