Click banner for Holigays 2017. Recipe adapted from The Hippy Homemaker.
Looking for a sweet DIY gift to whip up for the Holigays? A fun new way of connecting with your activity partner and/or friends who like massages? An excuse to use the last of your bath bomb ingredients (to make room for more)? What a coincidence! Me too!
I present you with: DIY soy massage candles. They’re quick and super easy to make, and the effect at the end is magical. Just light a candle, wait a few minutes for the wax to melt into a moisturizing massage oil, then pour directly onto your partner’s body for use. Soy wax melts at a lower temperature than paraffin, so while it’s warm, it shouldn’t be uncomfortable. Perfect for chilly winter nights (and beyond)!
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz. soy wax flakes
- .75 oz. shea butter
- 1.5 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil
- 1.5 Tbsp sweet almond oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 1 mason jar, 8 oz.
- 1 wooden candle wick, plus anchor
Note: I particularly love wood wick candles during the winter for the koselig crackling sounds they make, but you’re welcome to use cotton wicks if that’s your preference. Feel free to get funky on the essential oils, too, or to swap in other carrier oils!
Instructions
1. Make a double boiler by filling a small pot 1/4 full of water, bringing it to a boil, and placing a glass bowl inside or on top. Place the soy wax flakes, shea butter and coconut oil in the bowl, stirring until fully mixed and melted.
2. Remove from heat. Add the sweet almond oil and essential oils.
3. Place the wick in the anchor and stand upright in your mason jar. Carefully pour your mixture in and let cool for a couple hours.
4. Using a pair of scissors, trim your wick down to about 1/4 inch exposed wood above the wax. If you’re not sure, go longer; it will just burn down and blow itself out without drawing any of the wax up, then you can try again.
5. Add a cute label and gift away!
this is so cute! what a great DIY holigay gift idea. thanks, laura!
ps: what other essential oil combos would you suggest? i like lavendar but am also a fan of less sweet/flowery more woodsy scents? but have no idea what those are called? any ideas, y’all?
There is wood scents that is refereed by the Dutch term for old, OUD. An Oud wood usually used to mean a sent that is more dark & resinous(in perfumes is usually a more pricier or limited edition scent, like OUD Noir, or Leather OUD). There is also the various type of sandalwood, maple, and musk(which is a scent of flowers, wood, and deer, essentially a forest).
thank you!! this is so helpful <3
Forgot to mention that some musk scents can be really strong and more popular among older men and women, like Jovan Musk. Though that might be different when it comes to candles.
I tried vanilla and patchouli the other day, that was pretty good! Still pretty sweet smelling due to the vanilla, though.
Maybe something like this would be up your alley?
I also have a frankincense essential oil that I really love the smell of, but I haven’t put it in a body product yet because it reminds me too much of like, being an altar server in elementary school. Probably the answer is that I just need to use it to create a new association; if it was mixed with something else, I doubt anyone else would be able to identify it.
this is amazing and exactly what i’ve been wanting to make! but question, how do you get the wick to stay still because recently I tried to pour a candle for the first time and the wick would not stay on the bottom in the middle… I don’t have a glue gun or else i’d glue it, any other ideas?
@purpletriangle The particular wood wicks I have come with little metal brackets that let them stand up on their own pretty easily. But something I saw while researching is that other people balance chopsticks across the top to help! Maybe you could try that, looks like this:
Weird question but I don’t EAT soy bc it makes my PMS/hormones ten thousand times worse, so I’m assuming I shouldn’t put it on my skin either???
Thank you for this!! I made a bunch for holiday presents, and they were easy enough that I could do it at the last minute without wanting to tear my hear out.
Pro tip: put them in the fridge to harden to reduce the likelihood of bubbles and shit (I read that on the internet)
Pro tip part 2: do NOT let your girlfriend put a pizza in the fridge before they’re hardened. I have some part cedar/part pizza-scented candles now. Not as sexy a smell as you might think.
Foot massage after a long working day helps to relax well and reduce muscle tension in the lower extremities and throughout the body, find out more about Precious Foot here. This simple procedure, which can be performed independently, is very useful for both physical and mental health of a person.