How to make a scented Valentine's candle

Nothing says love like a handmade gift, so this Valentine's Day treat your loved one to a gorgeous scented candle, crafted by your own fair hands.

You will need

• Paraffin wax
• String
• Non-toxic crayon (your choice of colour)
• Essential oil (your choice of scent)
• Jar
• Washi tape and ribbon (for decoration)

Instructions

1. First, you need to melt your wax so cut it into small chunks. As a rule, you need twice the amount of wax chunks as it takes to fill your jar: this will melt down into the right amount of liquid wax. To melt, place the wax chunks in a small bowl over a pot of boiling water and melt until it reaches about 50-60°C.

2. If you want to add colour to your candle (which will otherwise come out white), you can use a non-toxic crayon. Simply cut off a small piece of crayon (about 1/4 inch per 30 fl. oz of paraffin wax) and melt it with your wax.

3. To make your candle beautifully scented, add an essential oil of your choice. You can add more or less depending on how strong you want it to smell, but at least 10 drops for each 15 fl. oz of wax is recommended.

4. Next you will need to prepare your wick in the jar, so cut off a length of string to be the wick. It will need to stand in the centre of your candle, so attach one end to a pen using tape or a peg, and balance the pen across the top of your jar, so that the string hangs down the centre.

5. Pour the liquid wax into the jar, carefully, making sure the wick stays in place. Leave it to harden at room temperature for about 4 hours.

6. Decorate your jar with strips of pretty washi tape and tie a ribbon around the top, away from the wick. That's it - now you have a sumptuous, scented handmade gift for your love!

Don't have the time to make your own candle? Don't worry, DotComGiftShop has a fantastic selection of candles for you to choose from. Happy Valentine's Day!