Lotion candles, also known as massage candles are a relatively new trend on the market. A lotion candle is a candle that uses skin-loving ingredients to soften and protect your skin instead of traditional candle wax. The concept is simple, just light your candle and let it burn for a few minutes until a wax melt pool forms. Once the wax pool forms extinguish the flame and either scoop or pour out some of the melted wax to use on your skin. The melted wax will be warm but not hot enough to burn your skin, so it can just be massaged into any dry areas just as you would with any other lotion. Lotion candles are basically lotion bars with a wick, therefore they are formulated similarly. These candles can be poured into a container you would use for any normal candle. They can also be used without lighting the wick by just scoop a bit of the container and massage it into the skin. Lotion candles are a fantastic seller for Valentine’s Day because it can be a very romantic gift, while also being great for soothing chapped winter skin.
There are many benefits to using lotion candles instead of basic lotion. Nutrition experts everywhere are raving about using soy in skincare products. The proteins, amino acids and lipids found in this high-powered bean will moisturize your skin quickly and provide rapid cell regeneration. For years, soybean factory workers who handled soy products from day to day had skin that was especially smooth and even-toned. Some studies have shown that soy oil will reduce the effects of scarring on your skin too! With all of those great benefits - why not make lotion candles!?!?
What needs to be considered, is that this product’s intent is for a skincare item, not a highly fragranced candle. Burning a lotion candle will lightly fragrance your home but it is not intended to fill your entire house with scent. Fragrance oil usage should be used according to the IFRA categories 3 and 5 or no more than 2% of the total formula weight. I’ve seen so many lotion candles on the market that contain way too much fragrance and should be sold as a highly scented candle instead of a skincare product! I do not recommend using color in lotion candles because if you’ve ever worked with candle dye, you know how permanent it can be and it would be terrible to turn your customers colors when they use your product.
Lotion candles start out with a base of cosmetic grade soy wax or coconut wax, this component is at least 50% of the entire formula. There are many different wax brands available that will work. The next 47% of the lotion candle is skin-friendly oils and butters of your choice, which are melted into the wax base. Finally garnish the mixture with 2% fragrance or essential oil and use an anti-oxidant such as Vitamin E or Rosemary Oleoresin (ROE) at 1% to help extend the shelf life of your candles. You can really get creative when designing formulas for your lotion candles with all of the oils and butters available. Since the candle is only burned for a few minutes at a time, I typically use a larger size natural wick so that the melt pool forms quickly. We live in an instant gratification kind of world so it should only take two or three minutes to melt enough wax for use.
[2] The formula is 50% a wax base which is great at sealing and protecting skin but not easily absorbed. I like using oils that are easily absorbed like coconut, hemp seed, jojoba, etc. These oils will penetrate into the skin to create deeper moisturizing properties. Keep in mind that the consistency of the oils will determine how solid your lotion candle is when it cools. Using a high percentage of light oils will make your candle very oily and it may not solidify completely, which could create a mess. On the contrary, using harder butters such as cocoa will make a candle very solid, which could cause your candle to be hard and crack.
Below are some of the oils and butters that can be used in soy massage candles and please keep in mind these are basic recommendations so please feel free to experiment and create your own recipes. With any candle or product you make, testing is very important to make sure the end product is what you want. Not all oils and butters will burn with a wick, so the 50% wax base will help it along.
Light oils are any oil that is completely liquid at typical room temperature. These oils will soften the soy wax and if too much is added will make a candle that appears already melted. Here are a few of my favorite light oils for lotion candles. Hemp seed oil contains high levels of essential fatty acids, including linolenic acid which helps stimulate cell growth. It is absorbed quickly and is excellent for dry skin, use up to 5%. Jojoba oil is an excellent lubricant/conditioner and easily absorbed. It is widely used in the skincare industry in all types of products, use up to 10%. Olive Oil is highly nutritive, contains protein, minerals and vitamins that soften and moisturize the upper layers of the skin. Olive oil is also thought to help reduce the effects of aging skin, scars, stretch marks etc, use up to 10%
Medium oils are soft or semi-solid at room temperature and can be used up to 47% in the formula. They have a similar consistency to the base wax and will not soften the lotion candle. Medium oils can be scooped with a spoon fairly easily. My favorite medium oil is coconut oil because it is easily absorbed into the skin and adds a creamy texture to the candle.
Hard oils and butters are any oil that is harder than the consistency of the base wax used. Hard oils work together with light oils to make your lotion candle blend stiffer and hold up better in heat. Cocoa butter is a natural lubricant and skin softener that absorbs quickly into the skins’ surface. It is solid at room temperature and very brittle and crumbly, use up to 10%. Shea or mango butter are highly prized butters and a great source of essential fatty acids, use up to 10%. Palm kernel oil is widely used in place of coconut oil in high-end luxury skincare products, use up to 10%. Beeswax can also be considered a hard oil and will add a great protective layer in your lotion candle, use up to 10%
Here are some basic formulas to get started but definitely feel free to deviate and experiment on your own.
Basic Recipe #1
50% Wax Base
47% Medium Oil
2% Fragrance Oil
1% Antioxidant - Vitamin E or ROE
Basic Recipe #2
50% Wax Base
23% Light Oil
24% Butters
2% Fragrance Oil
1% Antioxidant - Vitamin E or ROE
My favorite go-to recipe
50% Soy Wax
20% Coconut Oil
10% Cocoa Butter
10% Mango Butter
5% Hemp Seed Oil
2% Beeswax
2% Fragrance Oil
1% Vitamin E
Those are just a few combinations to help inspire you to try making your own lotion candles. You can also consider any recipe or formula that you already have for lotion bars and add 50% wax as your base. Lotion candles are a very popular travel item since it’s two products that can be packed into one small space. Consider using seamless tins for your packaging to avoid breakage. Take a few minutes to consider how many opportunities you may have for selling lotion candles. Any holiday, birthday, wedding favor, a sexy or romantic Valentine gift, a specific purpose lotion candle (cracked heel therapy etc.) spas and many more. Have fun with this project and I hope you enjoy lotion candles as much as we do!
