Gel candles are all the rage nowadays. They’re a fun, easy way to enjoy your favorite scents while also adding a burst of color to any room. Gel candles are also known for their rich, beautiful glow that’s unmatched by their traditional wax counterparts.
If you’re planning on making your own gel candles, one important thing you need to know is what type of candle dye to use in order for the colors to show up properly.
For gel candles, liquid dye is the best option that you can use. This is because most other types of dye (such as powder or block) are wax-based and they can cloud your gel candles. This leads to uneven coloring and a finished product that looks quite unappealing. Liquid dyes, on the other hand, are more vibrant, easy to use, and will make your gel candles look their absolute best.
In this post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about using liquid dyes for your gel candles, along with our recommendations for the best liquid dyes on the market. We’ll also take you through a step-by-step process on how you can easily add liquid dyes to your gel candles.
5 Advantages of Using Liquid Dye for Gel Candles
Let’s take a look at five advantages that using liquid dyes in gel candles will give you, compared to any other type of dye.
1) Cost-Effective
Although liquid dyes cost a bit more than other types of dye, they are very concentrated. With just a few drops, you can give your candles an intense color that will really make them pop. This means that you’ll be able to get more bang for your buck, and you’ll be able to make more candles with the same amount of dye.
2) Easy to Use
Liquid dyes are extremely easy to use. They often come in small dropper bottles, and all you have to do is add a few drops to your gel, mix well, and there you have it! This makes it a breeze to achieve the exact color you’re looking for, without any of the fuss.
3) Consistency
When you’re using liquid dyes, you can always expect consistency in terms of color. With other types of dye, you’ll notice that some of your candle batches will have duller colors than others.
This is due to the fact that different types of dyes react differently to different waxes, and this inconsistency can be quite frustrating. With liquid dyes, you’ll never have this problem – the color will always be the same, batch after batch.
4) Unlimited Color Potential
This is perhaps our favorite advantage of using liquid dye in gel candles. Liquid dyes give you the ultimate creative control – you can mix and match different colors to create any shade you can imagine. This is a huge plus for those who want to experiment with their candle-making skills and come up with unique color combinations.
Note – Did you know that Rit Dye, a popular company that manufactures different types of liquid dyes, has over a 1000 different color combinations you can create? Don’t believe us? Check it out for yourself – https://www.ritdye.com/color-formulas/?type=197.
5) Versatility
Liquid dyes can be used in all types of candles – be it gel, paraffin, or even soy! This means that you don’t have to buy a bunch of different dyes if you’re planning to experiment with different types of candles. One bottle of liquid dye will do the trick, and you’ll be able to create beautiful candles in all shapes and sizes.
Best Liquid Dyes for Your Candles
Now that we’ve gone over the different advantages of using liquid dyes in your gel candles, let’s take a look at our top three recommendations for the best liquid dyes on the market.
| Name | Description | Price | |
| 1 | YRYM HT Candle Dye | With 16 different colors to choose from, these dyes are perfect for all your candle needs. They come in 10ml bottles with a squeezable dropper, which allows you to easily add colors and mix and match as you like. Unlike most liquid dyes, these do not have any strong odors that might overpower your candle’s scent. | $14.99 |
| 2 | Candle Dye – 24 Colors | As the name says, Candle Dye provides you with a liquid dye set that consists of 24 unique and vibrant colors such as sunset red, moss green, and grape purple. They’re extremely easy to use as all you need to do is add a few drops of your favorite color to the wax and stir gently. And the best part – they have a 100% money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the product! | 18.99 |
| 3 | FansArriche Candle Dye | FansArriche’s highly concentrated liquid dyes are any candle maker’s dream! With a single bottle (10ml), you can easily color up to 35 pounds of gel. You can also use it for paraffin wax, soy wax, beeswax, palm wax, and jelly wax. Plus, it is completely odorless and non-toxic. It also comes with 18 colors for you to experiment with. | $23.99 |
How to Add Liquid Dye to Gel Candles
Let’s take a look at how you can add liquid dye to your gel candles, step-by-step. For this, you’ll need your candle gel, preferred liquid dye, and a thin wooden spoon.
Step 1: Heat the candle gel to around 225 degrees Fahrenheit. It might take some time (about an hour), as gel melts slower than paraffin wax.
Step 2: Pour the gel into a clear, glass container. You should use glass because only then you’ll be able to clearly see the color of the dye as it’s being added.
Step 3: Add in a few drops of your liquid dye and stir gently with the wooden spoon. Make sure to use only a small amount of dye in the beginning. Once the initial dye has spread evenly through the gel, you can add more depending on how intense you want the color to be.
Step 4: Wait for the gel to cool down, and your candle is ready to be used!
Pro tip – While adding the dye, if you want to see how the color will look once the gel has cooled, simply take a little bit of the dyed gel out and allow it to harden. You’ll now get to see how well your liquid dye has colored the gel. After this, you can go ahead and make adjustments to the original batch of candle gel as necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding different types of dyes and gel candles.
Q.1. What are the different types of candle dyes available?
There are three main types of candle dyes – liquid, block, and chip. Liquid dyes are the most popular type, as they’re easy to use and give you great results. Block dyes come in solid blocks, which need to be melted before use. Chip dyes are small pieces of dye that can be added directly to the melted wax.
Q.2. What is the easiest way to add a scent to gel candles?
The easiest way to add a scent to your gel candles is by using fragrant essential oils. You can find different types of oils such as floral (rose, lavender), herbal (rosemary, sage), and citrus (lemon, orange). Simply add a few drops of the oil to your melted gel, and you’re good to go!
Final Thoughts
Liquid dyes are a great way to add color and life to your gel candles. They’re easy to use, versatile, and give you great results every time. If you’re looking for the best way to dye your gel candles, then look no further than liquid dyes! Today, there are hundreds and thousands of colors and color combinations to choose from, so you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for what you need.
