DIY Fall Candles with Essential Oils (7 Recipes)

Bring the warmth and coziness of fall into your home with these DIY fall candles scented with essential oils. These homemade candles will make your home smell like fall, without the headache and respiratory issues often associated with synthetic scented candles. Instead, these candles are crafted with natural waxes and essential oils.

Read on to discover 7 fall candle recipes in cozy fall scents such as Pumpkin Spice, Winter Woods, Sugar Cookie, Vanilla Latte, Autumn Air, and “Fall” in Love.

Perhaps you’re a fan of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and apple pie aromas. Or maybe you prefer the woodsy scents of pine and evergreen. Whatever your preference, these easy-to-make DIY candles will fill your home with the cozy and comforting scents of fall.

There’s a variety of ways to scent your home with essential oils (DIY room sprays are one of our favorites). But there’s just something about the soft glow of burning candles that evokes the coziness of the season.

So, what better way to inspire a relaxing and homey mood than by lighting a beautiful, fall-scented candle? Especially a homemade candle using natural, non-toxic wax and pure essential oils.

Not only can making your own candles save you money, but they’re also better for your overall health and the environment (more on that later). As an added bonus, these fall candles make for lovely homemade gifts for holiday gift-giving.

This tutorial will show you how to make your own homemade candles with essential oils in 7 cozy fall scents, using some of our favourite fall essential oil blends.

If you’d prefer to go directly to the recipes, you can use the jump button. And if you’re looking for a new fall scent for your diffuser, you may wish to scroll directly to the section on fall essential oil blends.

After the recipes, we have included tips for making fall candles, plus answers to questions such as how to make your candles smell stronger and last longer.

The best essential oils for homemade candles

We made these fall candles using essential oils from Simply Earth’s Essential Oil Recipe Box, a monthly subscription box that includes everything you need to make 6 natural recipes.

Each box is an amazing value. The November 2020 Candle Box included 4 full-size essential oils: zesty lime, crisp pine, spicy nutmeg, and a romantic “Love” blend. Along with a selection of candlemaking supplies, including soy candle wax and candle wicks.

Each batch of Simply Earth essential oils is lab tested, ensuring oils that are 100% pure and of the highest quality. They’re also extremely potent and fresh – for instance, Simply Earth’s lime essential oil smells like fresh lime juice, their pine smells like an evergreen tree, and the nutmeg smells like it was freshly grated in your kitchen.

Their Love blend is quite captivating as well, combining notes of amyris, ylang-ylang, sweet orange and bergamot for a sweet and sensual fragrance. Paired with nutmeg, it’s become one of our favourite fall essential oil blends.

All in all, it’s a fantastic value for quality essential oils, which is why we feel good about recommending Simply Earth to our readers and using their oils in our DIYs.

Though the November 2020 box used for these fall candles sold out long ago, you can still check out this month’s box. If you subscribe, you’ll also receive a free Bonus Box (more info in our review post).

Finally, you can use our coupon code ALIFEADJACENTFREE to receive a $45 gift card with your initial subscription box and bonus box! If you’d like to preview more boxes, you can also find our review of the June 2020 box here.

Fragrance oils vs essential oils in candles

Besides making your home smell amazing, did you know that making your own homemade candles is better for your overall health?

It may be nice to fill your home with the scents of the fall season, but what isn’t so nice is the synthetic fragrances found in many store-bought candles.

Unfortunately, most store-bought candles contain synthetic fragrance oils.

We’ve talked a lot about the dangers of synthetic fragrance products on this blog. Even if you’re lucky enough not to suffer from some of their side effects, including headache, sinus issues, and skin rashes, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about the effects you can’t see or feel.

Unfortunately, long-term use of synthetic fragrances can affect our endocrine and nervous systems. Synthetic fragrances have also been associated with a range of adverse health effects, including migraines, asthma attacks, respiratory difficulties, neurological problems, and allergic reactions.

On the other hand, essential oils are derived from natural plant sources. Of course, they have risks of their own when used in excess, but they don’t carry the same toxicity as synthetic fragrances.

Paraffin wax candle safety

Unfortunately, synthetic fragrances aren’t the only issue to consider when it comes to commercial candles. Most store-bought candles are also made with petroleum-derived paraffin wax, exposing you to dangerous toxins two-fold.

Candles literally vaporize wax and release it into the air, which you then breathe in. Ideally, you want to ensure that the candle you’re burning is as non-toxic as possible.

