The Candlemaker's Companion

A thorough, well-organized guide that walks you through every major candle making technique: rolling, pouring, molding, dipping, and decorating. Betty Oppenheimer covers materials, tools, and troubleshooting with the clarity of someone who has taught the craft for years.

Why Start Here

This is the book candle makers come back to. Originally published in 1997 and revised in 2004, “The Candlemaker’s Companion” earned its reputation by being genuinely comprehensive without being intimidating. Oppenheimer starts with the basics and builds outward, so a complete beginner can follow along while more experienced crafters still find useful reference material.

What sets this book apart from slimmer introductions is its range. You will learn not just how to make a simple candle, but how to create gel candles, floating candles, and luminaria. Oppenheimer explains the chemistry behind wax behavior in plain language, which helps you troubleshoot problems and experiment on your own once you understand the principles.

Her background in textile science at the Fashion Institute of Technology shows in the precision of her instructions. Every step is grounded in understanding why something works, not just following a recipe blindly.

What to Expect

At 208 pages, this is a proper reference rather than a quick-start pamphlet. You will not finish it in one sitting, but you can start making candles after the first few chapters and return to later sections as your skills grow.

The revised edition includes updated supplier information and expanded coverage of newer techniques. Photographs and illustrations support the text throughout, though this is primarily a written guide rather than a picture book.

If you want something shorter to get started quickly, consider Oppenheimer’s “Making Hand-Dipped Candles,” a 32-page bulletin focused on one specific technique. But for a complete foundation in candle making, this companion volume is the one to own.