From birthday gifts for loved ones to a treat for yourself at the end of a long week, candles are a staple for those looking for a good gift. So if you’re looking for a crafty way to enter the retail market, candle making can be a great way to make money or simply to enjoy some creative escapism.
Are you an artisan candle maker? Find out how to turn your hobby into a business with our step-by-step guide.
When starting your own business, it can be hard to know where to begin. Read our nine-step plan for how to make your own candles and start selling them from home. Or for a more general guide to getting set up, check out our step-by-step guide to starting a business.
A step-by-step guide to starting a candle making business
Use the links below to check out specific sections of the guide.
Design beautiful candles
Designing and making your candles is the fun part, and probably why you’re looking to make this artisan craft your side hustle or even a full-time business.
Candle making gives you the chance to play with shape, fragrance, and colours to create eye-catching products. For example:
- try making personalised candles with photo memories
- use colours and moulds to create candles inspired by anything from desserts to landscapes
- design centre-pieces for festive tables or weddings
How to make candles at home
Are you planning on making candles at home? Or do you have a workshop or commercial premises? Either way, YouTube has some useful video tutorials on how to make candles from home.
The process is fairly straightforward but, a lot like baking, the temperature and ingredients are important – pouring too hot or cold and you could end up with lumpy wax.
At this stage it can be useful to create some samples and gather feedback from a small group of target customers. Conducting thorough research during the product development phase will help you evaluate your initial concepts and bring the best version to market.
How to remove candle wax to reuse containers
You might want to consider what happens to your candle container afterwards, and building that into the product development process.
To reuse a container, you just need to remove any remaining wax (bain marie style or by putting the pot in the freezer for the wax to shrink and pop out), remove the wick holder, and you’ll be left with a beautiful container you can reuse.
What about candle business names?
There’s a lot to a name. It conveys your brand’s personality and helps you stand out against your competitors. You should also be aware of intellectual property and copyright laws that protect products and brands.
We have a whole guide on how to choose (and register) a business name, but here are our tips for finding the right name for your business:
- choose something unique – make sure no one else has had your idea first
- make it memorable
- consider SEO (aka search engine optimisation) – search your name in Google to see what what else comes up
- check the web domain is available – even if you’re not making a website just yet
- don’t limit yourself – make sure the brand name works if you decide to expand your product offering in the future
You could also use this opportunity to come up with a whole brand identity – which includes aspects such as colours and imagery, as well as your brand name.
We spoke to Olivia, Co-Founder at Keep Candles, about how they came up with their business name: “We spent a lot of time brainstorming as we didn’t want it to be too cheesy and we also wanted it to reflect the ethos of the brand.
“In the end we both loved the name (and also the branding that we created) as we think it’s really classic and aligns with our vision that good quality items should be built for the long term or to keep.”
If you’re still stuck for candle business names, try our Business Name Generator for a bit of light-hearted inspiration.
Find your niche
Eco-friendly candles? Scented candles? Luxury candles? Decide on your product and who your target audience is and go from there.
It’s a good idea to look at what your competitors are doing to see if there are any gaps in the market. You might even find it useful to do a SWOT analysis of your business and main competitors to identify core areas to focus on.
Sustainability is central to Keep Candles, a homemade candle business set up by sister duo Olivia and Marnie. This ethos comes through in the wax, essential oils, and packaging decisions they make.
Olivia says: “We create dual purpose candles that can be used again and again. We have reversed the design process by curating a range of homeware vessels which we turn into unique scented candles that have a second life after burning.”
Read our guide to starting a business from home for more tips.
Write a business plan and budget
Although we could all do without business admin, a business plan helps you understand your purpose, your strategic objectives, and your competitors. It can also help if you’re planning on applying for business funding.
Next you’ll need to consider costs and make a budget.
It’s not expensive to set up your own candle making business – initial start-up costs can be about £50, depending on the candle supplies you go for.
Olivia, Co-Founder at Keep Candles, says: “It sounds cheesy but just start with something and then see how it goes. Task yourself with making £10 one weekend and you’ll be surprised how quickly things grow.
