DIY Citronella Candle Recipe

Make your very own all natural “Citronella Candles” to repel mosquitoes and other flying insects with natural ingredients from Gaia Garden.

Ingredients (the first 4 items are available at Gaia):

1 lb. Beeswax (preferably beeswax pastilles as they melt more quickly)
½ cup Coconut oil
1 tsp. Citronella essential oil
1 tsp. Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil (Eucalyptus citriodora)
3 Medium cotton wicks (with metal wick tabs attached) *These can be found at Michaels craft stores and Wicks & Wax
3-500ml Glass mason jars

Instructions:

• Place each wick with metal tab in the bottom center of each mason jar.
• In a double boiler (or a large pot of simmering water with a stainless steel bowl or smaller pot resting inside), gently melt the beeswax and coconut oil over low heat.
• Once the wax is fully melted, remove it from heat and stir in the citronella and lemon eucalyptus. Move quickly to the next step, as the wax begins to harden as soon as it cools.
• Pour the melted wax into each mason jar while holding the top of the wick in place.
• Use a pencil or chopstick across the top of each mason jar to hold the wick in place in the centre of the jar as the mixture cools and hardens. If you’re using wicks that are not dipped in wax, you may need to tape them to the pencil/chopstick to keep them in place.
• Allow your candles to harden for 24 hours, then trim the wick to about a ¼ inch. Allow candles to sit for another 24 hours before using.
• Because beeswax candles are slow burning , they require thicker, sturdier wicks than paraffin candles.
• Light your candles at your next bbq or camping trip, enjoy the refreshing aroma and bug free zone 🙂