Behind the Scenes: The Art and Science of Making a Candle

The Art and Science of Candle Making at Elm & Grey

Candles are more than just a source of light or fragrance — they’re symbols of warmth, tranquillity, and a sense of home. When you light a candle, you’re not just burning wax; you’re creating an atmosphere, a ritual, and a memory. But what goes into making the perfect luxury candle? Today, we’re taking you behind the scenes at Elm & Grey’s artisan workshop in Ramsbury, Wiltshire, to reveal the art and science of small-batch candle making.

The Inspiration: Every Candle Starts with a Story

Every Elm & Grey candle begins with a spark of inspiration. Whether it’s a memory of a summer holiday, a cosy winter’s night, or a bouquet of fresh flowers, the story is where the journey starts.

For our artisan candles, we always begin with the mood we want to evoke. Are we aiming for a fresh, invigorating scent that reminds you of a morning walk through a dewy forest, or a rich, sultry fragrance that feels like a warm embrace?

The creative process behind each candle is both art and science — an understanding of how fragrance notes influence emotions, and how premium perfume-grade oils can be layered to tell a story.

Sourcing the Materials: Sustainability and Quality

Once the concept is set, it's time to source the raw materials. For luxury candles, the ingredients make all the difference. The wax, wick, and fragrance oils must all be carefully selected. Where we can we opt for sustainable, eco-friendly materials because quality doesn’t have to come at the cost of the planet.

First, we choose a wax base. There are many options: soy, beeswax, coconut wax, and paraffin. For our luxury candles, we opt for mineral and rapeseed used by many high quality candle brands offering a superior fragrance throw and lovely white colour.

Next, we select the wicks. The wick's material and thickness are vital to ensuring a clean, even burn. Cotton wicks are our go-to for their eco-friendliness and low smoke output. The wrong wick can lead to a poor burn or wasted wax, so every choice matters.

Fragrance oils are where the magic truly happens. Crafting the perfect scent requires patience and precision. Each scent is composed of top, middle, and base notes that harmonise to create a balanced fragrance. We test and retest options, tweaking ratios until we achieve the perfect result.

The Pouring Process: Craftsmanship Meets Precision

Now, onto the technical part. Once we have our materials ready, the wax is melted at just the right temperature. Melting and pouring the wax at the wrong temperatures can cause the candle to not hold the fragrance well. After the wax is melted, it’s time to add the fragrance oils. This is one of the most crucial steps, as adding the oils at the wrong temperature can alter the final scent.

The next step is to pour the wax into the candle vessels. This requires precision, as even a slight miscalculation can result in air pockets, cracks, or uneven tops. The vessels must be prepped beforehand by ensuring the wick is properly placed and centred. Pouring too quickly or too slowly can result in imperfections in the final product. Here at Elm and Grey we pour by hand and in small batches to ensure our candle quality is maintained.

Once the candles are poured, they must cure. The curing process allows the wax to fully bond with the fragrance oils, which enhances the scent throw when the candle is finally lit. 

The Test Burn: Perfecting the Flame

Before any Elm & Grey candle batch leaves our studio, we carry out a rigorous test burn on a candle from the batch:

Checking for a steady flame and even melt pool.

Assessing both the cold throw (unlit fragrance) and hot throw (lit fragrance).

Observing burn quality over several hours.

Each candle batch must pass our high standards — if it doesn’t, we adjust the formula and start again.

We’ve also introduced a customer testing panel: fragrance lovers from our community who trial new blends and share feedback. This ensures our artisan candles deliver not only on performance but also on how they feel about them.

The Final Touch: Packaging and Presentation

Creating a premium candle doesn’t end with fragrance — presentation matters.

From the moment you receive your candle, every detail is designed to reflect the artisan care behind it.   Each candle is carefully packaged to reflect the luxury experience we want our customers to have from the moment they open the box. Whether it's a sleek minimalist design of our Deluxe Candles or a more ornate presentation of our smaller Luxe candles, our goal is to create an unboxing experience that adds to the pleasure of owning a luxury candle. 

Our Deluxe and Luxe Candles come in high quality, design-led packaging for a true luxury experience, perfect for gifting.

For eco-conscious customers, we also provide an unboxed option, reducing packaging without compromising quality.  Our boxes are also recyclable.

 

       

Why Elm & Grey Candles Are Different?

Making a candle might seem simple, but there’s a world of craftsmanship behind each one. At Elm & Grey, we believe in:

Artisan, hand-crafted production in our Wiltshire studio.

Small-batch making to guarantee quality.

Premium fragrance oils for depth and longevity.

Tried-and-tested formulations optimised for scent throw and burn performance.

Luxury presentation balanced with eco-friendly choices.

When you light an Elm & Grey candle, you’re experiencing more than fragrance — you’re bringing into your home the artistry, precision, and technical skill of the hands that crafted it. Every candle reflects the care, patience, and dedication of the people behind it, turning a simple flame into a true work of craftsmanship.