Paraffin wax a is a byproduct of oil refineries, and research has shown that it releases toxic chemicals like toluene and benzene when burned.

According to researcher Dr. Ruhullah Massoudi, inhaling these dangerous pollutants can contribute to the development of cancer, allergies and asthma.

But despite paraffin’s risks, brands use it because it’s cheap, and also because it provides the strongest scent “throw.”

Best wax for essential oil candles

The good news is that you can still enjoy the experience of burning candles as long as you choose candles made from natural waxes.

Natural alternatives to paraffin wax include soy wax, beeswax, coconut wax, and palm wax.

Research has shown that these natural waxes don’t produce the same toxic pollutants as paraffin. They also produce significantly less particles and soot.

Another added benefit of natural waxes is that they don’t burn as hot as paraffin wax. This is a key point when making candles with essential oils.

Paraffin wax and essential oils are not compatible, as paraffin burns very hot. And when making essential oil candles, the last thing you want is for them to burn too hot, as heat quickly degrades essential oils.

Furthermore, once an oil reaches its flash point, it vaporizes, leaving no fragrance behind.

So, the cooler the candle, the longer the oils’ fragrance will last. This makes natural materials like soy wax and coconut wax the best waxes for making essential oil candles.

Can you make strong scented essential oil candles?

Of course, even with the best wax, the fragrance of essential oil candles still won’t last as long as store-bought ones. The tradeoff for less toxic candles is a less strong fragrance.

But this is actually a good thing, as the reason synthetic fragrances last so long is because they are comprised of toxic chemicals, including fixatives which help the scent last longer.

The main purpose of a candle is to evoke a cozy mood, but don’t expect your natural candle to fill the room with scent as strongly as a store-bought candle.

To strongly scent a room, use a diffuser or make a DIY essential oil room spray.

That said, there are still ways to make your fall candles smell as strong as possible, which we will get to later in this post. And certain essential oils act as natural fixatives to help anchor your candles’ scent.

Ingredients and materials for making your own fall candles

Now that we’ve covered some of the health implications of candles, we’re going to get straight into how to make your own fall candles as well as the supplies needed.

For those who are interested, after the recipes we’ve also included tips and tricks on making your own essential oil candles.

To make your own DIY fall candles, you will need the following materials:

• Natural candle wax
• Essential oils
• Coconut oil
• Candle wick
• Glass container
• Double boiler

All of the above, except for the candle container and double boiler, can be found in Simply Earth’s November 2020 Box.

Natural candle wax

The wax acts as the candle’s fuel and the carrier to disperse the scent of the essential oils.

Options include soy wax, beeswax, and coconut wax. We made the candles shown in this article using both raw beeswax and soy wax, as soy wax was included in Simply Earth’s box.

As discussed, natural waxes burn cleaner and cooler than paraffin wax. They’re also the best choice for making essential oil candles, as their lower temperature will stop the oils from evaporating too quickly.

However, it should be noted that beeswax does not have a great scent throw, and is better suited to ornamental or lightly scented candles. For strong scented candles, soy wax is a better choice.

If using beeswax, you can use whichever type you have on hand. Raw beeswax will add a subtle honey scent to your candles.

Essential oils

Essential oils provide a lovely non-toxic fragrance to your candles. We included 7 fall scented candle recipes: Winter Woods, Timber, Vanilla Latte, Pumpkin Spice, Autumn Air, Sugar Cookie, and a unique blend called “Fall in Love”.

The recipe for each fall essential oil blend can be found in the section below.

How much essential oil should I use in my candles?

The average industry usage for candles is 6% fragrance, which equals about 1.4 teaspoons of essential oil for every 4 fluid ounces of melted wax.

We realize that it’s not easy to measure out exactly 1.4 teaspoons. So, we rounded down our recipes to 1 teaspoon, which equals approximately 100 drops of essential oils.

Using 1 teaspoon of essential oils per candle yields around 4% fragrance, which is slightly less than the recommended rate.

So, you are welcome to experiment with using more essential oils. Simply multiply each recipe by 1.4 to reach the 6% fragrance rate.

Coconut oil

Why add coconut oil to candles? For one, it helps hold scent, as the essential oils dissolve readily in a carrier oil.

As well, coconut oil helps lower the melting point of the candle, so that the wax melts evenly and the candle avoids tunnelling.

It also helps slow burn time which makes the candle last longer.

Candle containers

Always choose heat-proof glass containers that are safe for burning candles.

