Primative and Cake candles
I have seen these candles confused with eachother a lot. A cake candle to me is a core candle that is coated with
a whipped wax. You might say "frosted" where a primitive candle has a bumpy and stippled look to it.
Cake candles
Cake candles are made by first taking a core candle in any color that you wish. Then take wax of the same color or no color and whip it. What this means
is to alow the wax to cool just slightly, let it form a slight skin on top of it and whip it like you would eggs to scramble them. This technique will form almost
chunks of wax that you can dab onto your core candle, I apply this layer using a fork. You can achieve different looks with your "frosting" using different methods. One word of advice
when making this type of candle I would suggest wearing rubber gloves, the wax is cooling but is still quite hot.
You could press your "frosting" down to make the look a little less rough, or just leave it as is for a little rougher texture.
Primative candles
Primative candles are made by either rolling your core candle in herbs or other things like oatmeal or sand and then dipping the finished candle in final dip.
I am a little leary of using any substance in my candles that could catch fire too easily. So the techniques that I am going to suggest use only wax. These candles
are also made using subdued colors, not bright vibrant colors. Of course it is all a matter of personal preference.
It will depend on the look that you are wanting to achieve as to what technique you will use.
Technique #1 Slop and dip (also called a mud candle)
First take a finished core candle, then make sure you have rubber gloves (insolated are best),
You can dip your core candle and hold it in the wax for about 30-40 seconds it will help your next layers adhear better.
You should have your gloves on, you will next be taking your hands/gloves and dipping them into your wax. Make sure your wax isn't
too hot, you can still get burned. I would alow the wax to cool slightly.
So all you are doing is applying your wax with your hands to the outside of you candle. This will result in a very lumpy cool looking candle, the finished look will depend on how much wax you put on the candle. It is done when you are happy with the effect. A final dip will help with the finished appearance of the candle. Dip around 160 degrees.
Technique #2 Stippling (results in many very fine bumps)
First you will need a stiff natural haired brush, paintbrush will work but it has been suggested that a parts brush will work as well.
Get your core candle ready, and get your "frosting" heated to about 150 degrees. When the wax has reached that temprature take your brush and dip it into the wax. Gently shake off any excess wax, then simply dab the brush against the candle. Do a small area at a time allowing the wax to set in the area that you are working before moving on to the next area.
To get the terry cloth look, use only the tips of the bristles. You can vary your "design" by using different brush strokes.
Tecnique #3 Dabbing (results in many slightly larger bumps)
Use an old paintbrush with "worn" bristles for this technique. Your frosting can be almost liquid or almost completely cooled. The cooler the wax the bigger the lumps will be.
The last two techniques are very simalar, but do result in sligtly different effects. Final dips are an options but are personal prefrence. Final dips should be done around 180 degrees for one final quick dip. This will
result in a satin finish and shouldn't affect the final appearance too much. If you want to dip more for a smoother finish dip at a cooler temprature and dip more often. This will help smooth out the appearance of your cacke or primative candles.
If you are still wanting to add herbs or other things to your primative candles (which I do not suggest). You can use herbs, dried flowers, oatmeal, cornstarch, sand, rice krispies, even crushed candy.
When using this technique simply take your core candle and dip it into wax probably around 180 degrees so that it doesn't cool too fast. I would use a wax color the same as the core candle. Dip it a couple of times to add a nice layer so that what you are going to roll the candle in will stick.
Then simply roll the candle in whatever it is that you want on the outside of the candle. You can dip after you have done this to cover the things that you have put on the outside this will give a textured look to your candle.
Whatever technique you use, Good Luck and I hope that this page helped! Let me know if you have any suggestions how to make this page better. Don't be afraid to tell me if you think my information is wrong, I appreciate feedback of all kinds!
Good Luck! and Happy Candle Making.
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Email: ssasssy@juno.com
