Pouring the wax.

When your moulds and containers are ready, and your wax is melted, add the colour chips to your melting pitcher and melt fully into the wax. Then, at the last add your scent. The scent is added at the last so it doesn't denature or dissipate through too much heating for too long. Now you can pour your candles. If you're aiming for a very smooth surfaced candle, it helps to have the mould warmed and tilt the mould so the wax doesn't fill the mould so turbulently, and cause tiny air bubbles to form on the sides and surface of your candles. Save some wax to refill the candles as they cool. I keep wax in a melted state for hours because as the candles cool the wax in the moulds and containers contract and form a deep well right down the middle of your candle. Refilling this well may be necessary several times.  If you have beeswax mixed in with your paraffin, the shrink well will not be as big, or need refilling as much.   Be careful not to let your refill wax run over the top of the original candle level. The refill wax will run over and seep down inside between the candle and the mould and will mar your surface if you're going for perfect smoothness. It also makes it difficult to get a candle out of the mould.

Moulded candles can be made to look very even and shiny by cooling them in a cold water bath. About 1 minute after you pour, take the entire mould and set it in a container of cold water. Be careful not to get any water in your wax. It will ruin a candle. You will likely need to weight your mould so it doesn't float or tip in the water bath. Let the mould sit in its water bath after its second refill for about 2 hours. The final cooling process takes place at room temperature. It will take about 8 hours depending on the size of the mould for the candle to cool completely and be ready to remove from the mould. You can speed this final cooling process by putting candles in the refrigerator. Sometimes they will develop lines and tiny 'thermal shock' cracks which can be quite attractive. Remove the mould from the refrigerator after it feels cold to the touch. Any more cooling will result in many lines and tiny cracks, which means your candle surfaces will flake off later. If you desire this effect, you can put the cooling mould in the freezer for a half hour!

Remove the candles from the moulds.

If your finished candle has seams in it, you can gently remove them with a knife. Flatten the base of a wobbly candle by rubbing it gently around inside a warm fry pan until it melts flat. Polish finished candles with nylon stockings to remove fingerprints and small scratches. To get a hard shiny protective surface on a candle apply liquid candle sheen with a soft cloth. It is available at candle making supply stores and it works great!  A spray version is also available. Others have used no-wax acrylic floor polish with good results.  These smell, but readers report that the smell goes away when the wax hardens.