Make Your Own Candles at The Candle Lab

I’ve had The Candle Lab on my list of things I want to do for quite a while and FINALLY got myself in there! And I’m so glad I did!

I decided to try my hand at candle making at Candle Lab OTR (Over the Rhine). This location for The Candle Lab can be found right in the middle of all your favorite Vine Street hang outs and shops.

The Candle Lab is somewhat of an anomaly – an unexpected discovery in the middle of lots of great eateries. You really should plan to have a meal after you make your own candles. You’re right by Bakersfield, Senate, The Eagle, Quan Hapa…

So what exactly IS The Candle Lab?

The Candle Lab is a place to make your own candles but it’s also a place to make your own scented products. You can choose to make a candle or infuse your personally crafted scent into the form of a body lotion, room diffusers, fragranced oils, and more.

How Does It Work?

To get started, you’ll choose what product you’re going to make and then get into crafting your own personal scent.

One wall of Candle Lab is full of candles made with their 120 fragrances. Each candle along the wall is clearly marked with the scent. You’ll use these scented candles to create your own product’s custom scent. 

Simply grab a clipboard and start smelling. Sniff, sniff, sniff and find your favorites. Add them to your list as you go.

Once you have a list of your favorite scents and have chosen which product you’re going to make (candle, scented bath salts, etc.), you’ll head over to their bar.

I pulled up a seat and let Ashley help me in deciding which of my favorite scents would go together well. I also crafted a label for the bottom of my candle.

Ashley pulled the bottles of scents for me and, with her direction, I got to work in combining the three scents to my liking.

Once I had the scents mixed and was happy with my combination, it was time to make my candle.

Ashley went over to their big vat of hot soy candle wax and poured some into the container I had chosen earlier.

Then I mixed my scent into the candle she poured for me.

When will my candle be ready?

Because it’s still very hot and still a liquid, you’ll need to return for your Candle Lab candle after about 90 minutes. Lucky for you, you’re in a great place to kill an hour or so of time. But if you can’t get back to pick it up the same day, they’ll gladly hold it for you until you can return.

In addition to making your own products, they do have candles and body products that are ready for purchase.

They also do create custom scents and products for businesses, weddings, and events too.

You can enjoy Candle Lab by yourself, with a friend, or as a group. Each person can pour his/her own personally scented candle. This would be a great ladies’ night out, a fun birthday outing, homeschool fun, and more. They do request a “heads up” if you’ll have 4 or more in your group so they can be sure to accommodate you.

The Candle Lab is located at 1325 Vine Street in Over the Rhine

The Candle Lab also has locations in Anderson, Columbus, and Pittsburgh.