Valentine’s Day is a Christianized version of a pre-existing fertility festival called Lupercalia. It was a bloody, brutal marker of Spring in Roman times, shifting gears into a more playful party in later times. This was an easy fix for the church, eventually merging the observance of the martyr Saint Valentine with this Springtime baby making bacchanal.
Today’s Valentine’s Day is a pressure cooker of weird traditions and expectations, but it’s generally accepted that one is to give a gift to their significant other, so those sexual undertones are still going strong. If you are a cannabis lover or a new user, topical cannabis application is often a much more fun way to experiment with getting high. This makes it a dope gift, showing your loved one that you care without showing corporations that you care about them.
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Making a candle is a little more complicated than a cookie recipe, but it’s a lot more romantic than a bottle of liquid or a tin of salve. Presentation can sometimes be everything!
Weed Infused Massage Oil Candles
Danielle Guercio, 2017
- Candle wicks
- Double sided tape
- Jars/tins/containers
- Wooden skewers
- Soy wax
- Skin friendly oils
- Cannabis Infused Coconut Oil*
- Fragrance (optional)
Your recipe should be determined by the size of the containers you use. Once you know their volume, calculate a 60% wax to 40% oil ratio. Depending on how strong you want the oil to be, make a percentage of that 40% an infused oil.
Stick candle wicks to the bottom middle of your container. Twist the excess wick around a skewer, this will also keep the wick centered while you pour the melted wax.
Prepare your workspace, when you’re dealing with hot stuff you don’t want to make a huge mess that isn’t contained. A paper lined baking pan works nicely here.
Melt wax first in a heat safe measuring cup over a double boiler. Once the wax is melted, add oils, including weed oil. Last add fragrance, generally 20 total drops of essential oil per cup of liquid is a good measurement. You want to smell it, but not be overpowering to rub on the skin. A candle alone would be much stronger scented. I used Young Living Rose, Patchouli, and Sacred Frankincense, skin loving and sensual smelling.
*Cannabis Coconut Oil
Decarboxylate 3.5g of finely ground cannabis at 225 degrees for 20 minutes in a tightly sealed, oven safe container. Put in lidded mason jar or vacuum sealed bag with cannabis 4 oz of coconut oil.
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Heat in water bath just under boiling for at least 1 hour. Strain and chill to use in recipes.
To use the candle, trim the wicks, light for a few minutes at a time to soften some of the wax into an oil. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scoop out a small amount to use topically, and avoid sticking your fingers in the hot wax.
Photos: Danielle Guercio
