You know what my least favorite part of summer is? The mosquitoes, by far! When I get a mosquito bite, it swells up to the size of a goose egg, which is totally lovely.
We have a big beautiful porch on our historic bungalow, and we are hoping to spend lots of time out there this spring and summer! We bought some pretty cafe lights, and I made these citronella candles to keep the mosquitoes away from us!
Candles are so simple to make at home. You can use this basic recipe and adapt it for different sized containers, and of course you can use different essential oils to fragrance the candles! The oils used in these candles smell very distinct. If you’ve burned citronella candles before, they smell like that, but less chemically and a little more lemony and fresh. 
- approx. 6 cups soy wax flakes
- 3 half-pint mason jars
- 3 large candle wicks
- popsicle sticks
- 16 drops citronella essential oil
- 8 drops Purify essential oil blend
- Place a large glass mason jar (quart size) or a glass measuring cup in a saucepan of water on the stove.
- Add 4 cups soy wax flakes (fill to top of mason jar).
- Heat over medium/low heat.
- As wax melts, stir with a wooden popsicle stick and add more wax flakes. The goal is to end up with 3 cups of MELTED wax.
- Set out half-pint mason jars and place a wick in each one.
- When wax is melted completely (will look like olive oil), remove from heat and add essential oils, stirring well.
- Pour wax into mason jars. Adjust wicks so they are in the center of the jars. Use 3-4 popsicle sticks laid flat across each jar to "prop up" the wicks so they don't move around.
- Allow candles to cool (they will turn opaque as they cool).
- Trim wicks. Enjoy!
Sources: soy wax flakes | large candle wicks | citronella essential oil | Purify essential oil blend
Disclosure: This post contains links to the essential oil company I use and love. If you choose to make a purchase through my links, it will help support my family and this blog. Thanks!
ALIESHA CALDWELL IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.
I love this idea! I too swell up with bug bites. I usually end up having to ice them and take a Benadryl. I’m always looking for ways to keep the bugs at bay.
(visiting from Thrifty Thursday)
Thanks for stopping by, Julie!
once we move, im making these 🙂
Awesome! We used them when we had a porch party and they worked great!
Do you know if you can use the blend of oils as a natural bug spray as well? Or are they only safe for candle use? Can’t wait to buy the oils and do this soon!!
Yes, you can use these same oils to make a DIY bug spray!
The mosquitoes are so bad here this year due to a very wet spring and summer so far!
My son came in one evening after being swarmed by them. I sent him to the shower and did some research on home remedies for bites. Saw two that I decided to combine. Witch Hazel & Tea Tree oil. I guessed at approximately 2 T witch hazel and 40 drops of tea tree. I wiped some on his bites and he immediately felt a difference. No itching! By morning most bites were not even noticeable! The few that were we put more on. Today, my niece, who is highly allergic to the bite and actually has a prescription for them, had two bites. I put it on them. I asked her if they were itchy and she said no. I asked about if her prescription helped and she said it doesn’t do anything! She’s 9 my son 13. It’s a miracle cure!
I will definitely have to try that!!
Hi! I made soy wax candles and two things happened =(
1) The finish wasn’t as neat as yours (lumps and holes at the surface and inside)
2) When lit, the melted wax or pool was too deep, almost half of the jar….
How can I avoid this?
Thanks!
Josefina
Hmm… it sounds like there were some air bubbles in the wax. Next time, try tapping the jar gently on a flat surface after you pour in the melted wax. Also, the deep wax pool may have been caused by the wicks you used. There are a few different kinds for different sized candles, so perhaps try a smaller wick next time, which will result in a smaller pool of wax. Hope that helps!