How To Make The Best Lavender Candles

For this tutorial I use:

🕯️ Wax: EcoSystem RCX Rapeseed & Coconut Wax by Candle Shack

🌿 Fragrance: English Lavender & Dead Sea Salts Fragrance Oil by Candle Shack

I personally use an 8% fragrance load, which works beautifully with this wax and fragrance combination.

Candle Shack recommends RCX at around 8 to 10% fragrance, depending on the oil you're using, so always check the guidance for your specific fragrance before you start.

How Much Wax Do You Need?

Rather than copying someone else's measurements, work from your own container.

Every jar is different, and this little trick means you'll never end up with half a candle or wax all over your worktop.

Step 1

Fill your empty candle jar with water to the level you want your finished candle to sit.

Pour the water into a jug and weigh it in grams.

Let's say your water weighs 300g.

Step 2

Multiply that number by 0.88 as a starting point.

300g × 0.88 = 264g wax

Wax is lighter than water, which is why we scale the number down. This is a good starting estimate for RCX wax. If you're using a container for the first time, make a note of the final amount of wax you actually use so every future batch is perfectly repeatable.

Step 3

Now calculate your fragrance oil. I use an 8% fragrance load, so multiply your wax weight by 0.08.

264g wax × 0.08 = 21g fragrance oil

Final Recipe Example

If your jar held 300g of water, you'll need:

• 264g RCX wax

• 21g fragrance oil

That gives you roughly 285g of finished candle, which fills the container almost perfectly with a little room at the top for your wick and a clean finish.

The Temperatures I Use

With RCX wax I follow Candle Shack's own recommendations:

• Melt the wax to 60°C

• Add your fragrance oil at 60°C

• Stir gently for 2 minutes so the oil fully binds with the wax

• Pour at around 40/38°C (RCX likes a cool pour, which helps you get those lovely smooth tops)

• Leave to cure for 7 to 14 days for the best scent throw

It's tempting to burn your candle the same day you make it. Don't. The cure time genuinely makes a difference to how strongly it throws scent around the room.

Choosing the Right Wick

People often focus on the wax and fragrance, but the wick is just as important.

Even the best wax won't perform properly if it's paired with the wrong wick.

For this recipe, I personally prefer TCR wicks. They're designed specifically for natural plant waxes like rapeseed, soy and coconut wax, and I've had consistently good results using them with RCX wax.

That said, there isn't a single wick that works for every candle.

The correct wick depends on:

• The diameter of your jar or container

• The type of wax you're using

• Your fragrance oil and fragrance load

• Whether your container is round, square or an unusual shape

As a general rule, the wider your container, the larger the wick you'll need. If your wick is too small, you'll end up with tunnelling where the wax around the edges never melts.

Too large, and the flame can become too hot, creating soot or causing the candle to burn too quickly.

If you prefer the look and gentle crackle of wooden wicks, they also work well with RCX wax. Just remember that, like cotton wicks, they'll need testing to find the right size for your specific container.

My biggest piece of advice is simple: always do a burn test. Even experienced candle makers test every new combination of wax, wick, fragrance and container before making larger batches or selling candles.

A Few Things Before You Start

Safety first. Melted wax is hot and fragrance oils are concentrated, so treat both with respect. Use a double boiler or wax melter rather than direct heat, work in a well-ventilated space, keep children and pets away from your melting station, and never leave melting wax unattended. A thermometer is essential, not optional.

Fragrance oils on skin. Undiluted fragrance oil can irritate skin. If you spill any on yourself, wash it off with soap and water. Gloves are a sensible habit.

Burning your finished candle. Always burn candles on a heat-resistant surface, away from draughts and anything flammable, and never leave a lit candle unattended. Trim the wick to about 5mm before each burn.

If you plan to sell your candles. In the UK, candles containing fragrance oil legally require CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) labels specific to the fragrance and percentage you've used. Candle Shack provides CLP data for their oils, so it's straightforward, but it is a legal requirement, not a nice-to-have. You'll also want product liability insurance before selling. This post is written for home hobby use.

A quick disclaimer. This is my personal method and it works for me with this exact wax and fragrance combination. Wax behaves differently depending on your container, wick, fragrance, and even room temperature, so always test your own combinations before gifting or selling. Follow the manufacturer's guidance for any products you use. I'm not affiliated with Candle Shack and don't earn anything from these links. I just genuinely use their products.