• My “Aphrodisiac Scents” report I did for members on Valentines Day 2009, covering what are reputed to be sensual fragrances, and what current research has to say about the scent-sex connection
• Really good and hard to find perfumery textbooks!
• Great sites for finding rare absolutes, CO2s, and essential oils at decent prices (still expensive, though, perfumery is not a cheap hobby)
• And more, as I find it

I assume that you have some experience in making perfume. If you are a total beginner, read some of the perfuming articles on this site.

Just fill out the form below, click the confirmation email, and you’ll be sent a link to the page, with the password.

Even with no experience, it was fairly simple to figure out.

I got started making ‘em myself because I worked in a bath & body boutique, and got totally hooked.  Unfortunately, the ones I liked best were expensive, such as Diptyque’s Baies, and pretty much all of Voluspa’s products (which aren’t too bad, but still a costly indulgence for someone fresh out of college with a BA in “General.”)

What do you know?  It was actually really easy to make a basic soy container candle just as good as the ones on the market.  The product itself is really basic — the rest is just packaging and “brand experience.”  There is some practice and technique involved, but the basic process is really easy: melt wax, insert fragrance, pour.

Get started making your own.  Free skill-share PDF!

So now, I am proud to offer my newest PDF, which is a FREE tutorial on how to hack up basic soy candle tea lights.  Yes, hack up — as in, quick and dirty, for the people who just want to try soy candle making without investing in a lot of materials.  You won’t make sellable-quality candles right off the bat, but you will get some high quality tea lights that are perfectly usable.

I chose tea lights because they’re cute, easy, and don’t take long to harden.  Instant gratification, right?  I think tea lights are the best way to get started, but if you want to make bigger candles, you can certainly jump in.  It’s the same process.

The tutorial is 17 pages, but most of them are photos. I cover a lot of topics very lightly:

1. What you need for ingredients and equipment
2. Prep and process
3. Cleanup and storage of your candles
4. What fragrances to start with, if you have no ideas
5. Friendly suppliers with low minimum orders and reasonable shipping
6. Special recommendations for seasonal scents (and what not to do…)

Can you also make jar candles or candle tins with this method?
In response to the most common question: you can easily adapt this tutorial to making candle tins, votive candles, or glass jar candles, but there are additional techniques involved. Feel free to experiment, though! You can use an old tin can or jelly jar to start, or reuse your old glass containers left over from your $65 Baies candle…  That’s what I did, and it worked out great.

How to download the instructions:
To get the instructions sent as an attachment, just fill out the form below to join the Soy Candle Members.  If I make any significant changes to the tutorial or find out some more good resources for candle making, I’ll send out an email to the members. I’ve already had requests for more information on making wax tarts (flameless candles), and I’m scouting out at least a good website on it.

Don’t worry — I only mail out when I have something to say.  Usually, this is about once every two weeks, if that, and the emails are pretty short.  But if you just want the PDF and don’t want to get email, you can always just unsubscribe from the membership list as soon as you get it.  No big deal.

Enter your name and email here:

The fragrance formula sheets come in four varieties: full page, color; full page, grayscale; half page, color; and half page, grayscale. I usually store mine on a clipboard when I’m using them, and then put them in a binder when I’m done with the project.

Full Page Sheets

Full Page in gray.

Full Page in lavender.

Half Page in gray.

Half Page in lavender.

Buy a printed version from Lulu here – $11.95:

Love Lush’s bath bombs, but don’t love their prices?  Ever suspected that you could make your own bath bombs at home… if you only knew how? All you need is the 48-page ebook, “The Fast Guide To Making Bath Bombs.”  It tells you everything you need to know to make these fizzy bath treats yourself for only a quarter each.  Plus, you get to customize them with any scents and ingredients you want.

The Famous — and free — Bath Bomb Guide.

When I wrote The Fast Guide To Making Bath Bombs in 2005, I never dreamed that it would get tens of thousands of downloads. I learned how to make BBs from working at a bath and body manufacturer.  When that company went down in flames, I thought I’d write the guide to pass on my knowledge to the few bath bomb enthusiasts I knew.  Plus, it was fun to write! Now, my bath bomber list has over 3000 4000 members, many of whom have their own stores or Etsy shops.

You, too, can be a “bath bomber”… .

..starting with the Fast Guide. As seen in Ready Made Magazine’s blog (thanks, Megan of notmartha.org!) The FREE Bath Bomb Fast Guide is probably the only guide you’ll ever need to “debug” your bath bombs. It’s long, 48 info-packed pages, but it will only take you a few minutes to locate the section you need if you’re a more experienced Bath Bomber.

• Discover the “amazing secret” to making rock-hard bath bombs every time! (Hint – it’s called practice!)
• Make your own creative bath bomb recipes full of cool ingredients!
• Stop spending $5 per bomb when you can easily whip them up for $.50 each!
• Have a way to make thoughtful homemade gifts whenever you want!

File issues finally fixed – click here to download the Fast Guide directly.

Join the Bath Bombers List!

Get notified when the next update of the Fast Guide is out, and get “first dibs” on the coveted stainless molds.  The limited supply is very annoying, but my list members always get first pick.  I’m usually sold out in 3 days when I get the popular sizes in, so I can’t list any extras on my Etsy shop.

Once you confirm your subscription to the Bath Bombers List, the latest Fast Guide will be automatically sent to you in an email attachment, along with “Anatomy of a Bath Bomb,” and some info on stainless bath bomb molds, just so you have it.

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