🌈 How to Color Soy Candles – The Easy, Safe Way for Beginners

Few years ago, I tried to make pink rose-scented soy candles as Diwali gifts for my friends and family - I have always been extremely experimental and entrepreneurial. With all the confidence in the world, I added a few drops of red food coloring to my melted soy wax (since that's all that I had and I didn't know any better). The result? A blotchy, uneven mess that smelled slightly… burnt. 😅

That was my first lesson: coloring soy candles is more delicate than it looks—but also incredibly fun once you learn the right way.

So if you're a beginner or experimenting at home, here's your go-to guide on how to color soy wax candles naturally and safely—without losing scent quality or making a mess!

🕯️ Can You Color Soy Wax Candles?

Yes, you can—and they can look stunning.
But not all colorants are candle-safe. Some can clog your wick, cause weird textures, or even emit harmful fumes.

Let’s explore the right ways to color soy wax—and what to avoid.

🎨 1. Types of Candle Colorants: What Works & What to Skip

✅ Best Candle-Safe Options:

• Liquid candle dye – Highly concentrated, easy to mix, great for vibrant shades.

• Dye chips/blocks – Made from wax and pigments, melt smoothly into soy wax.

• Natural colorants – Like beetroot powder, turmeric, cocoa, activated charcoal. Great for muted, earthy tones and clean-label products.

❌ Avoid These:

• Food coloring – Doesn’t blend with wax and may create clumps or bubbles.

• Crayons – Contain pigments and wax fillers that can clog the wick and release toxins.

• Oil or acrylic paints – Not safe to burn; toxic when heated.

🧑🔬 2. How to Use Natural Colorants in Soy Candles (The Right Way)

If you love keeping your candles as clean and natural as possible, plant-based colorants are a beautiful choice.

But there's a trick to using them right:

✅ Always mix your natural powder colorant with a carrier oil first!

This helps:

• Evenly distribute color in the wax

• Prevent clumping or settling at the bottom

• Protect your wick from clogging

🔸 How to do it:

• Mix ½ tsp of powder (e.g., beetroot or turmeric or cocoa) with 1 tsp of carrier oil like coconut or sweet almond oil

• Stir this mixture into your melted soy wax at around 70–75°C (160–170°F)

• Mix thoroughly until it blends in

• Then cool to 60–65°C (140–150°F) before adding fragrance and pouring

🌼 3. Natural Candle Color Ideas (With Matching Scents)

You have to take into account that these candles will not have a bright color but rather muted tones.

🖌️ 4. How Much Dye to Add to Soy Wax?

Here’s a quick guide:

⚠️ Important Tip:
Soy wax appears darker when melted, and lighter when it sets. Always test a small sample first.

How I test for the color I want is - keep adding small amounts and do a spoon test to check if the color is what you wanted, If not, add a little by little and keep testing for the optimum color.

🧼 5. Common Coloring Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

• Powder settles at the bottom?
  ➜ You likely added it directly without mixing with oil.

• Wick won’t burn properly?
  ➜ You used non-candle-safe dyes like crayons or too much powder.

• Color too pale or fades over time?
  ➜ Use more concentrated dyes and store away from direct sunlight.

• Color is streaky?
  ➜ Ensure the wax is hot enough when mixing and stir thoroughly.

🔁 Quick Recap: Steps to Color Soy Candles

1. Melt soy wax to 70–75°C

2. Add your dye (pre-mixed if natural), stir thoroughly

3. Cool to 60–65°C, then add fragrance

4. Pour into jars or moulds

5. Let cure for 24–48 hours before lighting

✨ The Joy of Creative Candle-Making

Coloring soy candles is such a beautiful way to bring personality and intention into each piece. You can use color to evoke mood, match a scent story, or create seasonal collections.

At Mandy & Co, we experiment with both natural and synthetic candle-safe dyes to bring you pieces that are eco-conscious, safe to burn, and visually stunning.

So whether you're gifting for Diwali, creating baby shower favours, or just crafting for joy, remember: your perfect color candle is just a stir away 💛

🔗 Recommended Product:

Ice cream Sundae Candle
A delightful treat for your senses! Handcrafted with love in India, this soy candle is made from sustainably sourced soy wax, ensuring a clean and eco-friendly burn.