You can find everything for candle making in Dubai, either online or in the city's wholesale markets. This guide lists the supplies your first candle needs and where to buy them, then what to check before you order.
What you need to make candles
- Wax: soy wax flakes for container candles, natural beeswax or soy pillar wax for pillars and moulded candles, and specialist waxes such as gel wax for clear candles and sand wax, which needs no melting. Our guide to the types of candle wax matches each wax to the candle it suits, and every wax we stock is in our candle wax collection.
- Wicks: sized to the width of your jar. Browse candle wicks.
- Fragrance oil: any of our perfume oils that lists candles in its usage table.
- Jars, tins or molds: candle jars for container candles, candle molds for pillars and shapes.
- A thermometer and a melting pot: both are in our candle making tools.
- Wick centering devices to hold the wick straight while the wax sets.
- Dye or pigment if you want coloured candles. This is optional.
Where to buy candle making supplies in Dubai
You can shop in person or online, and each has its trade-offs.
In person: Dragon Mart
Dragon Mart 1 and 2 is Dubai's largest wholesale hub, and several shops there stock candle supplies. Seeing wax, jars and wicks before you buy is useful when you are choosing containers. On the other hand, you usually need several shops to find everything on the list, and stock of any one item is hit and miss.
Online
Ordering online saves the trip and lets you buy everything in one basket. We stock wax, wicks, jars, molds, tools and fragrance oils for candle making, with delivery across the UAE. Everything is in our candle making collection. Our candle waxes come in 1, 5 and 25 kg bags, so a first test batch and a production run can come from the same place.
What to check before you buy
- Match the wax to the candle: container soy wax is soft and made to stick to glass; it won't hold its shape as a pillar. Beeswax and pillar blends are harder and release from a mold.
- Size the wick to the jar: a wick that is too small tunnels down the middle; one that is too large smokes and burns fast. Measure the inside diameter of your jar before you order wicks.
- Check the fragrance oil's candle limit: each of our perfume oils shows a maximum level for candles in its usage table. Most sit at around 8% of the wax weight, but check the oil you use.
- Use heat-safe containers: choose glass or tins made for candles. Decorative glassware can crack from the heat of a burning candle.
Ready to make your first candle?
Once your supplies arrive, follow our step-by-step guide to making your first scented candle. If the surface cracks as it sets, here's why and how to fix it.