Selling Your Craft

How to Start a Candle Business From Home

Candles are one of the most accessible craft businesses: low startup cost, strong margins, and year-round gift demand. A candle that costs $4–7 to make sells for $18–35. Here's how to start the right way.

Start small and focused

Don't launch with twenty scents. Begin with two or three signature scents and one vessel. Perfecting a single great candle — consistent burn, strong throw, clean finish — is worth far more than a wide range of mediocre ones. You can expand once you're consistent.

Nail your pricing

Use a simple formula: materials × 3.5–4 = retail price. This covers your time, fees, and the testing batches every maker goes through. Don't undersell — it's the most common mistake. Bundles like '3 for $55' lift your average order value.

Handle the legal basics

Candles have real requirements: a warning label, net weight on the label, and in the UK/EU, fragrance allergen disclosure (IFRA). Reputable fragrance suppliers provide compliance documents. Check your home insurance too if you're making to sell.

Test everything before selling

Never sell an untested candle. Burn-test three wick sizes per jar/wax/fragrance combo, check the melt pool, and document your results. A candle that tunnels or soots will hurt your reputation faster than a slow launch ever could.

Get your first sales

Your first customers come from people who know you, the next from content, and the rest from ads — in that order. Post consistently, photograph your candles in natural light, and collect buyer emails from day one. That list is your most valuable asset.