If you’re reading this blog, you’ve hopefully checked out part 1 of the series on how to start a candle business. In part 1, we covered branding, finding your niche, and startup costs.
Now, let’s dive into the practical side – what tools you need, legal requirements of a candle business and where to sell your candles.
selling candles in the UK (Legally)
Please bear in mind, that legal requirements and things of that nature will depend on your location. For this reason, I’ll focus on the UK legal structure.
If you are in another part of the world, please feel free to reach out and I’ll be able to offer some guidance. In the meantime, there are so many articles online that you can check out for other countries.
Yes, it’s legal to sell your homemade candles in the UK provided you meet the legal requirements.
First, let me say I’m by no means a lawyer, this is more of a general guide based on my experiences, so always refer to official sources like gOV.UK for the latest legal requirements.
the steps i took to become legally sound
choose a business name – This doesn’t need to be the same as your brand name but It does make it easier. Check your name is unique to you if you want to avoid legal troubles down the road. you can do this by checking on the UK government website and searching your chosen name.
You may also want to trademark your name to protect your business in case someone wants to copycat your name.
Register your business with the government – In the UK you do this with the HMRC and it’s pretty easy to do online. You’re essentially letting the government know you’re about to start trading, for tax purposes.
Choose a business structure – how do you plan to register your company? I suggest registering as a sole trader at first whilst your business is small. This structure provides legal protection without excessive paperwork. Remember, You are required to produce a self-assessment and keep track of your income, via the HMRC.
Get product liability insurance – Yes, do it. Since Candles come with a fire risk, having product liability insurance is highly important. This protects your business if someone is hurt by your candles. You don’t want those hefty legal bills if you’re only a small company, especially if you could have avoided this with insurance.
Luckily, there are some affordable plans out there. Check out this company for a quote, 10% of their customers ‘pay the equivalent of £4.74 a month’.
Get Public liability insurance – If you plan to sell your candles at markets, pop-up events or in-person stores, public liability insurance is essential. This insurance protects you if a customer or member of the public suffers injury or property damage due to your business activities. Check out this provider.
Side note: You should always heavily test your candles by burning them yourself to see if they pose any risks to the public. Does the candle flame burn steadily? Are there any weird fumes coming from your candle? Testing is vital to make sure you put the best quality product on the market. We’ll talk more about testing in a separate blog titled ‘The Science of Candle Making’ (or another name I may come up with ).
Safety labelling as part of your packaging
We already covered packaging in a separate blog, check it out here, but in this section, we’ll talk about safety labelling.
Candles fall under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, meaning they must be safe for consumers. Under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation, candles containing fragrance and essential oils must include a safety label with:
- Warning symbols (hazard pictograms)
- List of allergens (if fragrance oils contain potential irritants)
- Your business details (name, address, contact information)
- Instructions for safe use (e.g keep away from flammable objects)
You can make your CLP labels like I did using Canva.com. I’m a big fan of Canva and use it to create so many of my designs. Use the formatting in the image above as a guide and go to britishcandles.org To get your warning pictograms.
essential tools and equipment for candle making
Now that your business is legally set up, it’s time to get your candle business rolling and get ready for production.
What you’ll need:
- Wax melter– to melt Your wax. You can also use other methods to melt Your wax like hovering a pitcher with your wax over boiling water.
- Thermometer – to ensure the right pouring temperature
- Mixing pitcher – to precisely blend wax and fragrances
- Wicks – cotton, wood or eco-friendly
- wick holders – keeps Wick straight while you pour Your wax
- Wax – of course. There are many types of wax, will discuss this in the next part.
- Fragrance/essential oils – these are your scents.
- Dyes – if you want coloured candles.
- Candle containers/Jars
Having the right tools – like wax melters, wicks, and thermometers – ensures consistency and safety in candle making. In the next blog well discuss the process of using these tools and materials to create your first candle.
Now lets explore wax types and how they affect your final product.
choosing The right wax for your candle business
Choosing the right wax is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when you start your candle business. This is because different wax types have their own unique characteristics.
Every other piece of equipment, like your thermometer, can be used for any type of candle. However, your wax will depend on the type of candle you want to produce. As well as wax, your wick will also vary depending on the container type and wax you use. We’ll cover wicks in the next blog – subscribe to be notified.
So, here are the most popular wax types and how they affect burn time, scent throw, texture and eco-friendliness.
Paraffin wax
Paraffin wax is One of the most widely used waxes in the candle industry due to its affordability and excellent scent throw. It holds fragrance and colour well making it a popular choice for scented and decorative candles. However, paraffin is petroleum-based which raises concerns about its environmental impact. Therefore some people prefer to avoid it due to the potential release of toxins and soot when burned.
However, quality, refined paraffin is considered safe for homes and burns cleaner than low-grade paraffin.