“Doing your research is also key, and so is starting small – don’t buy every colour of something that looks good online, as often you’ll end up spending a fortune, and when it arrives you might think it’s completely wrong and not usable,” she added.
To work out your budget, you’ll need to think about:
- set-up costs (including equipment and supplies)
- how much time it takes to make your product
- how much each candle costs you to make
- shipping costs (if you’re selling online)
Supplies for candles
Here’s a list of the equipment and supplies you’ll need to make candles at home:
- candle wax – soy wax, paraffin wax, beeswax, coconut wax (or a combination)
- candle wicks – usually made of braided cotton or paper
- scents – choose from a mix of organic and synthetic fragrances
- dyes – liquid or powdered dyes can be added to your melted wax
- moulds – these come in all shapes and sizes, or you can make your own
- candle glasses – you can use these instead of moulds if you prefer
- thermometer – to make sure your wax doesn’t heat above 80°C
- saucepan and heat proof bowl – for melting your wax using the ‘double boiler’ method
You’ll also want to think about how you’re going to package your candles and get branded labels and gift boxes.
Check legal requirements for selling candles
There are no specific legal requirements for selling candles in the UK, but you should be aware of:
- the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 – check the government’s guidance on product safety
- specific guidelines from your local trading standards office
- safety and testing regulations – the British Candlemakers Federation has published guidelines on product testing and safety labelling for candle businesses
Organise insurance
Whether you run a craft stall or are just selling online, your customers will expect your products to be safe. That’s why it’s important to get insurance for crafters.
You can select from a range of covers:
- public liability insurance – in case a member of the public gets injured, for example by tripping in your shop
- product liability insurance – in case your product causes injury or financial loss, for example if your candle includes hazardous ingredients
- stock insurance – to protect any stock you’re storing
Start marketing and selling your candles
When it comes to how to make money selling homemade candles, think about where you’ll be selling and how you plan to market your business. For example, are you going to be selling online or in a bricks-and-mortar shop?
If you don’t have the funds for a shop but still want the experience of selling in-person, selling your candles at flea markets and craft fairs could be a great way to interact with customers (and potentially get some product feedback).
But if you’re looking to reach a wider audience, you might prefer to set up an online shop. You could create your own business website and add an ecommerce platform such as Shopify, or you could add your products to an existing retail platform like Etsy or Amazon.
Writing a marketing plan can help you determine your strategic approach.
Use social media to your advantage
Candle businesses naturally lend themselves to social media marketing as you can take beautiful pictures to promote your brand and build a following. For tips on getting the most out of social media for your business, read our guides on:
But no matter which social media platform you choose, you’ll need to master the art of good content creation in order to stand out. Our guide to product photography for small businesses can help you take amazing product photos, or you can learn video tips and tricks to show your candles in action.
Consider expanding into the wax melt business
Once you’ve nailed making candles, you might want to expand your product offering. For example, wax melts are popular on Etsy and Not On The High Street and you won’t need anything extra to make them.
How to make wax melts to sell
Wax melts are wickless candles that you heat with a burner or tealight to release the fragrance. And they’re super simple to make:
- Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer
- Put wax into heatproof bowl over the saucepan and stir with a spoon
- Add your fragrance or essential oils
- Pour melted wax into ice cube trays
- Allow to cool and remove from your mould
Still not sure if candle making is for you?
Here are some other top business ideas you could consider instead:
Still not sure what business is for you? Here’s our guide to some of the best small business ideas out there.
More useful guides for small business owners
- A guide to going self-employed in the UK
- What types of small business grants are available in the UK?
- How to do a self-employed tax return
- What type of business insurance do I need?
Are you thinking of starting your own candle making business? Let us know in the comments.
Looking for self-employed insurance?
With Simply Business you can build a single self employed insurance policy combining the covers that are relevant to you. Whether it’s public liability insurance, professional indemnity or whatever else you need, we’ll run you a quick quote online, and let you decide if we’re a good fit.
Photograph: New Africa/stock.adobe.com
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