Hello, everybody. I’m thinking about making some candles for the Solstice. Well, not making them exactly. I was thinking of taking ordinary tea candles that already have wicks and putting a little bit of dried herbs and maybe a tiny crystal on top. Has anyone tried making one of these kinds of candles before? Do you know how to do it? I’m wondering if I melt the top with a lighter and quickly add a little herbs on top if that will work. And if it does, do you find it to be safe? I don’t want to create a little inferno! LOL. I am assuming putting a drop of essential oil on top of a tea light would be too flammable…
I don’t know how to make herbal candles, I did buy one once, and the thing set alight as the herbs caught fire. 
. Now I have a special candle holder that has a dish outside the candle bit so I dress the holder rather than the candle, I just put oils on my candles. I’m sure someone here will have expert advise so I’m going to watch this space as I’d love to know how to do this too. 
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I learned my lesson with an inferno that I created. Lol! If you grind the herbs into a powder you won’t have a problem. Or, use the herbs sparingly. I also roll beeswax candles and I roll the herbs into the candle. Good luck with your creation! 
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Dressing candles with herbs and other flammable material can definitely be dangerous! When dealing with candles and fire, I don’t think there’s a 100% safe method, just a less dangerous method.
I have a video on dressing candles on my YouTube channel if you wanna check it out.
→ Dressing Candles 🕯️ Candle Magick Tips and Tricks || Witchcraft 101 [CC] - YouTube
I think that as long as you don’t use too much, you keep it away from the wick, and you have a safe method of extinguishing the flame, you’ll be okay! And when I say safe for candles, I mean smothering or snuffing. Never water!
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Your solstice candles sound lovely, Mary! 
I can see you’ve already got some great advice and safety tips to keep in mind when dressing candles. It’s true that the additions can be flammable- and I actually found that the opposite can also be true!
I dressed a candle with honey and lavender last night and I was a little too generous with the dressing- I’m not sure if it would happen with other dressing bases (such as oil, which I believe is more flammable than honey is), but the honey bits kept clumping together and put out the wick three times 
So I guess whether it is flammable or flame-extinguishing, it seems like less is more when it comes to candle dressings! 
Blessed be and happy solstice spellwork! 
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I’ve dressed my candles with essential oils many times and have never had any problems. Then again, I do wait for the oils to dry before lighting the candle and I never dress the wick. I have some old fashioned iron candle holders, so I like to place herbs and flowers in a circle around the flat base.
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I have mainly only anointed candles… I have added herbs to tealights but did something similar by melting the top a little & adding them sparingly… somewhere between a pinch & a sprinkle away from the wick.
Adding a crystal away from the wick maybe when the top is softened so you can kind of push it a little into the candle should work.
I do the same as @Kasandra & wait for the oils to dry. I don’t use any on the top or by the wick. I use a pre-made oil blend before I anoint them & I don’t use a lot. I put it on my fingertips & apply it either from the middle(ish) down (toward myself) or the bottom up (away from myself)
I have a disposable pie pan that I put my candle holders on or I put the chime holders into a votive holder. (I tend to have quite a few votive holders from working at 1 of Partylite’s main offices & indulging in their Employee Warehouse Sales) They also fit tealights in them as well. I will make a circle of herbs or a type of offering around the holders & other items (image, statue, crystals, symbols) in the pan itself too. (makes for easier cleanup than if its on my altar cloth)
Another idea is melting down a jar candle by placing the jar in a pot of water (not enough to cover the jar) to melt the wax. Mix herbs & oils into the wax while its liquified then take it out of the hot water & let it cool around the wick. (use a wooden/metal skewer or thin spoon long enough to go across the top of the jar with a clip or clothes pin to fashion a way to hold the wick up as the wax liquifies) While it’s still semi soft at the top as it’scooling, press your crystals into the top. Once its fully cooled you remove the wick holder you made.
Something else I learned about jar candles is that you can put them in a cup or small bowl of water (depending on the width of the jar candle) so the glass doesn’t crack or break after being hot while it’s burning.
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