At a Glance: Skeleton Spa Day Candle
- Dollar store skeleton, a bowl you own, and an old jar candle. That’s the whole build.
- Glue the hands to the rim. The skeleton leans back like it’s soaking in a tub and can’t float off.
- Put the wick at the far end. Plastic is close to a flame here, so light it only while you’re sitting with it.
To make a skeleton spa day candle, you glue a dollar store skeleton into a ceramic bowl, set a wick, and pour in melted candle wax for the bathwater. It takes about 30 minutes of hands-on work, then the wax sets overnight.
Jump to the supplies or skip to the pour.
It’s a real candle, which is why it went everywhere. The wax bath is the joke and the glow is real.
That also means a plastic skeleton is sitting near a flame. So the wick goes as far from it as the bowl allows, and the burn rules below are part of the project, not an extra.
What do you need to make a skeleton spa day candle?
Makes one candle, sized to your bowl
- Ceramic bowl. Any heat-safe bowl or baking dish from your cupboard. An oval one looks most like a tub.
- Mini plastic skeleton. The dollar store kind. It should lean back with its head over the rim.
- An old jar candle, or soy wax flakes. The jar candle melts right in its glass. Flakes melt down to about half (estimate), so plan on filling the bowl twice with soy wax flakes (paid link).
- Pre-waxed cotton wick with a metal tab. One wick for a small bowl. Check the wick maker’s chart for your bowl’s width.
- Color. A few crayon shavings, if your candle isn’t already the color you want.
- Washcloth corner and green felt, for the towel and cucumbers. A dab of white and green paint works too.
- Glue gun, pot of water, oven mitt, and a clothespin.
The wick is the one thing worth buying new. A pack of pre-waxed cotton wicks with the metal tabs already on saves you crimping your own, and 6 inches is long enough to clear the rim while you pour. You only need one, so the rest of the pack waits for next year.
- Wicks Dimension - 6 inch length.Base dia:12.5mm.
- Materials - little to no soot, non-toxic and biodegradable. CONTAINS NO LEAD, ZINC OR OTHER METALLS.
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Quick tip: Dry fit first. Lean the skeleton back in the bowl, decide where its hands go on the rim, and mark the far end for the wick.
How do you make a skeleton spa day candle?
Five steps. The wax does most of the work while you sleep.
1. Glue the hands to the rim and dress it
Lean the skeleton back in the empty bowl so its head tips over one end of the rim. Put a dot of hot glue on each hand and press it to the rim, then hold it for a minute.
Now it looks like it’s resting its arms on the tub. The glue also keeps it from floating up when the wax goes in.
While the glue gun is still hot, dress it. Glue a strip of washcloth around the skull for a towel and two felt circles over the eye sockets.
2. Set the wick at the far end
Put a dot of glue under the metal wick tab and press it to the bottom of the bowl at the end opposite the skeleton. Get it as far from the skeleton as your bowl allows (our recommendation).
Clip a clothespin across the rim to hold the wick straight up.
3. Melt the wax
Set an old jar candle, glass and all, in a pot of simmering water and let it melt from the edges in. Fish out the old wick with a fork once it’s liquid.
Using flakes? Melt them in a can set in the same pot of water.
Never melt wax right on the burner or in the microwave. It can overheat fast. And never leave the pot alone.
Stir in a few crayon shavings if you want pink or milky bathwater.
4. Let it cool, then pour the bathwater
Lift the jar out with an oven mitt, since the glass is hot, and wipe it dry so no water drips in. Let the wax sit until the edges just start to turn cloudy.
Wax that cool is easier on thin plastic. Not sure? Drip a little on the skeleton’s foot first and check.
Pour slowly into the middle of the bowl, around the skeleton, not on it or on the wick. Fill until the head, arms and knees peek out, and stop at least half an inch below the rim.
5. Let it set, then light it
Leave it alone on a flat counter overnight. Don’t move it while it’s soft, or the surface will ripple.
In the morning, take off the clothespin and trim the wick to 1/4 inch (our recommendation).
Light it, dim the room, and sit with your most relaxed skeleton on the block.
Want it spookier? Tint the wax deep red instead of pink. Same skeleton, very different spa.
Spa extras: Paint the toenails pink to match the bathwater. Keep anything else that can burn, like a rubber duck or dried petals, out of the bowl.
Two easy things to get right
Glue the hands before you pour. A loose skeleton floats up and tips over. Then it sets crooked, and you can’t fix it without melting it all again.
Keep the wick far from the plastic. A wick right next to the skeleton puts the flame on it. The far end of the bowl is the spot.
What does a skeleton spa day candle cost?
These are planning estimates. Prices vary by store.
- Under $10: A dollar store skeleton, a bowl you already own, an old jar candle, and one wick from a multipack.
- About $30: A new skeleton, a bag of soy wax flakes, a pack of tabbed wicks, and a crayon for color.
- $45 to $60: A big oval dish with a skeleton couple sharing the tub, two wicks, and a pound of wax. A fun centerpiece for a Halloween night in.
Is a skeleton spa day candle safe to burn?
Only if you treat it as a candle you’re watching, not decor. A plastic skeleton in the bowl sits closer to the flame than the usual rule to keep a candle at least 12 inches from anything that can burn. Plastic can soften, melt or catch fire.
So light it only while you’re sitting with it, for about an hour at a time (our recommendation). Blow it out when the melted pool spreads toward the skeleton, and before you leave the room or go to bed.
Set it on a sturdy, clear surface, well away from curtains and anything else that burns. Never leave kids or pets alone in a room with it lit.
Hot wax can burn skin, so an adult should melt, pour and light. Kids can help dress the skeleton before any wax is melted.
Having a party, or kids running around? Leave the wick unlit and set battery tea lights (paid link) on the wax instead. You keep the whole look with nothing burning.
Here’s how to know you nailed it. Light it in a dark room and take a photo. If all you see is a glowing skeleton enjoying its bath, you’re done.
Looking for more Halloween projects? Our pool noodle Halloween candles are a flame-free glow, and the skull and bones decorations would make a fun spa crew. For something softer, try the boho ghost wall hanging.
You’ve got this
A skeleton spa day candle is a quick, silly project that gets a laugh from everyone who walks by. Glue the skeleton in, pour the wax around it, then light it while you’re there to enjoy it. Done.
Show us your skeleton
We’d love to see your spa day. Share a photo with us, pin it to your Halloween board, and find more easy fall makes on Instagram.
A few helpful answers
Skeleton spa day candle FAQs
Melting, parties, kids, and keeping it for next year.
It can if the flame gets close. Put the wick at the far end, burn it only while you’re watching, and blow it out when the melted pool spreads toward the skeleton.
The dollar store Halloween aisle. Any mini plastic skeleton that can lean back in your bowl works.
Not with the wick, since you can’t keep an eye on it there. Set battery tea lights on the wax for the night and keep the look with nothing burning.
Yes. Kids can pose the skeleton and glue on the towel and cucumbers. An adult should melt, pour and light it.
Trim the wick and wrap the bowl in a towel. Store it somewhere cool, out of the attic heat, so the wax doesn’t soften.
Should Halloween decor be funny or scary?
Funny decor gets a laugh and works for every age. Scary decor sets a mood, but it can send little trick-or-treaters running. Every porch has to pick a lane, or find a way to mix them.
Vote, then tell us in the comments the one decoration you put out every single year.
