How to make candles with a latex mold?

Caution: Do not use stearin-containing wax with latex molds. Do not use solvents.

Step 1:

Heat the wax in a bain-marie using the special bain-marie container. Put in the equivalent of 2 times the mold capacity. Stir until the wax is liquid and completely transparent.

Step 2:

While the wax is melting, prepare the mold. Find a container in which to wedge it (in this case, a cup), or make a wedging system using wooden chopsticks and rubber bands. Arrange them in a square small enough to hold the top of the mold, and hook them together with the rubber bands. Be careful: Maison and Pierre Carving molds tend to sag under the weight of the wax. A wedging system with chopsticks is required. Cut a piece of wick and cut one side to a point to make it easier to insert into the appropriate part of the mold. Hold the wick in place with two wooden chopsticks held together with rubber bands, or with a pair of unseparated wooden chopsticks.

Step 3:

Reduce the heat and add colorant to the wax with a pipette. Stir until the liquid is homogeneous and check the candle's hue by letting a drop of wax cool on a white plate. Add fragrance with another pipette. Many different scents are available here.

Step 4:

Wait 5 minutes for the wax to cool slightly before pouring it into the mold. If the wax is too hot, the mold may be damaged more quickly.

Step 5:

Allow the wax to cool for several hours before removing the candle from the mold. Unmold by turning the latex mold upside down. You can smooth the bottom of the candle by scraping the edge with a knife.

Step 6:

To clean the mold, turn it over and scrape off any remaining wax with your fingernail. Do not use a scrubbing sponge, which can damage latex molds. Before re-use, talcum powder the mold. Spread the talcum powder evenly and remove as much as possible by tapping the mold on a hard surface.