• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Savor + Savvy logo

  • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer
    • Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Freezer Cooking & Make Ahead Meals
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes
  • Tips
    • Substitutions
    • Air Fryer How-To
  • Printables
  • Shop
    • Our Printables
    • Things We Love
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Printables
  • Shop
×
Home » Tips

Homemade Wax Melts

Published: Jan 8, 2015 · Modified: Mar 9, 2023 by Ginny · This post may contain affiliate links.

Pin14K
Share
Yum
Tweet
14K Shares

I decided to try my hand at making some homemade wax melts. Except that these aren’t technically wax melts, as there’s no wax involved. But it looks like a wax melt and behaves like one, so a wax melt it shall be named, at least for the purpose of today’s frugal experiment.

Essential Oil and Coconut Oil on a wooden surface for making wax melts at home
Contents show
1 DIY Homemade Wax Melts
2 Final Results:
2.1 Why Use Wax Melts?
2.2 Why Make Homemade Wax Melts?
2.3 Giving Homemade Wax Melts As Gifts
2.4 Essential Oils Combinations
2.5 How Do I Make These Homemade Wax Melts Stronger?

I love wax melts, and all of the fun scents. But I recently tried one that irritated me so much that I couldn’t stand to be in the room when it was turned on. So on a whim, I rummaged through my kitchen hunting for things that I could use to make my own natural, homemade version. And finally I settled on these ingredients:

Frugal Experiment: Homemade "wax" melts using only two ingredients – essential oil and coconut oil.

This is truly an experiment at its core. I previously tried a natural version of this before that simply consisted of water and essential oil. And the scent was very, very faint – almost to the point of putting out no scent at all. So this experiment could’ve gone either way.

Coconut oil and essential oil – the blogosphere’s favorite ingredients.

Here’s how I made them.

DIY Homemade Wax Melts

I melted five tablespoons of Coconut Oil in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds.

Frugal Experiment: Homemade "wax" melts using only two ingredients – essential oil and coconut oil.

Once the coconut oil was melted, I added 40 drops of lemon essential oil. Then stirred to combine. I was going for a ratio of 8 drops of essential oil per tablespoon of coconut oil (because 10 seemed excessive), but in hindsight, it would have been better to go for a ratio of 10 drops per tablespoon, or even per melt for a stronger scent.

Frugal Experiment: Homemade "wax" melts using only two ingredients – essential oil and coconut oil.

I simply washed and reused the clamshell from one of my old wax melts, so this batch made six melts.

I let them harden before using. My clamshell sprung a leak, so I had to speed up the process by placing mine in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Because coconut oil is a soft oil even at room temperature, these aren’t as sturdy as a regular wax melt. But they do solidify and take shape, they’re just not as hard as an actual wax melt.

Final Results:

Though a bit faint, this produces a nice gentle scent. Unlike using just essential oil and water, the scent lingered longer and doesn’t evaporate quickly (I can actually pour these back into the clamshell after use). So it is better than the other natural alternative I’ve tried. But I’ll admit, the scent doesn’t waft through the house like a traditional wax melt, which is slightly disappointing.

This is cheaper and more natural than a “real” wax melt… but it can be improved upon. So I’ll likely play around with this a couple of more times to see if there are any tweaks I can try to make the scent of the essential oil more powerful in these homemade wax melts (suggestions are appreciated!).

Why Use Wax Melts?

There are many reasons to use wax melts instead of candles. I used to always have candles burning – I just loved the scents. But when the wax melts hit the stores, I was more than eager to try them out. 

While my adventure to make my homemade wax melts have kept me intrigued, I’ve also had time to think about why wax melts are so much better and safer. Take a look at this list of reasons to keep using wax melts. 

Frugal Experiment: Homemade "wax" melts using only two ingredients – essential oil and coconut oil.
  • There is no flame with wax melts. One of the biggest reasons to limit candle usage is the flame. You don’t have to worry about catching your house on fire when you run to the store and didn’t to blow out the candle. We’ve all been somewhere when we realized that the candle was still burning – and the panic set in! There is no panic with wax melts. 
  • Saving money is a big deal! I love to save money, that’s what inspired me to make homemade wax melts (as well as the aroma of store-bought ones). Let’s face it, candles are insanely expensive. 
  • You can use wax melts almost anywhere. It’s not a good idea to burn a candle at your work, but most people are okay with you using wax melts. The smell of the wax is inviting and appealing to most people. 
  • There is no more soot when you use DIY wax melts. It frustrated me when I would light an amazing smelling candle and then next thing you know the jar is black with soot. It’s not appealing to look at and isn’t very welcoming! 

