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| Early candles were made from rush lights or papyrus soaked in animal fat, though these lacked the wick of true candles. Over the centuries, different cultures experimented with adding a wick to a variety of combustible materials and by the Middle Ages tallow (from rendered animal fat) was the most common material for household candles across Europe. The introduction of cleaner-burning beeswax - obtained from bee-keeping monasteries - was a major improvement over the smelly, sooty tallow, but the high cost meant they were only affordable by the church or the wealthy. The development of stearin wax (from animal fat), paraffin wax (from petroleum) and braided wicks in the 19th century marked the high point of industrial production, but candle making declined shortly afterwards with the advent of electric lighting. | Early candles were made from rush lights or papyrus soaked in animal fat, though these lacked the wick of true candles. Over the centuries, different cultures experimented with adding a wick to a variety of combustible materials and by the Middle Ages tallow (from rendered animal fat) was the most common material for household candles across Europe. The introduction of cleaner-burning beeswax - obtained from bee-keeping monasteries - was a major improvement over the smelly, sooty tallow, but the high cost meant they were only affordable by the church or the wealthy. The development of stearin wax (from animal fat), paraffin wax (from petroleum) and braided wicks in the 19th century marked the high point of industrial production, but candle making declined shortly afterwards with the advent of electric lighting. | ||
| - | Today, apart from the odd retro power cut, candles are almost exclusively used for decorative or therapeutic purposes and ‘natural’ waxes such as beeswax, soy and palm are now preferred over paraffin wax by hobbyists and small producers. [Essential oils](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/ | + | Today, apart from the odd retro power cut, candles are almost exclusively used for decorative or therapeutic purposes and ‘natural’ waxes such as beeswax, soy and palm are now preferred over paraffin wax by hobbyists and small producers. [Essential oils](/eoil/essential_oils) can be added for fragrance. |
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| - Coloured wax if using (tends to be paraffin-wax based). | - Coloured wax if using (tends to be paraffin-wax based). | ||
| - | - [Essential or fragrance oils](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/ | + | - [Essential or fragrance oils](/eoil/essential_oils) if using. |
| - Oven or safety gloves and an apron. | - Oven or safety gloves and an apron. | ||
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| ## Further resources | ## Further resources | ||
| - | + | - [Live Simply](https:// | |
| - | ## Specialist(s) | + | - [Let's Make Candles](https://letsmakecandles.com/) - DIY info |
| - | + | - [National Candle Association](https://candles.org/) | |
| - | **Thanks to Sarah Harper of [Rowan Tree Studio](http://www.rowantreestudiodevon.co.uk/) for information.** | + | - [British Candlemakers Federation](https: |
| - | + | - [Candle Science](https://www.candlescience.com/ | |
| - | + | - [WikiHow](https://www.wikihow.com/Make-the-Most-from-Your-Old-Candles) - recycling old candles | |
| - |  | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | Sarah Harper is the owner of the [Clovelly Soap Company](http://www.theclovellysoapcompany.com/ | + | |
| + | ## Specialist curators of this topic | ||
| - | _Date on Lowimpact: | ||