How to Make Botanical Wax Melts

Botanical wax melts are beautiful to look at and so fun to make! A botanical wax melt is simply a regular wax melt that is decorated with dried herbs and flowers. These are sprinkled on top of the wax when it’s setting up, allowing the petals to stick in the wax. Wax melts with botanicals can be used the same way as any other type of wax melt – it’s simply a way to decorate your wax melts and make them stand out!

Making botanical wax melts is easy. If you’re already familiar with making DIY wax melts, this project will be a breeze for you. If not, don’t worry! We’ll walk you through all the steps you need to take to make beautiful floral wax melts.

Yield: 10 clamshell wax melts

Hands-On-Time: 45 minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour

Skill Level: Easy

Ingredients for Botanical Wax Melts

750 grams C55 Wax
75 grams Fragrance Oil
Several small scoops of dried botanicals or bath tea
Optional: candle dye chips or mica powder for adding color

Supplies

3 oz Measuring Beaker
10 Clamshell Containers
Digital Scale
Digital Thermometer
EZ Grip Nylon Whisk or other stirring tool
Small Metal Pouring Pitcher
Straight Edge Cutter
Nitrile Gloves
Cutting board
Wax melting pot or medium sauce pan for creating a double boiler
Optional: micro scoop (if using mica powder)
Optional: tweezers (helpful for placing petals or removing unwanted pieces)

Choosing Fragrance & Botanicals

The fun part about this project is that there are endless ways to express your creativity! We have 450+ fragrance oils to choose from, plus 16 dried botanicals and 5 different bath tea blends. On top of that, we also have hundreds of colorant options. Before starting this project, spend a little time choosing colors, scents, and botanicals that complement each other.

If you’re feeling stuck, here are a few ideas you might like for making botanical wax melts!

Sunshiny yellow wax melts: dye your wax with Gold Candle Dye Chips and top it with Calendula Petals. You might like fragrances like Marigolds & Sunshine or Spanish Sunset with this blend.
Contrasting color wax melts: create visual interest by using Red Rose Buds & Petals with some Turquoise Candle Dye Chips. This beautiful color combo is sure to be a show-stopper. Fragrances that might go well with this combo are Grapefruit Rose, Aqua Flowers, or even Turquoise Waters.
Subtle floral wax melts: Create beautiful wax melts by topping undyed wax with dried Jasmine Flowers, Heather Flowers, and Lavender Buds. Fragrances like Freesia & Jasmine, Romantic Wish, or Vanilla Blossom would all fit with this aesthetic.
Minty fresh wax melts: Top your wax with our Refreshing Mint Bath Tea Blend and dye the wax a light shade of green with ½ of a Bright Green Dye Chip. Boost the blue by adding additional Cornflower Petals. Fragrances like Wild Mint & Eucalyptus or Eucalyptus & Spearmint pair perfectly with this blend.
Pretty pink wax melts: Use Light Pink Dye Chips and top your melts with Pink Rose Petals, Heather Flowers, and Hibiscus Petals. This combo would pair well with Lily & Hibiscus, Aloha Vanilla, or Garden Sweet Pea.

Find all the botanicals you need to make these beautiful wax melts on our website! NorthWoodDistributing.com

Step 1: Melting the Wax & Adding Fragrance

Weigh out 750 grams of C55 tart wax on your digital scale. Next, cut the wax into smaller pieces using a straight edge cutter and your cutting board.
Add the wax to a wax melting pot if you have one. If not, create a double boiler by placing the wax in your Metal Pouring Pitcher. Next, fill a medium sauce pan about half full with water. Place the pouring pitcher into the water bath, then heat the sauce pan on the stove. You will need to hold the pouring pitcher in place with the handle while the wax melts.
Meanwhile, measure out 75 grams of fragrance oil on the scale using your 3 oz measuring cup.
In the melting pot, wait until the wax has fully melted and reaches a temperature of 210 to 220 degrees F.
If using the double boiler method, carefully remove the Metal Pouring Pitcher from the water and turn off the heat. Place the pitcher on a heat-safe surface.
If you used an electric wax melting pot, transfer the melted wax to your Metal Pouring Pitcher at this time. This will make it easier to pour into your clamshell containers.
Next, pour in the fragrance and stir for about 30 seconds.

Step 2: Adding Color (Optional)

If you want to tint your wax with candle dye chips or mica powder, now is the time to add your colorants. For this amount of wax, anywhere from ½ of a chip to 2 dye chips will provide a nice color. If using mica, start with a few micro scoops of powder and check if you like the color.

Note: when using mica, the wax will be very pastel when it hardens. The true color will shine through when the wax is melted in your wax warmer. If you want to tint the wax and have it shimmer, use candle dye and mica powder.

For the purpose of this tutorial, I made several different colors at once to show just a few of the options you can make. It’s much easier to make one color & scent of wax at a time. Not only that, it is more difficult to get the petals on neatly when trying to do multiple kinds at once.

Step 3: Pouring Your Wax

Check the temperature of the wax using your thermometer. It needs to cool to about 145 to 150 degrees before you pour it into the clamshell containers. If you pour too hot, it will melt the containers.
While you’re waiting for the wax to cool, prepare your clamshell containers by laying them out on a flat surface. You can also start getting your botanicals out so they are ready.
When the wax has cooled to 145 to 150 degrees F, carefully pour it into each clamshell container, filling just below the rim. This leaves a little room for your botanicals.

Step 4: Adding Botanicals

After pouring, gently sprinkle your botanical ingredients on top of each wax melt, distributing them evenly on the surface. If the petals sink (as shown below) wait a few seconds and try again. Heavier ingredients like hibiscus or orange peel are more likely to sink if you add them too soon. However, even lightweight petals may sink if the wax is too hot.

Important: You will want to work quickly when the wax gets to the right temp for adding botanicals. If you go too slowly, the wax may become too cool by the time you get to the last wax melts. Avoid pressing the botanicals in if the wax has already formed a skin, as this will leave unpleasant looking dents in the wax surface.

You can add whole petals or get a different effect by crushing a few petals into a powder (as shown with the blue wax melt below). There are lots of ways to get creative with your decorations! If any unwanted pieces make their way onto your wax melts, it helps to use tweezers to remove them. Tweezers can also be helpful for placing petals in exact locations.

If your wax becomes too cool to add petals, you can very briefly point a heat gun or hair dryer at the surface to quickly remelt it a little. Do not point the heat at the edges of the containers or they will melt.

Finishing Up

Finally, let the wax melts harden completely before moving them or closing the lids. Before closing the lids, you may wish to gently remove any loose petals that did not adhere to the wax. To do so, flip the open container over the trash and let any loose bits fall off. This will make your final product look more polished.

That’s it! When your wax is cool and hard, you can close the lids and attach labels. We recommend using a small label on the front so that your botanicals don’t get all covered up!

For optimal scent throw, let your botanical wax melts cure for a week or two before using them. This allows the wax to fully harden, boosting the overall scent in the process.

If you liked this project, we know you’ll also love our projects for Citrus Wax Melts and Glow in the Dark Wax Melts!

How to Use Floral Wax Melts

Botanical wax melts work the same way as any other wax melt! To use them, simply open the container and press in the center of the wax to create cracks along the 6 cavities. Simply pop out a cube, add it to a wax warmer, and enjoy! You may find that the cubes get a little stuck together if petals cover more than one cube of wax. Simply pull the petals out if this happens.

Did you try this recipe? We’d love to see how your botanical wax melts turned out! Tag us in your photos or use #MadeWithNorthWood to share your beautiful creations.