Why Make Homemade Wax Melts?

Making homemade wax melts is a great idea for many reasons. I already mentioned how much some of the commercially made melts give me a headache due to the strong odors. When you buy a prepared wax melt, there is a chance that it has chemicals that might impact people with asthma or those that have sensitivities. 

I’m not saying to throw those out, but making your own gives you the control of what is in them. That is something that means a lot to me and my family. Plus, not only can I control what is in them, I can decide what they smell like too. 

The variety of aromas you can make is unlimited! You’ll love creating and making all sorts of different wax combinations. It’s like a fun science experiment! 

Giving Homemade Wax Melts As Gifts

I love giving out homemade gifts because everyone seems to go wild for them! It just means so much when someone takes the time to make homemade just for you. 

If I am making DIY wax melts to give out as gifts, I like to use cute molds instead of leftover wax containers. You can choose anything like flowers, hearts, or even simple squares. There is no wrong answer here.  Check out the candy mold aisle in Michaels or shop online.

Place the wax melts in a mason jar and put a lid on it. I like to tie a ribbon or colored raffia around the jar. When you give them out you will see a ton of smiles!

Essential Oils Combinations

If you want to have amazing smelling wax melts, it starts with the combinations of the essential oils. This is another area that is versatile and you have control over. So go wild! Here are some of my favorites that you can try for inspiration:

  • Ylang Ylang and Wild Orange 
  • Lemon and Rosemary
  • Lavender and Rose
  • Peppermint, Rosemary, and Cinnamon
  • Lavender, Cedarwood, Wild Orange, and Ylang Ylang
  • Rosemary, Mint, and Lavender
  • Cedarwood, Lavender
  • Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Myrrh

Those are just a few ideas that I think you are going to like. Feel free to make yours as strong or light smelling as you prefer. 

How Do I Make These Homemade Wax Melts Stronger?

The only problem with making wax melts out of strictly coconut oil is that they melt rather quickly. Plus, they aren’t as hard as store-bought melts. After some experimenting, I found that you can mix the coconut oil with real beeswax in a double boiler. This allows them to set up a little better and makes them more solid. This is an idea if you are giving them away as gifts too. 

Ginny
Ginny

Hi!

Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.

savorandsavvy.com/about-me/
Homemade Wax Melts
« $27 Grocery Budget Challenge – How to Make a Week of Frugal Meals
19 Money Saving Tips for the Newly Frugal »

About Ginny

Hi!

Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kat says

    June 11, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    So,
    Why are we adding coconut oil to the wax? Coconut oil would work as a carrier of the DO, but why do we need it?
    And how do u find coconut oil without any smell? I am not a fan
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dee says

      August 27, 2018 at 6:55 am

      Refined coconut oil is cheaper and has the scent removed.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Family Photo Hi! I'm Ginny and for over 30 years, I've been creating simple and easy recipes without sacrificing on taste for our family on the go. I can't wait to show you how to do the same for your family. Read More...

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search

join our facebook community for printables.

As Featured In

graphic showing all of the publications that feature Savor and Savvy.

Popular Posts

bowl of teriyaki chicken over a bed of white rice, two chopsticks and sprinkled with sesame seeds

Honey Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

This oven baked eggs recipe is an easy fix for rushed morning breakfasts! These eggs are baked in muffin pans and are ready in just 15 minutes.

How to Bake Eggs in Oven in Muffin Tin {15 Minutes Meal Prep}

How to Clean Stove Drip Pans Naturally

top down view of a desk with three printable pages on top.

Dot Grid Paper Printable for Bullet Journaling + Planners: U.S. Letter, 8×10, A4, A5, A6 and Pocket, Personal Sizes

Adorable pet care binder cover sheet with paw prints and a grey heat

Adorable Pet Care Binder FREE 12 Pages of Printable Worksheets

After cooking, the livers will be golden brown as shown on this air fryer tray

Air Fryer Chicken Livers

Medical binder printables on pink background next to decorative heart and stethoscope.

Medical Binder Printables (FREE Worksheets Included)

This easy cilantro lime rice recipe will feed your chipotle cravings, without having to leave home! This easy side dish is the perfect addition to a homemade burrito bowl or any other simple meal requiring an extra kick of flavor.

Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.