Soy wax
Soy wax is a natural alternative to paraffin made from soybean Oil. It is biodegradable, burns cleaner and has a longer burn time. One of the main advantages of soy wax is its ability to hold fragrance well, though it typically has a softer scent throw compared to paraffin wax. It also has a smooth, creamy texture that makes it great for container candles. Soy wax is what I recommend as the wax you should start with due to its eco-friendliness And slower burn time.
Beeswax
Beeswax is one of the oldest candle waxes and is valued highly for its natural honey-like scent and clean burning. Unlike other waxes, beeswax emits negative ions that help purify the air making it an excellent choice for those looking for natural and healthy candle options. It has a firm texture making it ideal for pillow and taper candles. However beeswax can be more expensive than other waxes, and its natural scent sometimes interferes with the added fragrances.
Coconut wax
Coconut wax is a new addition to the candle industry and is considered one of the most luxurious waxes. It is made from coconut oil and is often blended with other waxes to improve stability. Coconut wax burns slowly and has an excellent scent throw making it perfect for high-end scented candles. It also produces minimal soot and has a smooth glossy finish. The downside is that pure coconut wax can be too soft to stand alone so it is often mixed with soy or paraffin for better structure.
Which wax type should you choose?
The best wax for your candle business depends on your goal, How much you want to spend, how eco-friendly you are and how strong of a scent you want.
If you want an affordable option with a strong fragrance, paraffin might be best. However, for a more eco-friendly choice – soy or coconut wax are great alternatives. If you’re looking for a natural candle that can also help to purify your air, beeswax is the top choice.
Each wax has its strengths and trade-offs so experimenting with blends can help you achieve the best results for your specific candle-making needs.
I went with a soy wax from Supplies for Candles. this isn’t a promotion, but i tend to get most of my supplies from here. This wax was right For me because of the clean burn that soy candles offer and the relative affordability.
The type of wax you use will depend entirely on your personal preference. Use this personal guide to help you decide on a wax type.
Key takeaways
- Beeswax is great for natural, clean burning candles but is not vegan and has a mild natural scent that can offset your fragrance.
- Soy wax is eco-friendly, vegan and budget-friendly, though it has a moderate scent throw and can develop frosting.
- Paraffin wax is cheap with the best scent throw but produces soot and may release toxins when burned
- Coconut wax is luxurious, clean burning and best for high-end candles, but costly and often blended for stability.
My top choice is: SFC’s soy wax blend – check it out here
where to sell your candles: online and in-person
Now that you’ve bought your tools and decided on a wax type, your next step is to start making your candles. This is an entire blog on its own, so I’ll finish up this one with guidance on where to sell your candles.
If you’ve read blog 1 in this series, then you would’ve decided on a target audience.
who’s going to buy your candles?
From there you can go directly to your customers and set up shop where they are. If you plan to sell to a broad audience, Amazon works well. There are billions of people using Amazon daily so it doesn’t hurt to start there. Check out this guide on selling candles on amazon.
Etsy, is an online shopping platform. If your candle business is hand-crafted, Many people would prefer to buy candles from Etsy due to its personal and artisanal nature.
You can make your own website and link your shop to it as well. However, I would advise against starting like this as you would have to have a really strong brand name to be successful.
Finally, you can start selling in local markets, candles do well in pop-up stalls. You can offer your candles as samples so people know what they’re buying first. However, not everyone has access to markets, so if you can’t sell there then just stick to Amazon and Etsy.
market research: understanding your competition
At this point in your journey, you should be doing market research. This is so you learn what the markets are like before you decide to enter it. Learn everything about it!
- The most popular brands
- the most commonly sold wax types and container styles.
- Do candle sellers do well on Amazon and Etsy?
- Is anyone doing the same candle as you?
- How many reviews do sellers have
- What are these reviews about (even if they’re bad reviews, they’ll help you to be different.)
- What type of candles they’re selling
Become a pro in your industry, this will help when you become a player. Some of the most simple scented candles are selling thousands of candles a month on Amazon. Conducting this research will help with SEO optimisation, finding keywords and the right images for when you list your candles on the site to help boost your visibility.
key takeaway for this section
a site with billions of users is the best way to start getting your candles sold. Therefore i recommend amazon. However in-person selling is a great way to build a personal connection with your customers. It also helps to showcase your products by being able to offer scent tests.
reminder: when selling online, never skimp on quality and customer satisfaction if you want those repeat purchases. You can do this through great packaging and customer service.
next steps
So, we’ve learnt that starting a candle business involves more than just making great candles – it requires proper legal setup, the right tools, and smart selling strategies. By registering your business, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, and choosing quality materials, you’ll set yourself up for success.
Whether you sell at markets or in-person, understanding your customers is key to growing your brand.
The next step is all about perfecting your candle-making process. We’ll dive into the making of high-quality candles, including choosing wicks and containers, testing your formulas and troubleshooting common issues.
Stay tuned candle lovers!
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