We suggest choosing a container that comes with a lid, as you’ll need to keep your scented candles tightly sealed between uses to keep their fragrance from fading.

We used 4oz mason jars and also repurposed candle containers we already had on hand.

Candle wick

True to its name, a candle wick literally “wicks” wax up towards the flame, where it vaporizes and combusts.

There are a variety of candle wick types, including wood and cotton. Whichever one you prefer, make sure it is lead-free.

As well, be sure to tailor the wick size to your container. Large containers need larger wicks, and small containers need smaller wicks.

We used the cotton wicks that were included in our Simply Earth box.

Double boiler

You will also need a double boiler for melting your candle wax, as melting it directly in a saucepan will cause it to burn.

If you don’t have a double boiler, you can also create a makeshift one by placing a Turkish coffee pot, metal pitcher, or heat-safe glass container into a sauce pan filled with a couple inches of water.

How to make DIY fall scented candles

Ingredients

Fall Candles with Soy Wax

1/2 cup soy wax flakes
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
100-140 drops essential oils (list of fall essential oil blends below)

Fall Candles with Beeswax

1/2 cup grated raw beeswax or beeswax pellets
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
100-140 drops essential oils (list of fall essential oil blends below)

Equipment

Small candle container such as a 4oz mason jar
Candle wick (cotton or wood)
Double boiler (or Turkish coffee pot, metal candle pitcher, or heat-safe measuring cup)
Wood stir stick

Instructions

First, prepare your supplies. If making a raw beeswax candle, grate your wax first. If you don’t have a double boiler, create one by placing a heat-safe container into a saucepan filled with a couple inches of water.

Melt wax and coconut oil in your double boiler over medium heat.

Once just melted, remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. It’s important to let the wax cool before adding the essential oils, as high heat will cause essential oils to vaporize.

Once the wax has cooled, add the essential oils and mix in. You may wish to use a compostable wood stir stick, as cooled wax is difficult to remove.

Dip the candle wick into the melted wax and anchor it to the bottom of your candle container. You can also use chopsticks or a clothespin to anchor and centre your wick before pouring.

Carefully pour the melted candle wax into your candle container.

Allow to harden at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

Once your candle has hardened, trim the wick to a 1/4 inch.

Cover with a lid and allow your fall candle to cure for at least 24 hours before use. This allows your candle’s fragrance to fully mature.

Fall essential oil blends for homemade candles

Below are some of our favourite fall essential oils blends for making candles. Each recipe yields 100 drops of essential oils, or enough to scent a small 4 ounce candle.

If you’d like to create your own fall fragrance, we’ve included handy tips on blending essential oils for candles in the next section.

Winter Woods Essential Oil Blend

47 drops lime essential oil
40 drops pine scotch essential oil
13 drops nutmeg essential oil

This woodsy blend from Simply Earth combines crisp pine scotch, zesty lime and spicy nutmeg for a delightful scent that smells like a fresh forest in the wintertime (or fall).

Winter Woods blend adapted from the Simply Earth November 2020 Recipe Box.

“Fall” in Love Essential Oil Blend

75 drops Love essential oil blend
25 drop nutmeg essential oil

We highly recommend the Love blend, but if you don’t have it, you can also emulate it by blending each individual oil: amyris, ylang-ylang, bergamot and sweet orange.

Simply Earth’s “Love” essential oil blend is a sweet and sensual combination of amyris, ylang-ylang, sweet orange and bergamot. This captivating fragrance evokes feelings of love and romance, with nutmeg for a hint of spice.

Though it helps brighten chilly fall nights, this blend is definitely suitable for any time of year.

Recipe adapted from the Love & Spice diffuser recipe in the Simply Earth November 2020 Recipe Box.

Vanilla Latte Essential Oil Blend

35 drops coffee essential oil
35 drops tonka bean absolute
30 drops vanilla oleoresin

This coffee scented candle smells like a warm, delicious vanilla latte enjoyed on a cold fall night.

Tonka bean absolute has a higher flash point than vanilla, helping to anchor this candle’s scent longer. It also adds a caramel-like quality to the candle’s fragrance. Yes, tonka bean is the essential oil that smells like caramel!

Timber Essential Oil Blend

100 drops Timber essential oil blend

Simply Earth’s Timber blend is the perfect combination of woodsy and sweet. Like a high-end cologne, it’s masculine without being overpowering. It blends strong notes of patchouli, woods and fir, balanced by sweet mandarin.

Timber is also incredibly long-lasting, so it’s also ideal for using in gel air fresheners.

