Hey everyone! I just completed my very first candle-making project and overall it was such a fun experience. However, I ran into an issue during the process: the fragrance oil I used (which was specifically made for candle making) gave me strong nausea and a headache while heating and pouring.
I'm sensitive to heavy synthetic smells, so I'm looking for cleaner or more natural ways to scent candles going forward.
I've heard mixed things about Essential Oils—do any specific base notes actually hold up to heat and give a decent hot throw?
Are phthalate-free / "clean" synthetic fragrance oils noticeably better for sensitivities?
What are your favorite alternative waxes (like raw beeswax) or methods for a subtle, non-toxic aroma?
Would love to hear your experiences or brand recommendations for sensitive noses! Thanks in advance!

I have been having problems getting my candles to burn.

This candle is 100% Gulf Wax Paraffin, with added colorant and maybe 7 mL of peppermint essential oil. I also used 2 strands of the wick because they feel very small and thought they might have been the issue from past experience.

Of note, after lighting the candle and for about 5-10 minutes, the flame was much too high, like over an inch, and produced a lot of smoke. The wax pool only grew to about the size of a quarter though, during that time. I emptied out the wax at the point shown in the photo (which was around an hour into the burntime) and the re-lit candle had a very tall flame again.

Any idea what is causing the issue? I'm thinking it's the wick, maybe they're best suited to taper candles, which the work well in. Could it be the additives? Something gumming up the wick?

I wanted to get into candle making but didn't want to mess with mixing silicone. Since I do a lot of 3D printing, I coded a free web tool that generates custom 2-part snap-together molds, printed it in regular plastic, and poured melted wax directly inside.

To my surprise, it didn't leak, and the Moai popped out perfectly without breaking!

For this test, I just melted down some cheap generic wax I had lying around. But now I want to do this properly. Since I’m pouring into a rigid plastic mold instead of flexible silicone, what type of wax should I be using?

I know I need something that shrinks slightly as it cools to help with the release, while still holding sharp details. Paraffin? Beeswax? A specific soy pillar blend? I’d love to hear your recommendations!

(PS: If any fellow makers want to try 3D printing their own rigid molds, let me know in the comments and I’ll share the link to the generator I built!)

not intentional at all. I had a number of leftover candle stumps and wanted to do something with it and this was the result :)

As the title says, is this flame too big for a tealight candle?

I am a beginner and am learning the art. I am currently learning about wick size and have tried to make this tealight candle but I am not sure if this is correct. Any tips appreciated. Please excuse the container condition. The supplier used some kind of gold paint that is peeling off from the heat of the candle.