Candle Making Supplies Checklist & Where to Buy Them (2025 Guide)

Starting a candle business? One of the first questions we get asked is: “What supplies do I actually need?”

When you are ready to start your candle business, check out How to Start a Candle Business (Step-by-Step Guide for 2025). This guide is practical, personal, and backed by experience—plus, it’s packed with tools, real examples, and a free checklist to help you get started today.

After making tens of thousands of candles across our stores, wholesale accounts, and private label partners, we’ve tested just about every tool and supplier out there. This checklist will help you avoid overwhelm and get started the smart way.

We’re Sabastian and Chad, the makers behind the million-dollar candle brand Garsnett Beacon Candle Co. and educators at Candle Business PRO, where we help new makers go pro with expert guidance and real-world experience.

🎁 Download the full checklist as a printable PDF here

Essential Tools & Equipment

You don’t need a huge studio to start a successful candle business. But you do need quality tools to pour consistently and safely.

Starter Equipment:

• Wax melter (ToAuto is our favorite!)

• Wax thermometer (digital)

• Heat gun (for smoothing tops)

• Wax scale + fragrance scale

• Pouring pitchers (small + large)

• Spatulas, ladles, and funnels

• Wick setters and wick stickers

• Rubbing alcohol and towels for cleanup

• Wick trimmers (for testing and trimming before sale)

🛒 Browse our complete tool list in the free checklist

Wax Options

Our go-to waxes:

• Golden Brands 464 Soy Wax – Reliable and beginner-friendly

• Golden Brands 494 – Best for wax melts

• Virgin Coconut Soy (Makesy) – Smooth tops, excellent hot throw, high-end appeal

Not all waxes perform the same, so test with your own vessels and fragrance combos. We go deeper into this during our Office Hours inside Candle Business PRO.

Fragrance Oils

The scent is what sells the candle.

Top suppliers we trust:

• Makesy (use code IGNITE10)

• Dulceria Candle Supply

• CandleScience

• Midwest Fragrance Company

• The Flaming Candle

🧪 Pro tip: Test your fragrance load percentage carefully. Most soy waxes perform well between 8–10%, but you’ll need to trial to avoid sweating or poor throw.

Candle Vessels

Your jar is part of your branding. Choose wisely based on your niche and pricing strategy.

Our favorite sources:

• Makesy (modern and upscale)

• CandleScience (classic and affordable)

• Dulceria (colorful options)

• Glassnow (eco-friendly recycled glass)

We recommend starting with 1–2 sizes and building from there.

Wicks & Wick Tools

Best wick options for soy and coconut waxes:

• CD Wicks (CandleScience)

• Performance Series (Makesy)

Wick tools to consider:

• Wick holders

• Wick stickers (large for secure hold)

• Wick setter tool (helps center wicks with ease)

Wick testing is where beginners often get stuck. We’ve simplified it inside the membership.

Labeling & Branding

You don’t need to spend thousands on a branding agency. Here’s what worked for us:

Recommended tools:

• Canva (for designing labels, logos, IG content)

• Thermal printer (for shipping labels)

• Color printer (for testing and packaging)

• Label maker (for fragrance bottles or jars)

• Logo stamp (for kraft packaging)

✨ We talk all things branding in our Branding Workshop

Software & Support Tools

Running a candle business is more than melting wax.

These tools save us time and money:

• Shopify – Our top pick for selling candles online ($1 first month)

• Inventora – Tracks supplies and calculates cost of goods (Free version here)

• QuickBooks – For bookkeeping and tax prep

• Canva Pro – Brand visuals and social templates

Want to see how we store, organize, and pour at scale? Watch our BTS YouTube videos.

Bonus: Save With Our Partner Discounts

We’ve negotiated exclusive deals for our readers:

• ToAuto Wax Melters – Save $$ with this link

• Makesy – 10% off with code IGNITE10

• Inventora – Free version with full feature access

• Shopify – First month for just $1

• Replica Surfaces – Get 10–15% off backgrounds

We only recommend products we actually use.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

1. ✅ Download the Ultimate Candle Supply Checklist

2. ✅ Join our Facebook Group to connect with other makers

3. ✅ Become a Member of Candle Business PRO for workshops, templates, and live help

4. ✅ How to Price Your Candles for Profit (2025 Guide) for our candle pricing strategy

Your candle business is only as strong as your foundation—and this checklist is where that foundation begins.

Let’s build it together.

—Sabastian & Chad