You can make gel candles for enjoyment or for profit. Gel candles have become popular lately because they burn cleaner and do not contain any oil by-products. You can often find them sold by people with a small, home-based business at craft shows, swap meets, and other local markets, where they are sold as handcrafted items. This article describes the general process of gel candle making. While it provides safety advice and information about the basic ingredients needed to make gel candles, specific recipes are not included.

Making gel candles is very popular with environmentalists, as 95% of the gel is made from mineral oil; the remainder is made from a powdered polymer which turns to gel when mixed with the oil and heated. There are three different thicknesses of polymer. CLP is the least thick, while CMP is thicker, and CHP is the thickest. Because of its thickness, CHP is the best to use if you want to use a fragrance or imbed anything into the gel.

Gel candle making supplies consist of a double boiler, a good thermometer (which tests the gel temperature to ensure it is ready) and a long spoon, which can be made of metal or plastic. Wooden spoons are not recommended, as they might form bubbles in the gel. Additionally, you will need some containers into which the mix can be poured.

To be safe, you must be sure to have heat resistant containers, often made of metal or glass. Moreover, you must have a fire extinguisher nearby which is good for chemicals. Fire extinguishers are available in two different kinds, and they're a good investment for a kitchen in any situation. You will also need to put on gloves, safety glasses, and an apron which is resistant to liquids and heat. If you take care with everything, these things probably won't be needed, but it's always best if you err on the side of caution.

More than likely you will wish to add color and maybe even fragrance to the original craft. The dye has to be liquid and it's probably best to buy this dye with the polymer. Food, clothing, and soap dyes won't work, as they could spoil the appearance and could make it burn the wrong way. If you use any fragrance, this too must be bought from somebody who's already tested it to mix in with your gel mix.

Your original creation, made with mineral oil, generally burns longer than conventional wax. With oil prices being so high, this could be a great alternative to wax. These make good gifts for many occasions, and for a lot of us, handcrafted gifts are preferable to things which are made overseas. Be careful when you create the lovely long burning objects and use common sense as well. Bear in mind that you must not imbed anything which would burn; this is sensible. Most of all, just have fun, be careful, and be sure you test and label all of the handcrafted creations you make.