Best Candle Making Classes NYC: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About NYC Candle Making Courses

What is Candle Making?

Most of us know candles as cozy sources of light and purveyors of enjoyable scents that can be found in the home goods section of local stores. A precursor to lightbulbs and gas lamps, candles were originally popularized over 5000 years ago as a convenient way to light your home, and have also played an important role in cultural ceremonies and religious rites throughout history. Before a candle can be used for any of these purposes, however, someone needs to make it. Today, as in times past, these natural light sources are created by enveloping an ignitable wick in a flammable material such as solid wax.

While history’s first candles were often constructed from tallow-soaked papyrus or rushes, candle makers have since introduced dozens of new materials and methods, making candles more effective over time. Today, these include braided wicks, along with multiple types of wax and many fragrance options. Candles can be made in a variety of shapes from traditional tapers to decorative molded forms.

Why Learn Candle Making?

While candle-making might just seem like an average hobby, learning this skill has many health benefits that might surprise you. By providing fulfillment, creative hobbies have a positive effect on mental health, and can even leave you with more self-confidence. Candle-making is a naturally calming activity that generates mindfulness, combats stress, and fights depression.

Creating a candle from scratch typically results in cleaner candles that are better for your health and the environment. Whether you get migraines from certain scents or want to avoid environmentally damaging materials, learning candle making also gives you more power over what ingredients you’re bringing into your home.

If you feel yourself lacking in creative prowess, candle-making is a great way to develop new creative skills without feeling overwhelmed by the creative process. Like cooking, candle making involves following a recipe, staying on track with timings, and carefully measuring temperatures. As you follow the steps of the process, your creativity will emerge as a secondary process.

In addition to enabling you to create custom candles to decorate your home or gift to friends, learning candle-making provides plenty of financial perks. As long as you purchase materials in bulk, making your own candles is more economical than buying them at a store. Moreover, candle-making is a great way to earn some extra cash. Platforms such as Etsy and Shopify make it easy to sell candles online, and won’t require a significant investment.

What You’ll Learn in a Candle Making Class?

Candle-making is an incredibly fun process that involves picking up a number of new skills. The mix of skills you learn, however, will be unique to which class you choose. The majority of candle-making classes include candle-making fundamentals such as how to choose supplies, manage heat temperatures, and blend ingredients to create aromatic and aesthetic candles. You may also encounter focused classes dedicated to just one topic, such as creating a sensational aroma.

Supply Literacy

Along with helping you understand the distinctions between different types of wax, an instructor can help you develop a sense of high-quality versus low-quality supplies. Many instructors are even happy to name-drop their favorite tools, brands, and art supply stores. Rather than simply offering product recommendations, however, your instructor’s true role is to help you understand how candle-making supplies and tools work because once you have a feel for how different materials interact with one another, you can create better candles.

Heat Safety And Temperature Management

Almost every candle-making class will give you a run-down of basic safety precautions you should be taking to prevent burns and fires. However, in addition to keeping you safe, learning to understand and manage temperatures can help you create higher-quality candles. Temperature may be the difference between a beautiful smooth candle and one that has the texture of cottage cheese. Moreover, the right temperature ensures that your color comes out right and your fragrance gets trapped correctly.

Candle Making Methods

The method of candle making you learn will depend largely on what type of candle your selected class focuses on. For instance, in classes dedicated to molded or pillar candles, you’ll learn how to work with molds. Similarly, classes focusing on container candles may teach you how to prepare jars to receive candles. Alternatively, you might choose a class that explores more historical methods such as dipping taper candles.

How to Create Scents

While some courses teach scent basics right alongside beginner candle making, you can also find classes dedicated solely to creating high-quality scents. In addition to exploring skills like essential oil blending, this domain also tackles concepts like scent throw, and what factors impact how far your candle’s scent will radiate. These can include the temperature of your wax at specific points during the candle-making process, the thickness of your wick, the type of wax, and the amount of fragrance oil used.

Candle-Making History And Trends

Many classes will give you an overview of how candle making has evolved since it was invented 5000 years ago. You may also explore modern candle trends, such as the recent popularity of natural phthalate-free scents, or even annual holiday trends that recur over time.

Social Skills

If you’re taking a business-oriented candle-making class, you may receive instruction on soft skills needed for running a small candle-making business. While the soft skills included in candle-making classes vary from class to class, you might receive basic customer service tips, along with advice on how to market and sell your products.

Is It Difficult to Learn Candle Making?

When it comes to the basics, candle making is incredibly straightforward and is mostly a process of careful measurements similar to baking. For beginners, the most challenging aspect of candle making is understanding materials, from differences in how they behave and work together to where to buy them. It can be easy to buy the wrong materials, mix them, and end up with a candle that doesn’t turn out right.

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t measure things when you cook, you may also struggle to get the proportions right in a candle, but you can quickly turn this habit around by treating it as a completely different skill than cooking.

How Long Will It Take to Learn Candle Making?

Scared to be a beginner? You might be surprised to discover that most other people who sign up for candle-making classes are also beginners, so you won’t be alone. Furthermore, being a beginner can be quite fun if you focus less on perfection and more on the excitement of making discoveries.

That said, how long it takes to master candle-making can vary from person to person and depends largely on whether you’re learning candle-making to sell them professionally or simply dabbling in the art for your own enjoyment. In most cases, you can create your first candle in the space of just one class, but it may have some flaws, so it’s best to think of this as the start of your candle-making journey. After you master the basics in a beginner-level course, there is always more to learn through advanced courses.

If you’re planning to sell candles professionally, you not only need to create candles that are pretty and aromatic, but you also need to ensure that the candle product is 100% safe for your customers. Depending on how much time and resources you have, it may take up to a year to test out different products before you’re ready to start selling.

As a general rule, you’ll likely learn faster if you opt to learn candle-making from an expert rather than trying to piece the dots together by yourself. Having additional support and guidance can help you avoid beginner’s errors, in a sense learning from others’ mistakes before you make them yourself.

What are the Advantages of Taking a Candle-Making Class?

Even though many people enjoy the trial and error of learning candle making on their own, it can be cheaper, less stressful, and more quickly rewarding to learn candle making in a class. Teachers can help you understand materials better, including where to purchase them, and how to combine them for best results. When you have a deeper understanding of your materials, you’re less likely to accidentally waste them, a skill set that will save you money in the long run. As an additional money-saving factor, most classes provide materials for you to use, meaning that you won’t have to purchase as many yourself.

Being able to ask an instructor for help whenever you need it is also much more conducive to rapid skill growth than interrupting your candle-making process for a lengthy and fruitless Google search. Rather than getting hung up on difficult steps, you can simply work through them with the help of an expert.

Some classes also explore soft skills that aren’t easy to develop without the help of an expert. For instance, classes that are designed to meet the needs of professionals may include business-related skills such as how to price your candles for sale.

In addition, candle-making classes provide social opportunities, making it easier to find and connect with like-minded creatives in your area.

What Will I Need for Candle Making?

No matter what type of candle you’re interested in creating, you’ll need a few basic materials to get started. These include the following:

Wax comes in several varieties and can be purchased in meltable flakes or pellets. Although stearin wax (from animal fat), and paraffin wax (from petroleum) are often used in candle making, the most popular choices among hobbyists are beeswax, soy wax, and palm wax. These waxes are made from natural materials and are easy for beginners to work with.
Wicks can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, paper, cotton, hemp, or zinc. Wicks can also be cored, braided, flat, or square. You’ll want to choose a wick that will work best for the type of candle you’re making. For example, LX wicks are good for projects that involve poured wax, and ECO wicks are specially designed to pair well with natural wax.
A pot (or bain-marie) for melting your wax.
A thermometer for measuring temperatures.
A hot glue gun (or wick stickers) to set your wick in place.
Safety gloves and an apron.
A clothespin to secure your wick in place while the wax dries. This can also be done with chopsticks, pencils, paintbrushes, skewers, or other stick-like objects.
Candle wick trimmer, or scissors.

Depending on the type of candle you’re making, you may also need additional materials.

For beeswax candles, you’ll want a dipping tin.
Jar or container candles will require a suitable container to pour your candle into.
For molded or pillar candles, you’ll need a heat-resistant mold to give your candle its shape.
Scented candles can be made using essential oils, spices, and chemical fragrances.
If you want to create a candle that’s a specific weight or size, you’ll need a kitchen scale.
Colored candles are typically created using paraffin-based colored wax.

Best Candle-Making Classes in NYC

More than 50% of New Yorkers struggle with loneliness, and if you’re one of them, joining a community-based candle-making class can be a great way to form meaningful connections. Held in designated studios, these classes typically provide you with all the materials and tools you’ll need to get started. You’ll work with a supportive expert who will demonstrate each step and answer your questions as they come up. While solitary creative journeys are 100% valid, you’ll likely find that your skills improve more quickly when surrounded by a supportive group.

Since most in-person candle-making classes come with fully-stocked classrooms, you won’t need to stress about accidentally buying the wrong supplies. That said, you’ll be more than welcome to ask your instructor for supply recommendations should you want to continue candle-making outside of class.

For a beginner-friendly introduction to candle making, hop on over to Amsterdam Ave and join the Back Porch Soap Company for a Candle Making Pop Up! Experience. Using coconut wax, students in this class will design two candles to take home or gift to a loved one. Choose from a huge selection of colored glass containers that can be personalized for an extra bit of love. To make starting as easy as possible, this course comes complete with all materials included. In addition to being non-toxic, these materials are incredibly eco-friendly.

Looking for a peaceful way to calm down after a stressful day in the city? Atelier Artisane offers a Natural Scented Candle Making course that takes place in the center of Bryant Park in Long Island City. This beginner-friendly class dives deep into natural materials, giving students the skills and knowledge to create stunning candles that smell like heaven without any nasty chemicals. While creating a uniquely scented jar candle, students in this course will also have the opportunity to explore the creative process of decorating candles with natural herbs and flowers. Hailing from Southern France, the course’s instructor, Melanie, will be there to offer inspiration and knowledge throughout.

Interested in learning how to work with the most common plant-based waxes in candle making? Take a jaunt across the river to Newark, NJ, and enjoy a Plant-Based Wax Candle-Making class from Nyah. Students who participate in this workshop will get in-depth guidance on candle-making materials, including how to choose the perfect wax and wick for your project, where to find quality ingredients, and how additives such as color and fragrance can affect how wax behaves. As they melt and pour wax for their candles, students will get comfortable with wax temperatures and learn how to achieve a smooth candle. This course also offers plenty of guidance on topics such as scent blending and container preparation.

For a deep dive into fragrance blending, try one of the courses at Alchemologie Natural Perfume in Brooklyn. Their Natural Perfume Blending (Part One) course offers a sensory experience in which students learn how to mix their own custom perfumes. Using only essential oils and other plant extracts, this class involves no harsh chemicals and offers a great foundation for natural candle making. In addition to covering hands-on techniques for creating a poignant fragrance blend, this class will also explore theoretical topics, such as the history of perfumery and how essential oils are extracted from plants. As in the case of fine wines, soil quality and climate can have a significant effect on how essential oils turn out.

The same school also offers a mindful workshop for those who want to learn how to create a natural perfume from scratch. In A Rose is a Rose: Creating Rose-Based Natural Perfume, students learn how to produce multi-note botanical perfumes from roses. Exploring the different parts of a rose, this class will teach students how to generate a variety of different scents, including fruity honeyed notes, gentle nectar flavors, and gothic liqueur-like fragrances. Along with roses, students can also select from additional ingredients, including geraniums, spices, resins, and precious woods. To offer inspiration and help students understand scent concepts better, a diverse range of sample perfumes will be provided.

Live Online Candle Making Classes

If you think it might be easier to get into candle-making if you learned the art from home, live online classes are a great option. Much like in-person classes, these fun classes run in real-time, making it easy to ask questions, connect with new friends, and learn from demonstrations. You’ll have easy access to a candle-making expert who can encourage you and help you with difficult steps.

Flexibility and customization are the biggest benefits that come with online candle-making courses. With no commute time, you’ll have more time to make candles. Additionally, even though there are plenty of NYC candle-making classes that meet in-person, choosing to include online classes in your search gives you a much wider selection of classes. If you’re interested in learning a specific type of candle making that isn’t currently available in NYC, consider broadening your search to live online classes.

In preparation for an online candle-making class, you’ll need to collect the materials and tools recommended by your instructor. Typically, you’ll receive a list of these when you sign up for class, and if you’re lucky, your instructor might even give tips on where to purchase supplies. Begin your creative journey by comparing online candle-making classes on CourseHorse.

Want to make a delightful drink-themed candle? Adults & Crafts offers a fun-filled Make Candles: Hot Cocoa and Irish Coffee class that walks students through the steps of making an adorable candle designed to look and smell just like hot cocoa and Irish coffee. This live-streamed class provides hands-on instruction in pouring, dying, and whipping techniques that aren’t taught in many other candle-making classes. Anyone who signs up for the class will get a craft kit complete with almost all the materials needed for this project. Simply tune in through a link provided at sign-up and enjoy an interactive workshop full of new skills and fun scents.

Love & Make offers a Virtual Candle-Making Workshop that teaches students how to create poured candles from soy wax. It’s as easy as tuning into class live online from the kitchen at home. To make sourcing ingredients as simple as possible, the school even offers a DIY Candle-Making Kit (sold separately) that’s perfectly suited for use in this class. With a kit that’s delivered right to their front door, students won’t have to spend hours searching for the right supplies, leaving more time for the fun stuff: candle making. By the end of class, each student will have created their very first soy wax candle, ready for home display.

Another option for learning soy candle making at home is available regularly through Coastal Design Workshops’ live online learning center. Try out their virtual Organic Soy Wax Candle Workshop for a beginner-friendly introduction to container candles. In this class, there will always be time to pause for questions or advice as students melt and pour a fragrant candle. Additionally, when they sign up for the class, students will receive a complimentary kit full of candle-making supplies, including soy wax, an 8 oz container, a wick, fragrance oils, a melting tin, and a thermometer. With all these included, the only equipment they need to supply on their own is a pot, heating unit, and oven mitts.

Jade Scarlett’s Virtual Candle Making class is the perfect opportunity to buddy up with a partner and make a delicious-smelling candle at home. Using soy wax and essential oils, students will learn how to prepare a personalized candle in a tin can or mason jar. Both via video and chat messages, students will be able to ask questions and receive feedback on their process. The class page provides a convenient link to a supply kit that students can purchase ahead of time, but anyone is welcome to bring alternative materials if preferrable. For those who like to snack while they craft, food and drinks are also 100% welcome in this chill class.

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Top Certificate Programs

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Atelier Artisane Candle Making Masterclass

Atelier Artisane NYC: Natural Scented Candle Making

Coastal Design Workshops LLC Organic Soy Wax Candle Workshop

Atelier Artisane Custom Scent & Candle Making Experience Not currently offered

Learn Candle Making

Atelier Artisane Natural Scented Candle Making (Bryant Park) Not currently offered

Nyah Plant Based Wax Candle Making Not currently offered

The Crafty Kit Lather & Light: Dive into Soap and Candle Crafting Not currently offered

Learn More About NYC Candle Making Courses

What is Candle Making?

Why Learn Candle Making?

What You’ll Learn in a Candle Making Class?

Supply Literacy

Heat Safety And Temperature Management

Candle Making Methods

How to Create Scents

Candle-Making History And Trends

Social Skills

Is It Difficult to Learn Candle Making?

How Long Will It Take to Learn Candle Making?

What are the Advantages of Taking a Candle-Making Class?

What Will I Need for Candle Making?

Best Candle-Making Classes in NYC

Live Online Candle Making Classes

NYC Candle Making Courses by School

Atelier Artisane

Candle Making Masterclass

NYC: Natural Scented Candle Making

Custom Scent & Candle Making Experience Not currently offered

Natural Scented Candle Making (Bryant Park) Not currently offered

Coastal Design Workshops LLC

Organic Soy Wax Candle Workshop

Nyah

Plant Based Wax Candle Making Not currently offered

The Crafty Kit

Lather & Light: Dive into Soap and Candle Crafting Not currently offered

NYC Candle Making Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Candle Making Training Locations in or Near NYC

Atelier Artisane Custom Scent & Candle Making Experience
Not currently offered

Atelier Artisane Natural Scented Candle Making (Bryant Park)
Not currently offered

Nyah Plant Based Wax Candle Making
Not currently offered

The Crafty Kit Lather & Light: Dive into Soap and Candle Crafting
Not currently offered

NYC Candle Making
Corporate & Onsite Training