Turn Your Love of Candles into a Business

This full-day, hands-on workshop is designed for complete beginners who want to learn the art of candle making using pure essential oils, while taking their first steps towards creating candles they may one day sell.

With a maximum of just 4 students, you’ll receive personal guidance throughout the day in a relaxed, supportive environment at our shop in Coulsdon.

Unlike courses that use pre-mixed fragrance oils, you’ll learn how to work with pure essential oils, choosing and blending your own unique scents from scratch. This gives you a more thoughtful, artisan approach and helps your candles feel more personal from the very beginning.

By the end of the day, you’ll have made your own soy wax container candles, understood the key safety and testing steps, and gained a clearer idea of how to begin developing candles for a small business or product range.

Why Learn With Us?

This workshop is taught by Michelle, founder of Gifts for the Senses, a wellbeing gift shop and workshop space in Coulsdon.

You’ll be learning in a real retail environment, with practical guidance from someone who understands both the creative side of candle making and the everyday realities of running a small product-based business.

Our workshops are intentionally small, always hands-on, and designed to give you the time and space to learn properly, not just follow a recipe.

Who This Workshop Is For

This workshop is ideal for beginners, hobby candle makers, wellbeing business owners, craft sellers, or anyone considering creating candles to sell at markets, online or as part of a small product range.

What You’ll Learn

• The different types of wax and their properties in candle making
• Wick types and how to select and position them correctly
• How to work with pure essential oils and blend your own fragrances
• How to calculate fragrance load for a safe, well-scented candle
• How to correctly measure ingredients for consistent results
• Step-by-step container candle making using 100% soy wax
• Temperature control and why it matters for scent throw and finish
• How to conduct burn tests to help produce safe, fragrant candles
• Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
• Where to source quality ingredients and equipment
• An introduction to the basics of candle safety, burn testing, general candle safety warning labels, when CLP labelling applies, and the responsibilities involved in selling candles
• Basic pricing, including what it costs to make a candle and how to start thinking about profit

What’s Included

• All materials and equipment on the day
• Safety gear
• Your handmade container candles to take home
• Supplier list
• Printable guide: Candle Making Basics
• Light refreshments and lunch

Workshop Details

Duration: Full day, approximately 6 hours
Location: Gifts for the Senses, Coulsdon

Group session: £225 per person
Join a small, supportive group of up to 4 students and learn in a relaxed, hands-on environment.

Private 1:1 session: £395
A personalised one-to-one day designed around your pace, questions and candle business ideas. This is ideal if you would prefer individual guidance, extra time to ask questions, or support with your own product direction.

Availability: Monday to Saturday, select your preferred date at checkout.

Please Note

This workshop gives you a beginner-friendly introduction to candle making for business, including the basics of safety testing, candle safety warning labels and when CLP labelling applies.

For those ready to go deeper, our 2-day From Wax to Wealth Business Course covers full CLP compliance guidance, branding, pricing strategy, sales channels, marketing and a complete business plan workshop.

Please read our Workshop Cancellation Policy before booking.

Book your place today or email hello@giftsforthesenses.co.uk if you have any further questions.