I must say that I’ve always been a bit paranoid when it comes to open flames in my house. My nervous brain likes to conjure up images of my house going up in flames due to some sort of stovetop or candle incident! Because of my fire-related concerns, I can definitely see the appeal of flameless “candle” alternatives, such as scented wax melts. (If you’re not familiar with wax melts, they are little scented wax cubes that you melt in a special warmer to release the scent.)
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But rather than buy wax melts from a store, I figured that something so simple would be easy enough to recreate. (And you know me, I can never quite resist the urge to “DIY” something when the urge strikes me!) So after a bit of research and experimentation, the OGT team came up with this formula for all-natural scented wax melts.
Unlike other wax melts you can buy, these use beeswax and coconut oil as a base. Many of the store-bought varieties of wax melts are made with paraffin wax, a petroleum-based wax that can emit toxic chemicals when burned. Another thing that sets my homemade wax melts apart from the store-bought ones is that they are scented with all-natural essential oils instead of artificial fragrances. Plus, they’re easy to make and make your home smell wonderful! So let’s get started, shall we?
Homemade Wax Melts
You’ll need:
- Saucepan
- Glass or metal bowl
- 1/4 cup beeswax pastilles
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 100 drops of essential oil(s)
- Silicone mold
Directions:
Pour an inch or two of water into your saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on your stovetop. Add the beeswax and coconut oil to your glass or metal bowl or measuring cup, then place the bowl over the pan of simmering water.
When the beeswax and coconut oil have melted completely and are well combined, remove the container from heat.
Add your essential oil(s) of choice to the melted wax and oil mixture. You can use one, two, or even three oils combined to create your perfect scent. (Adding 100 drops of essential oils may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that this recipe can make multiple wax melt cubes.)
For the melts shown here, I added 30 drops of lemongrass essential oil, 30 drops of grapefruit essential oil, and 30 drops of lavender essential oil. I’m calling this mixture “Soothing Citrus,” but you can use whatever oils your heart desires! See the links below for more essential oil blends to get you inspired.
Related: Essential Oil Blends That Are Perfect For Spring!
Related: Our Favorite Essential Oil Blends For Fall
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Finally, stir the oils into the wax and oil mixture, then pour it into your silicone mold. Choose a mold with small cavities, around an inch in size, so you can fit your wax melts into smaller warmers if necessary.
Allow the mixture to solidify completely, then pop the wax melts out of the mold and store them in a jar or ziplock bag.
Using Your Wax Melts
Place your wax warmer in your desired room and turn it on. Place one or two wax melt pieces into the tray of the warmer, and enjoy the lovely all-natural scent!
Note: Our little plug-in wax warmer didn’t generate a lot of heat, so it took quite a while to melt the wax. If you’re using a plug-in warmer like this one, you may want to reduce the amount of beeswax you use in your melts. Try using 2-3 tablespoons of beeswax instead of 4 for easier melting!
My question is… Are these safe for birds to smell? I have budgies and cockatiels which have very sensitive lungs.
No, just to be safe I would not use these in the same room that your birds live in :-)
I have a block of beeswax, will that in this recipe? I was also wondering about the coconut, I live where its hot and coconut tends to stay in a liquid form, should I add more beeswax to keep the wax melts hard until I use them or will I have to put them in the frig like everything else that has coconut in it?
Yes, the block of beeswax will work, you just have to grate it first. :-) Keep the amounts the same for hotter weather, but store them in the fridge. If you add too much beeswax, they won’t melt.
can you use soy wax insted of bees wax
Yes!
thank u
Tried…didn’t have a very good scent throw
About how many does this make? How long do they last once you start heating them? And for the big question does this save you money?
Just made these wax melts with lemon, eculapytus , and grapefruit essential oils and OMG it smells sooo good!! Thank you for sharing! Love receiving your blogs!!!!
Why is the use of bees wax necessary? Will the coconut oil not remain in a stable shape in storage?
Yes, the coconut oil melts SO easily. :-)
Hi Elisa, No, coconut oil will melt very easily. Where I live it starts to liquefy when temperatures reach anywhere between 15 and 18 c unless refrigerated. Can’t leave it out at all in summer.
Do you know how long the fragrance lasts in these melts?
Do you know how long the fragrance last in these melts?
I’m an EO newbie, but I thought you weren’t supposed to heat essential oils?
That’s because when the oils are heated they loose a lot of their natural goodness but since these are only being used for the scent and not being applied topically all is well with heating :)
So will doing these not give the benefits the way diffusing them does? I don’t have a diffuser and was trying to do something that’ll give me the same benefits as using a diffuser
You won’t get the antibacterial quality of lemon oil after heating, but you will get the mood-lifting quality and fresh scent, just like you would with a diffuser!
Awesome! That’s what I wanted. Thank you! (: