DIY Pumpkin Spice Wax Melts

Why Soy Wax Melts?

I love to make natural soy wax melts to scent my own home and to give as gifts. The process is very similar to the process to make candles, with just a few different supplies and steps.

If you’re just getting started with candle making, I suggest beginning with wax melts because they’re quick, easy, and pretty much foolproof.

And if you want to make DIY pumpkin spice candles, check out this post.

Tools & Ingredients

A. Soy Wax Flakes- This is my favorite brand from Amazon

B. Pumpkin Candle Fragrance Oil (I’m using Pumpkin Harvest, from Nature’s Oil)

C. Wax Dye Chips (I like this multi-colored set from Amazon)

D. Large Glass Measuring Cup

E. Wax Melt Mold

F. Empty Clamshell Wax Melt Molds

G. Digital Thermometer

Directions

1. Measure the Wax

I’ve found that the wax flakes will melt down to about half their original volume. So I’m starting with 2 cups of soy wax.

bulk bag of natural soy wax flakes for candle making

glass measuring cup of soy wax flakes ready to be melted to make DIY wax melts

2. Melt the Wax

This recipe uses the microwave method to melt the wax, since most people already have a glass measuring cup in their kitchens. If you prefer, you can also set up a double boiler with a metal pitcher inside a pot of water on the stove.

glass measuring cup with partially melted soy wax flakes being stirred with a fork

Melt the wax in the microwave, starting with one-minute increments, and taking it out to stir each time. Once it’s mostly melted, decrease each microwave interval to 30 seconds. The target temperature is between 175 and 185 degrees.

And yes, this is important. It will affect how the fragrance oil and wax bind together.

hand holding a red digital thermometer in melted wax

3. Add Color Chips (Optional)

I’m adding orange wax dye to my pumpkin spice wax melts. I really like this wax color kit from Amazon because it’s easy to mix and adjust the colors to your own preference.

Start with just a pinch of the wax colorant and stir it in. The dye chips should melt into the soy wax. If you can still see specks of orange after a minute or two, then pop the wax back into the microwave for 30 seconds.

close-up of hand holding a small container of bright orange wax dye chips

orange wax dye chips being sprinkled into a container of hot wax to make wax melts

I know the color looks bright right now, but since this is opaque wax, it will be much more muted once it solidifies.

fork stirring orange wax colorant into melted soy wax

If you prefer, you can leave the colorant out. Soy wax is opaque and slightly off-white when it hardens.

4. Add Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil

I’ve tried about seven different pumpkin, cinnamon, and harvest-type fragrance oils looking for the perfect “pumpkin spice” scent. And trust me, they were not all winners. This is the winner so far. It’s Pumpkin Harvest, from Nature’s Oil.

close-up of small bottle of Pumpkin Harvest candle fragrance oil from Nature's Oil

How Much Fragrance Oil Should I Add To Soy Wax?

Most recipes will require you to measure your wax by weight to determine the exact amount of fragrance oil to add. I don’t have a kitchen scale, so I’m just ball-parking it by volume. Here’s the ratio I always use:

1 Cup Melted Wax : 1.5 Tablespoons Fragrance Oil

So if you started with 2 cups of wax flakes, you should be adding about 1.5 Tablespoons of candle fragrance oil.

hand pouring a bottle of pumpkin spice candle fragrance oil into a container of melted orange wax

5. Pour Wax Into Molds

pumpkin spice-scented wax being poured into a wax melt mold

You can also get these inexpensive wax melt clamshell molds. The nice thing about these is they provide a way to seal up the wax so the fragrance doesn’t dissipate. They also provide a nice container if you want to give wax melts gifts.

orange pumpkin spice-scented wax being poured into a clamshell wax melt mold

6. Let in Cool

If you’re going to use clamshell molds, just let the wax cool completely and then seal the containers. No need to pop the wax melts out.

Let the molds sit undisturbed so the wax can harden completely. This may take an hour or two. Once the wax is somewhat set, you can pop them in the fridge for a little while to speed up the process.

close-up of clamshell-style wax mold filled with orange soy wax

square-shaped silicone wax mold with cooled wax melts

7. Remove Wax Melts from Mold

It’s easy to pop the wax melts out of the silicone molds. Just turn the mold upside down and press each one out with your fingers.

pumpkin scented wax melts being removed from a silicone wax melt mold

8. Wrap Wax Melts

Scented wax melts need to be sealed in an airtight container to prevent the fragrance from dissipating. I generally store mine in sandwich Ziplocks until I’m ready to use them or wrap them as gifts.

pumpkin spice-scented DIY was melts with pumpkins, a mug of coffee, and cinnamon sticks

DIY pumpkin-scented candle and wax melts with a pumpkin spice latte

Enjoy!

Now it’s time to enjoy your scented melts! I like to use these paper liners to prevent a big mess in the melting cup of the wax warmer. About 2 of these melts are the perfect amount of wax.