Wax melts are a relatively recent phenomenon that has quickly gained popularity in home perfumery, so if you’re wondering what they are, that’s okay. From this article, you can learn how to use wax melts and what they are.
What is Wax Melts
To explain in a few words, wax melts, also called wax tarragons, are a substitute for candles without a flame. They are most often sold in bars, which are easily confused with candy bars. Wax melts can easily be separated into small pieces and then melted, and the house is filled with an incredible aroma.
Filling the room with pleasant aromas has been known to man since ancient times. Different substances were used for this purpose, among them aromatic wax – a natural product obtained as a result of bee activity.
During all this time it has not lost its position because of the ease of use: it is enough to place wax melt in an aroma lamp, light it, and enjoy the selected bouquet of incense.
They are made not only of bees but also of vegetable raw materials derived from soy, coconut, apricot kernels, etc.
Such materials, when heated, in addition to revealing the perfume composition, also benefit from a practical point of view:
- hold the bouquet of scents without changing it when heated;
- evenly melt;
- actively and for a long time fill the room with a pleasant smell.
If natural essential oils were used as perfume fragrance wax melt – such models also have a healing effect.
Lavender wax melt – calms the nervous system, lemon and rosemary wax melt – relieves headaches, and sandalwood wax melt – tones.
You can choose the wax melt scent according to your needs: to relax after a day’s work before going to bed or vice versa to gain new energy.
Wax Melts vs. Candles
Let’s take a look at the difference between candles and wax melts. The most important difference that immediately catches your eye is the appearance and usage techniques.
Candles are lit for a while and then you can just put them out. You will need to take your time to melt the wax melts using a special heater, which is easy to find in any store or online. There are two types of wax melt burners on the market: electric and tea lamp burners.
The main advantage of using wax burners is their absolute safety. The electric wax melt warmer does not create a single spark of flame, and many tea-lamps run out after a couple of hours.
What is the Best Way to Use Wax Melts
Although they are not as simple to use as wax candles, once you learn wax melts, they are indeed quite simple. So, how to use wax melts?
Step 1: Choose your wax melt
There are a huge number of wax melts on the market, consisting of dozens of types of wax. Mostly you can find wax melts made of soy wax or paraffin wax, but we advise you to buy coconut or rapeseed wax for a better aroma and cleaner smell, as they are cleaner from an environmental point of view.
Step 2: Place the wax melt in the wax melt warmer
How big you buy a wax melter depends on how you use it. Sometimes one or two cubes are enough. However, one will be enough for a great flavor.
We take it and put it in a special dish on the wax warmer.
Step 3: Start the wax warmer
If you have an electric warmer at your disposal, you can easily find a special switch or a small button on it. If you bought a tea-lamp wax warmer, all you have to do is to light it and put it in a small hole that is located under the dish. Many stores offer an excellent selection of safe tea lights.
As soon as you activate any of the available wax burners, the wax will slowly melt before your eyes and you will begin to smell the wonderful aroma almost immediately.
How long do you use wax melts
On average one cube can easily last eight hours, again it all depends on its size.
As we mentioned above, the tea lamp wax warmer will automatically go out after about four hours, so keep a replacement on hand.
There are models of electric warmers, in which developers have built in a special timer, if you suddenly bought it without it, we recommend you still exactly a model with a timer. This is necessary in case you often forget to do something.
Do you use wax melts until they evaporate
If you don’t want to melt the cube completely and you only need an hour to fill the room with flavor, then just set it aside. When it cools and stops melting, you can reuse it the next day or a few hours later.
Step 4: Get the wax off and wash the burner
If the wax cube is completely melted and no longer exudes fragrance, simply place a new cube on the melt.
How to do it right? First, let it cool down completely, it should be at least cool.
You can clean the tea light warmer in a number of ways. You can remove the wax before it hardens. This is easily done with cotton pads.
You can briefly turn on the wax burner, lightly soften the hardened wax stains and simply remove it with a spoon.
No matter how you get rid of the wax, you will still need to wipe your dishes. You can use a damp cloth or paper towel. Never wash your dishes with detergents, the residue can remain and poison the air when burned.
Video: How to Use Wax Melts
Wanna know how to use wax melts? Check this video.
How to Make Wax Melts
Wax melts are very easy to make, unlike soy candles. You don’t have to worry about how the wick will burn or if it will burn. This is a great idea for beginners. And using such plates is easy – just break off a piece of wax melt and put it in an aroma lamp. Here is how to wax a surfboard.
And since this wax melts very quickly, it’s a great way to test scent blends or new scents. Here’s what you need to get started:
Ingredients:
- Wax dye (optional)
- Fragrance or fragrance blend
- A mold for your wax tiles
- Thermometer
- Pitcher
- Soy wax
Step 1
Start melting your wax in a water bath. Each wax has a different temperature setting – follow the one your wax has.
Add the scented oil at the right temperature. Mix your wax melt and fragrance thoroughly.
Step 2
Next, add the dye to the wax. Stir everything thoroughly. Wait until the wax has cooled to the desired temperature and pour it into the mold. The pouring temperature depends on the type of wax, so be sure to double-check that the temperature of the wax used is correct.
Wax melts are often sold in a plastic mold – a cot, like this one, with a snap-on lid. All you have to do is pour the prepared wax melt directly into the molds.
Then let the wax melt and cool for 24-48 hours. Snap the lid on and add your brand label if you like.
Feel free to get creative with color and flavor combinations and label designs.