Where to Make Your Own Aromatic Candles in and Around Philadelphia
These Philly-area studios allow you to DIY your own sniff-worthy candles. Bonus: They're all BYOB.
These Philly-area candle-making studios allow you to DIY your own sniff-worthy candles. / Photographs courtesy of State of Being (left) and Cork & Candles
If you’re looking for a new hobby or just want a fun way to pass the time, consider a candle-making class. Not only will you walk through the process of creating a candle that smells amazing, but you’ll learn a new skill and broaden your definition of self-care in the process. Below, find a list of venues in the Philly area where you can make your own candle. Bonus: All of them are BYOB, if that’s your style!
Cork & Candles
1315 Walnut Street, suite 115-S, Center City and 255 Main Street, suite 150, King of Prussia
With locations in Center City and King of Prussia, Cork & Candles caters to candle-making enthusiasts downtown and in the ‘burbs. Both studios boast a scent library with over 70 fragrances to choose from and incorporate into your unique blend. You can select four scents total — two for each candle you make during the 90-minute class — plus decorate your creation with crystals or flower pieces. Experiences start at $5o per person.
Jersey Poured Candles & Co
79 South Broad Street, suite #2, Penns Grove, New Jersey
About 40 minutes by car from Center City is this Penns Grove-based candle shop, which hosts 90-minute candle-pouring workshops multiple nights during the week. Pick a vessel for your creation from their stock before mixing one or two scents, two additives like dried lavender sprigs and fruit slices, and one color for your custom blend. $40 per person.
Loomen Labs
620 South 5th Street, Queen Village
Loomen Labs is a create-your-own candle and floral bar with a zero-waste, eco-friendly mission — they use natural, soy wax and toxin-free fragrances, and never use plastic in their packaging. You’ll mix scents and dye wax in a refillable, stonewear vessel that you’ve made yourself or selected from the store’s stock. According to co-owner Jordan Cook, Loomen’s most popular fragrances are Queen Village, Fishtown, and Bella Vista — all named for Philly neighborhoods, of course — and pair super well together. Experiences start at $35 per person.
Love n’ Honey Candles
500 West Germantown Pike, unit 1300, Plymouth Meeting
This woman-owned candle company welcomes you for 90-minute candle-making classes at its shop inside the Plymouth Meeting Mall. During your experience, you’ll create two 10-ounce products using coconut wax and fragrances made from essential oils. Bonus: Love n’ Honey runs Saturday brunch sessions, plus perfume-, soap-, and incense-making events. $55 per person.
Scent & Sip
323 West Main Street, Lansdale
Lansdale is home to family-owned, fragrance-focused biz Scent & Sip. Here, your options are seemingly unlimited: You can create your own candles, as well as lotions, soaps, body scrubs, diffusers, perfume/cologne, beard oil, pet shampoo, and so much more. Pay for what you create; item and price list here.
State of Being
1533 South Street, Grad Hospital
Affirmation candle company State of Being opened its first brick-and-mortar earlier this year. At the Grad Hospital shop, you’ll learn all about the intersection of scent, mood, and manifestation (a.k.a. setting intentions to promote positive thinking and speak your goals into existence). Every scent has been mindfully paired with a one-word affirmation in order to enhance a specific feeling, according to founder Beth Geddio. That way, you can emulate the word you’ve selected every time you burn your candle. $55 per person.
Sweet Dreams Collection
5925 Ridge Avenue, Roxborough
Join Sweet Dreams Collection’s “candle club” in Roxborough for various types of creation classes. There’s the more traditional experience, where you’ll make up to two candles over your beverage of choice, a kid-friendly class, and weekend sessions complete with a brunch and bottomless mimosas. Experiences start at $45 per person.
Wax + Wine
144 North 2nd Street, Old City
Wax + Wine was established by father-son duo Alan and Jordan Beletz to create a space for people to connect and be creative. Earlier this year, they moved to a swanky 3,000-square-foot, bi-level space that’s home to a bottle shop so you can buy wine in case you forgot to BYO. Over the course of 90 minutes, you’ll have the opportunity to make up to two eight-ounce candles from a selection of the two scent cellars’ 50-plus fragrances. Classes start at $48 per person.
Waxery
3314 Kensington Avenue, Kensington
The Waxery in Kensington gives you the creative freedom to craft two eight-ounce candles with your choice of fragrances during a 90-minute session. They also host private parties and karaoke (!), and even hand-make their own candle containers. Packages start at $45 per person.
