This At-Home Candle-Making Kit Is My New Go-To Gift

Candles are a surprisingly controversial gift. Proponents defend the approachable price point, endless scent options and cozy ambience. While antagonists label them as basic or thoughtless. Heck, there’s even an iconic SNL skit poking fun at just how easy candles are to gift—and regift.

Despite the debate, I find myself giving three-wicks and candle subscriptions fairly often. As long as you customize your pick to the recipient, a candle can actually be quite thoughtful. I know my sister, for example, only burns beeswax. While my astrology-obsessed friend would love a Birthdate candle crafted with her name and special day.

Recently, I found another hidden gem that takes candle gifting to the next level. Apotheke’s at-home candle-making kit. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

We Tried It

Apotheke Candle-Making Kit

This all-in-one kit has everything your recipient needs to make their very own candle right in the kitchen.

Shop on Apotheke

$78 at Nordstrom

What is a candle-making kit?

Making candles at home is not new. You can walk into any craft store and find wicks, wax and more essentials. The only problem is that, just like any crafting hobby, there’s a lot of initial investment. (Please don’t ask me about the 100+ rolls of embroidery floss I now own from my brief stint with cross-stitching!)

A candle-making kit minimizes the mental energy and compiles all the supplies you need to get started into one neat package. This allows you to test the waters and give candle-making a try without five-pound wax blocks taking over your space. Plus, they make great gifts for that crafting or candle-loving friend.

The Apotheke candle kit is my top choice for a few reasons. For starters, it comes in three scent profiles: citrus, woody and floral. Plus, the materials are very high-quality. While I don’t necessarily buy into the hype that scented candles are toxic, I do try to choose better-for-me ingredients when I can. Apotheke includes a soy wax blend, cotton wick and a blend of essential and perfume-grade fragrance oils. They also leave out plenty of bad stuff, like sulfate, phthalates, formaldehyde and lead.

Why I’m Obsessed

When the Apotheke candle-making kit showed up on my doorstep, I was immediately impressed. For starters, it comes in a beautifully giftable box with all the ingredients neatly nestled inside. I chose the citrus kit, which includes:

• Wax for one candle
• Orange candle jar
• Wick and wick holder
• Stir stick
• Wick trimmer
• Scent bottle
• Label sticker
• Instructions

Now, I’ve always wanted to try making candles. But one of my main holdups was the mess—especially when it comes to melting the wax.

Initially, I was concerned I’d have to sacrifice a pot or bowl to the candle-making gods, but luckily, the Apotheke wax smartly comes in a heat-proof bag. It works in either a microwave or a water bath. I chose the latter, which took about 20 minutes to melt over a very low heat. I was also stirring/moving the bag around constantly to avoid any hot spots from forming.

Once the wax has melted, let it cool for 5 minutes, then add the fragrance. Some citrus candles smell a bit too much like chemical cleaner, but the Apotheke scent is divine. On the website, it’s described as: “A vibrant citrus scent that opens with fresh mandarin, honey pomelo and passion fruit. Ripe mango and grapefruit blossom add a sunlit sweetness, while verbena, warm amber and vetiver create a bright, uplifting finish.”

While I can’t say I identified all of those scents, it did remind me of enjoying a perfect citrus (sumo orange, anyone?) on a warm day. It was nuanced and very luxe.

Once the wax is all ready to go, place the wick in the center of the vessel. You’ll also arrange the centering tool on top to keep everything straight. I slowly poured in my wax and, voila! I just made a candle. The finished product needs 24-48 hours to fully firm up before use. Then, you simply trim the wick, and you’re good to go.

All in, the experience took about 45 minutes, heavily dependent on the process you use to melt the wax. It was satisfying and a boredom buster on a bleak winter day. I could also see this being a fun at-home date or girls’ night activity.

Above all, it ticks several boxes on my “great gift idea” list. I’m smitten with this kit’s ready-to-wrap packaging and easy-to-follow instructions. Plus, the interactive element adds a little wow factor. At $78, it’s certainly pricier than a candle I’d pick up at HomeGoods. But for the right recipient, it’s worth the splurge.

Where to Buy

We Tried It

Apotheke Candle-Making Kit

This all-in-one gift is a fun twist on a classic candle.

Shop on Apotheke

$78 at Nordstrom

You can order the Apotheke candle-making kit directly on the brand’s website or from Nordstrom. If you’re in New York, Apotheke also offers an in-person candle-pouring class if you’d prefer some professional guidance.