Make Novelty Candles with Candle Making Latex Molds

Novelty candles are a lot of fun. They come in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes and are meant more for decoration than for actual burning.

Most novelty candles are made with candle making latex molds. These flexible molds make it possible for a beginning candle maker to make great-looking novelty candles that look like they were professionally made.

The Hard Part: Choosing a Mold

Latex molds for candle making come in such a variety of subjects and sizes, choosing a mold can be the hardest part of the whole candle making process. If you like to change your home's décor with the holidays, you can find candles for virtually every holiday. There are bunny candle making latex molds for Easter candles, pumpkin-shaped molds for Halloween, turkey-shaped molds for Thanksgiving, and Santa Claus molds for Christmas.

If you love animals and want to make animal candles, you can find latex molds for making candles in the shape of bears, elephants, frogs, gorillas, kangaroos, elephants, and zebra. Candle making latex molds are also available in the shape of many breeds of dogs; there are bird molds, cat molds, and even dinosaur molds.

Making Candles with Latex Molds

Once you select your latex mold, the actual candle making is easy. You'll need to melt hard wax like you do for other candles, at 165 to 185 degrees. Set the wick pin in the mold and set the mold in a coffee can filled with sand. Slowly pour the wax into the mold.

Wait patiently for the wax to cool completely. Depending on the size of your candle, this could take several hours or even overnight. After the wax cools completely just roll the flexible latex mold away from the edge of the candle. If the latex resists, lubricate the outside of the mold with vegetable oil, and it will roll smoothly away from the candle.

Pull out the wick pin and thread the wick through the hole. If the bottom of your molded candle is uneven, level the candle by heating the boiler or saucepan you use to melt your wax and carefully placing the candle in it. Move the candle against the hot surface and carefully remove the candle when the bottom is even.

Remember Safety First

Be sure to follow candle making safety precautions any time you are making candles with latex molds. Treat wax like cooking oil and keep track of its temperature while you heat it. Never leave melting wax unattended, and don't pour your leftover hot wax down the sink. If you do have a wax fire, turn off the heat and cover the pan with its lid. Do not pour water on a wax fire.