Candle sand is wax in fine granules. You pour it into a glass, push in a wick and light it. The flame melts a small pool of wax around the wick, and the rest of the sand stays loose. There is no melting pot, no mould and no waiting for wax to set, which makes it one of the easiest ways to make a candle at home.
What you need
- Candle sand. Ours is plant-based stearin in eight numbered colours, unscented, in 250 g, 500 g or 1 kg bags.
- Cotton wick. Every bag comes with wick to cut yourself: 50 cm with 250 g, 100 cm with 500 g, 200 cm with 1 kg.
- A heat-resistant vessel at least 5 cm deep: a thick glass tumbler, a ceramic bowl, a jar from an old candle.
- Scissors and a spoon.
Step by step
- Fill the vessel. Pour the sand straight from the bag or with a spoon. Leave about 1 cm free at the top.
- Cut the wick. Cut a piece of about 4 cm.
- Push it in. Push the wick into the sand so that about 1 cm sticks out.
- Light it. The sand around the flame melts into a small pool of wax and the candle burns like any other.
- Top up. When it has burned down and cooled, lift out the hardened wax with the old wick, top up with fresh sand and add a new piece of wick.
Layering colours
In a clear glass you can pour two, three or four colours in layers. Pour each layer gently with a spoon so the colours do not mix, and keep the layers level. Light colours on top and a deep colour at the bottom look calm; a dark top layer over light ones looks bolder. You can try your layers in our layer studio before you buy, or take one of the ready-made sets.
Bigger bowls and more wicks
A wide bowl can take several wicks. Keep them at least 5 cm apart and at least 3 cm from the wall of the bowl, so each flame has its own pool of wax and the vessel does not get too hot.
Safety
- Never leave a burning candle unattended. Keep it away from children, pets and anything that can catch fire.
- Use only a non-flammable, heat-resistant vessel on a stable surface.
- Do not burn it for more than 3 hours at a time, and do not move the vessel while the wax is liquid.
- The colour sits on the surface of the granules and can mark hands, fabric and porous surfaces, so pour with a spoon over a tray.
Frequently asked
Does candle sand smell? Ours is unscented, so it fits a dinner table and a bedroom.
Can I reuse the glass? Yes. Lift out the hardened wax, top up with fresh sand and light it again.
Is it a good gift? Yes, especially as a set of colours that go together. See our Christmas gift sets.