If you don’t have this pre-made blend on hand, you can emulate it by blending each individual oil: cypress, patchouli, Peru Balsam, mandarin, cedarwood and sandalwood. But, we highly recommend the original Timber blend from Simply Earth.

Autumn Air Essential Oil Blend

100 drops Autumn Air essential oil blend

Autumn Air combines notes of sweet ho wood, crisp balsam fir, and the gentle spice of cassia for a lovely blend that evokes crisp autumn air. Hints of citrus from lemon and orange balance and add fruity sweetness. Simply Earth aromatherapist Katie Veldkamp says it’s reminiscent of an apple orchard.

If you don’t have this blend on hand, you can also emulate it by blending each individual oil: lemon, orange, balsam fir, cassia, and ho wood. But as always, we recommend the real thing.

Sugar Cookie Essential Oil Blend

40 drops butter co2 extract
40 drops tonka bean absolute
25 drops vanilla oleoresin or vanilla blend
25 drops bitter almond essential oil
10 drops sweet orange essential oil
5 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil

Last but not least, you can make a sugar cookie candle using our decadent cookie essential oil blend. With notes of sugar, marzipan and rich, buttery cookie dough, this scent is as close as you can get to freshly baked cookies.

Tips and tricks for making fall candles

• Use a bit of melted wax to anchor your wick. Or, simply use chopsticks or a clothespin to hold your wick in place.
• Don’t add the essential oils to the candle wax until the wax has cooled, as essential oils are delicate and evaporate easily.
• It can be helpful to consult an essential oil’s flash point and use a laser thermometer to ensure you don’t add the oil above this temperature.
• If a candle cools to quickly, it can crack and pull away from its container. To avoid this, you can warm your containers in the oven before pouring in your wax. Use a low temperature (around 100 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Remember to cure your candles for 24 hours to give the scents time to mature.
• Keep your candle tightly sealed just like you would a bottle of essential oil. Otherwise, your fall candle’s scent will evaporate.
• If you’re making your candles for gifting, simply add a twine or ribbon bow, and a sprig of greenery or dried flowers, and you have a lovely handmade gift that is more economical than store-bought candles.

Essential oil candle safety tips

• Consult your doctor to ensure burning essential oil candles is safe for you.
• Remember to never leave your lit candles unattended or within the reach of children or pets.
• Not all essential oils are safe for babies, children, or pets. Before burning an essential oil candle, be sure to verify whether each oil is safe for your household.
• Be sure to keep your wick trimmed to a 1/4 inch at all times, as too long of a wick can be a fire hazard.
• Also, never light candles with chipped or cracked containers, and stop using your candle once 1/2 inch or less of wax remains, as thermal shock can crack glass candle holders.
• Essential oils are highly flammable. If your candle wax cannot handle your fragrance load, the excess oil will seep out and can combust. Never add more fragrance than your wax can handle, and if you don’t know, always err on the side of caution.

How to blend essential oils for fall candles

Just like making your own room spray or perfume, there’s a technique to blending essential oils for candle making.

Every essential oil can be classified as a top note, middle note or bottom note. This classification depends on an oil’s weight, evaporation rate, and when it comes to candles, its flash point.

An essential oil’s flash point is the temperature at which it will vaporize. The lower an oil’s flash point temperature, the quicker it will evaporate as the candle burns.

Top notes (such as citrus oils) have lower flash points, which means they evaporate quickly and cannot withstand much heat.

On the other hand, base notes like ylang-ylang are more heat tolerant and take longer to fade.

When making your own fall essential oil blends, you should choose a balance of top, middle and base notes, and emphasize oils with a higher flash point (this guide is handy).

It’s useful to remember that top notes are delicate and fleeting, whereas base notes are more tenacious. And middle notes fall somewhere in the middle.

Top note essential oils include:

• Basil
• Lemon
• Lime
• Grapefruit
• Bergamot
• Sweet Orange
• Neroli
• Cassia

Middle note essential oils include:

• Nutmeg
• Balsam Fir
• Cinnamon Leaf
• Clove Bud
• Juniper Berry
• Coffee
• Ho Wood
• Fir Needle
• Cardamom
• Star Anise

Base note essential oils include:

• Amyris
• Tonka Bean Absolute
• Cacao Absolute
• Copaiba Oleoresin
• Patchouli
• Ylang-Ylang
• Sandalwood
• Cedarwood
• Vanilla Oleoresin
• Cypress
• Peru Balsam
• Frankincense