Whether you’re new to making handmade products or already running your own creative business, having the right ingredients, tools and accessories can make the whole process easier.
From keeping your candle wicks perfectly centred to choosing colourants for soap and cosmetics, there are plenty of smaller supplies that can make a big difference to the finished product.
In this guide, we’re looking at some useful candle, soap, cosmetic and home fragrance supplies you may want to add to your making kit.
Candle Wick Tools Every Maker Should Know
Choosing the right candle wick is important, but how you position and secure that wick matters too.
Wick Centering Tools
Keeping a wick straight while your wax cools can sometimes be more difficult than expected.
Wick centering tools are designed to hold the wick in position at the top of your candle container while the wax sets.
This can help you achieve a more professional-looking finished candle and reduce the chance of your wick ending up too close to one side of the container.
They’re particularly useful when making several candles at the same time, as you don’t need to manually adjust each wick while the wax is cooling.
Wick Sustainers
At the other end of the wick, you need something to keep it secured to the base of your candle.
Wick sustainers help hold the wick firmly in place and make it easier to position inside your container before pouring.
Combined with a suitable centering tool, they can make wick preparation much quicker and more consistent.
Useful Ingredients for Soap Making
Soap making gives you plenty of opportunities to experiment with colour, texture and different ingredients.
Our range of soap making supplies covers everything from soap bases to specialist ingredients for more advanced formulations.
Adding Texture with Exfoliants
If you want to add texture to soaps or body products, exfoliants can be a useful addition.
Depending on your formulation, exfoliating ingredients can help create products ranging from gentle everyday soaps to more textured scrubs.
Always choose an exfoliant that is appropriate for the intended use of your finished product.
Exploring Dry Ingredients
There are also many dry ingredients that can be incorporated into soap and cosmetic formulations.
These ingredients can be used to change the appearance, texture or characteristics of your products, making them particularly useful when experimenting with new formulations.
Bring Your Products to Life with Mica Powders
Colour can completely transform the appearance of a handmade product.
Mica powders are a popular option for adding colour and decorative effects to many soap and cosmetic products.
They’re available in a wide selection of shades, so makers can experiment with everything from subtle colours to bold and eye-catching designs.
When choosing a colourant, always check that it is suitable for your intended application.
Creating Your Own Room Sprays
Candles and wax melts aren’t the only way to bring fragrance into a room.
Room sprays offer a quick way to add fragrance to a space and can also be a great product to add to an existing home fragrance range.
Once you’ve created your formulation, presentation becomes an important part of the finished product.
Our room spray bottles give makers packaging options for creating a professional-looking finished spray.
Choose packaging that works well with your formulation and complements the look of your brand.
Learn More with Candle Academy
Sometimes the most useful tool for a maker isn’t another ingredient — it’s knowledge.
Our Candle Academy content covers different areas of candle, home fragrance, soap, perfume and cosmetic making.
Candle Making
If candles are your main focus, explore our Candle Academy candle resources for ideas, information and guidance.
You can also explore our wider range of candle making supplies, including waxes, wicks, fragrance oils, dyes, jars and moulds.
Flameless Home Fragrance
Prefer fragrance without a flame?
Our flameless fragrance resources are a useful place to explore products and ideas relating to diffusers, room sprays and other home fragrance formats.
Perfume Making
Creating your own fragrance can be an exciting next step for makers who already work with fragrance oils.
Explore our perfume making resources to learn more about developing fragrance-based products.
Soap Making
For anyone interested in handmade soaps, our soap making resources offer further information and inspiration.
Cosmetic Making
You can also explore our cosmetic making resources if you’re interested in expanding your range into other handmade products.
Build Your Making Collection Step by Step
You don’t need every ingredient or tool on day one.
Start with the supplies required for the product you want to make, learn how each component works, and gradually expand your collection as you experiment with new ideas.
Whether you’re making candles, soap, room sprays, perfume or cosmetics, choosing appropriate ingredients and using the right tools will help you work more consistently and create better finished products.
And if you’re just starting with candles, our existing candle-making guides are a great place to continue learning, including our guide to making container candles.