Summary
Highlights
Ellen introduces the concept of lotion candles, a product she recently discovered, and credits a friend for the idea. She explains that these candles use a combination of wax, butters, and oils to create a moisturizing product. She discusses the different types of skin-safe waxes (soy, coconut) and butters (cocoa, kokum, shea) that can be used, highlighting their individual benefits. She also emphasizes using skin-safe fragrances or essential oils and avoiding colorants for skin application.
Ellen explains the importance of choosing the right wick for a clean burn and introduces the CDN number 7 natural fiber wick. She demonstrates how to secure the wicks in the candle vessels using glue dots and wick holders. She also discusses her choice of tempered glass cups with pour spouts, which are practical for dispensing the melted lotion without mess.
The host measures and combines the soy wax, kokum butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, and chamomile-infused sweet almond oil into a beaker. She uses a mock double boiler setup to gently melt all the ingredients, emphasizing the importance of gentle heating, especially for shea butter, to prevent grittiness. She shares her specific ratios of wax, butters, and oil, aiming for a butter-heavy blend for skin-friendliness.
After the ingredients are melted, Ellen allows the mixture to cool slightly before adding a skin-safe cashmere musk fragrance oil. She discusses the appropriate fragrance load for lotion candles (1-3%) compared to regular candles. She then carefully pours the scented mixture into the wicked vessels, ensuring they are filled to the top, and secures the wick stabilizers.
While the candles are solidifying, Ellen conducts an immediate skin test with the remaining melted lotion. She is pleasantly surprised by its non-waxy and non-tacky feel, noting its quick absorption and moisturizing properties. She expresses her delight, mentioning how the wax creates a protective moisture barrier on the skin.
After a few days of curing, Ellen trims the wicks to a quarter-inch. She discusses alternative waxes like beeswax (and why it's not ideal for lotion candles due to its high melting point) and suggests tallow as a potential alternative for butters. She then demonstrates applying pre-designed labels to the candles, noting the challenge posed by the handle on the vessels. She also shares a tip about repurposing leftover wick bits as fire starters.
Ellen lights one of the candles for a burn test, observing the melt pool development. Once a sufficient melt pool forms, she extinguishes the flame and applies the warm, melted lotion to her skin. She reiterates her positive impressions of its moisturizing effect, quick absorption, and pleasant, light fragrance. She encourages viewers to try making their own and share their tips for those already familiar with lotion candles.