Candle Course

Lesson 1 • Wicks: Selection and Sizing

Covers cotton, wood, and specialty wick constructions and how diameter affects burn quality. Connects wick choice to wax and vessel pairing.

Lesson 2 • Candle Anatomy and Components

Breaks down every physical element of a finished candle. Provides vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Wax Types and Properties

Compares paraffin, soy, beeswax, coconut, and blended waxes by melt point and burn behavior. Guides material selection decisions.

Lesson 4 • Workspace Safety Fundamentals

Addresses fire hazards, flash points, ventilation, and burn treatment protocols. Safety practices apply to every subsequent hands-on session.

Lesson 1 • Colorant Types and Behavior

Compares dye chips, liquid dyes, micas, and pigments for wax compatibility. Prevents bleeding, fading, and clogged wicks.

Lesson 2 • Hot and Cold Scent Throw

Distinguishes cold throw from hot throw and the variables that affect each. Guides fragrance addition temperature for optimal performance.

Lesson 3 • Color Mixing and Consistency

Applies color theory to achieve repeatable hues across batches. Introduces record-keeping for color formulas.

Lesson 4 • Calculating Fragrance Load

Teaches percentage-based fragrance load formulas per wax type. Prevents overloading and seepage defects.

Lesson 1 • Pouring Techniques and Top Finishing

Covers single-pour, double-pour, and repour methods for smooth surfaces. Connects technique choice to wax shrinkage behavior.

Lesson 2 • Curing and Quality Inspection

Defines cure windows by wax type and establishes visual and burn-test quality checks. Ensures candles meet performance standards before labeling.

Lesson 3 • Vessel Selection and Preparation

Evaluates glass, tin, ceramic, and concrete vessels for heat tolerance and adhesion. Proper prep prevents cracking and wax separation.

Lesson 4 • Wick Anchoring Techniques

Demonstrates adhesive tab placement, centering bars, and hot-glue methods. Secure anchoring prevents wick drift during pouring.

Lesson 1 • Rigid and Flexible Mold Systems

Compares aluminum, polycarbonate, and silicone molds for detail, durability, and release ease. Guides mold selection by candle design.

Lesson 2 • Pouring and Repour for Pillars

Addresses wax shrinkage in deep molds and the repour schedule to eliminate sinkholes. Builds on container pouring skills with pillar-specific adjustments.

Lesson 3 • Pillar Wax Formulation

Identifies high-melt-point waxes and additives that create rigid, self-supporting pillars. Distinguishes pillar wax needs from container wax.

Lesson 4 • Demolding and Surface Finishing

Demonstrates safe demolding, base trimming, and surface polishing methods. Produces market-ready pillars with professional appearance.

Lesson 1 • Tealight and Votive Candles

Streamlines high-volume production of tealights and votives using trays and multi-cavity molds. Focuses on consistent weight and burn time.

Lesson 2 • Taper Candle Production

Covers dipping, molding, and hand-rolling methods for uniform taper candles. Addresses drip resistance and burn time requirements.

Lesson 3 • Novelty and Shaped Candles

Uses custom silicone molds to produce figurative and geometric novelty candles. Introduces colorant layering for decorative effects.

Lesson 4 • Wax Melt and Wax Tart Production

Adapts container candle skills to produce wickless wax melts for warmers. Covers scent load optimization for warmer-based delivery.

Lesson 1 • Fragrance and Color Defects

Resolves fragrance seepage, discoloration, and scent fading through formula adjustments. Reinforces fragrance and color science from earlier chapters.

Lesson 2 • Batch Testing and Documentation

Implements structured burn testing logs and batch records for traceability. Supports continuous improvement and regulatory compliance.

Lesson 3 • Establishing Quality Checkpoints

Designs in-process and finished-goods inspection steps for small and medium production runs. Standardizes pass/fail criteria across product lines.

Lesson 4 • Identifying Surface Defects

Catalogs frosting, sinkholes, wet spots, and rough tops with root-cause analysis. Builds diagnostic skills before corrective action.

Lesson 1 • Consumer Product Safety Requirements

Outlines flammability, stability, and performance standards applicable to candle products. Frames compliance as a prerequisite for retail and wholesale.

Lesson 2 • Packaging and Shipping Compliance

Addresses hazardous material classification for fragrance oils and packaging requirements for safe transport. Prepares students for e-commerce and wholesale fulfillment.

Lesson 3 • Label Design and Required Elements

Specifies mandatory label fields including warnings, net weight, and manufacturer information. Connects label design to brand identity and legal requirements.

Lesson 4 • Safety Data Sheet Preparation

Guides creation of safety data sheets for fragrance and wax materials used in production. Supports workplace safety and downstream customer requirements.

Lesson 1 • Cost of Goods and Pricing Strategy

Calculates material, labor, and overhead costs per unit to establish profitable pricing. Connects production efficiency gains to margin improvement.

Lesson 2 • Workspace Layout and Ergonomics

Designs production zones for melting, pouring, curing, and packaging to minimize movement and cross-contamination. Improves throughput and safety.

Lesson 3 • Raw Material Sourcing and Inventory

Evaluates supplier reliability, minimum order quantities, and lead times for wax, fragrance, and packaging. Builds a resilient supply chain.

Lesson 4 • Batch Size Scaling Calculations

Applies ratio-based scaling formulas to multiply recipes without quality loss. Prevents fragrance and colorant errors common in large batches.