How to Make Wax Dipped Bears

Around Christmas time, I saw that QVC was selling scented wax dipped animals. I thought they were cute, but I thought they were too expensive. Recently, I came across Lone Star Candle Supply website and I found instructions on How to Make Wax Dipped Bears. I thought I would share these instructions with you because these would be great gift plus you can purchase all the materials needed from Lone Star Candle Supply.

Materials needed:

1 Stuffed Bear
1 lb of IGI 4794 Wax, IGI 1343 Wax, OR NatureWax P-1 Wax
1.5 ounces of fragrance oil liquid
Dye (optional, recommended for darker bears)
Double boiler or some other method of heating wax
Pair of tongs
Drying rack
Large tooth comb or fork
THICK rubber gloves
Cooking sheet

Basic Instructions:

Melt wax and add fragrance (about 1.5 oz per lb of wax) stirring well. At this time you can add dye to match darker or colored bears allowing it to blend better with the material. This will help eliminate the "dandruff" look when using un-dyed wax on a darker bear. The average wax temperature is 170-190°F.

After the wax is melted, unplug the cooker so as not to exceed 200°F. If the wax is too hot, the animal may shrink and be otherwise damaged.

Using a pair of tongs, dip and roll the animal in the wax for about two minutes or until well- saturated.

Using the tongs, pull the animal out of the wax and, while wearing thick rubber gloves, squeeze out some of the excess wax. Tip: if you put the animal on a screen over your pot, the wax will drip back into your pot for the next animal. This means less waste and less mess!

Immediately use a large tooth wire comb (or fork in a pinch) to comb or fluff the hair. Longer hair requires more fluffing. This must be done before the wax hardens.

Next let cool to the touch, then put on a cooking sheet to finish the process. You can pose them at this point. To completely dry, let stand about two hours.

Once completely cooled you can package them in a cellophane bag and tie with a decorative ribbon. We recommend enclosing instructions for care.

Notes:

1 If you don't have a professional setup to melt the wax, you can use several methods found in your kitchen. You can use a double boiler, or boil water in a larger pot with the wax melting in second smaller pot inside the first. This method heats the wax to 212°F so let it cool slightly before dipping. Other methods include turkey roasters, deep fryers and crock pots where you can choose the desired temperature. Start slow and increase the temperature in increments for best results.

Other Helpful Tips:

Generally, 1 lb of wax will do approximately 1 larger bear or 2 smaller bears

Average retail selling price for these bears is around $20 but could be priced higher or lower depending on the size, quality, decoration, packaging, and your geographic location.

The fragrance will decrease over time if the animal is kept at room temperature. To refresh the scent, heat with a blow dryer for about a minute. This needs to be done about once a month as desired. You could even sell small bottles of fragrance oil for your customers to apply while refreshing their bears!

Some fragrance oils can discolor white animals. When using a white or very light colored bear, try to choose fragrance oils that are as clear or lightly tinted as possible.

Never put wax-dipped animals directly on wood. A dish, glass or metal, will protect the wood surface from stain by the oils in the wax.

Keep out of the reach of children, as these animals are no longer toys.

Of course, these animals are air fresheners, not candles and are not meant to burn.

Get creative with bows, decorations, packaging, accessories and poses. Most of all, have fun!