Best Candle Making Kits for Beginners (2026)

Ambrely TeamUpdated September 29, 202616 min read

So you've decided to try candle making — welcome to one of the most satisfying, creative hobbies you can pick up at home. Maybe you want to fill your living space with custom scents, create handmade gifts that actually impress people, or just do something relaxing with your hands that doesn't involve a screen. Whatever brought you here, the very first question every new maker faces is the same: where do I even start?

The honest answer is that starting from scratch — sourcing wax, wicks, fragrance oils, containers, and equipment separately — is overwhelming for a beginner. That's exactly why candle making kits exist. A good beginner candle making kit bundles everything you need into one box, removes the guesswork, and lets you focus on the fun part: actually making candles. But not all kits are created equal. Some include barely enough supplies to make two or three candles. Others skimp on fragrance or leave out a thermometer (which you absolutely need). A few are genuinely excellent.

This guide breaks down the six best candle making kits for beginners in 2026, covering everything from budget-friendly starter sets to feature-packed complete kits with electric wax melters. Whether you're buying for yourself or looking for a gift, you'll find a clear recommendation here. We've also included a full buying guide at the bottom so you know exactly what to look for before you spend a single dollar.

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Quick verdict

Best overall for complete beginners
CraftBud 58-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit
58 pieces, 16 dye colors, fragrance oils, thermometer, and tins — truly nothing else to buy.
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Best for gifting or home décor
SoftOwl Premium Soy Candle Making Kit
Beautiful presentation with jars, tins, and 7 scents — looks as good as it smells.
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Best for essential oil lovers
DIY Gift Kits 49-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit
Uses real essential oils instead of synthetic fragrance — perfect for a more natural candle.
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Best budget starter kit
Hearts & Crafts DIY Soy Wax Candle Making Kit
Covers all the basics at the lowest price point — a no-risk way to try the hobby.
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Best for decorative candles
Anicco Candle Making Kit with Exquisite Jars
Exquisite glass jars that make finished candles look store-bought right out of the box.
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Best for convenience (no stovetop needed)
Complete Candle Making Kit with Wax Melter
Includes an electric wax melter — the easiest, safest setup for nervous beginners.
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Best Overall Candle Making Kit for Beginners

CraftBud

CraftBud 58-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit

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If you've never made a candle before and you want one kit that covers absolutely everything — this is the one to get. The CraftBud 58-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit is the most comprehensive beginner candle making kit on this list, and its popularity isn't accidental. With 58 individual pieces, you're getting soy wax, pre-tabbed wicks, metal tins to pour into, a pouring pot, a thermometer, fragrance oils, and an impressive 16 dye color blocks that let you experiment with color from your very first batch. Most competing kits give you two or three colors; CraftBud gives you a full palette.

For a complete beginner, the thermometer alone is worth calling out. Candle making is temperature-sensitive — you add fragrance at a specific temperature, pour at a specific temperature, and getting those wrong leads to problems like sinkholes, frosting, or poor scent throw. Many budget kits skip the thermometer entirely and expect you to buy one separately. CraftBud includes it, which means you can follow any beginner tutorial without scrambling for extra equipment. The kit is estimated to make approximately 6 candles, which is enough to learn the process, make a few mistakes, and still end up with finished candles you're proud of.

The main drawbacks are worth knowing upfront. Six candles is a solid starting point, but once you catch the candle-making bug (and most people do), you'll want to restock wax and fragrance oils quickly. The fragrance oils included are pleasant but limited in quantity — think of them as a sampler. Also, the metal tins are functional but not particularly decorative, so if you want candles that look like they came from a boutique, you may want to upgrade to glass jars down the line. For sheer value and completeness as a first kit, though, the CraftBud is hard to beat.

Pieces: 58
Wax type: Soy wax
Includes: Wax, wicks, tins, dye blocks (16 colors), fragrance oils, pouring pot, thermometer
Makes: ~6 candles
Best for: Complete beginners — everything included

Pros

Genuinely all-inclusive — thermometer, pouring pot, tins, dyes, wicks, wax, and fragrances all in the box
16 dye color blocks give enormous creative range for a beginner kit
Soy wax burns cleaner and longer than paraffin — a great choice for first-time makers
Approximately 6 candles worth of supplies — enough to practice and refine your technique

Cons

Only makes around 6 candles before you need to restock supplies
Fragrance oil quantities are small — treat them as samplers, not long-term supplies
Tins are basic and not especially decorative if you're making candles for gifts or home décor

Best Candle Making Kit for Gifting & Home Décor

SoftOwl

SoftOwl Premium Soy Candle Making Kit

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The SoftOwl Premium Soy Candle Making Kit is designed with presentation in mind, and it shows. While most beginner kits prioritize quantity of supplies, SoftOwl leans into quality of experience — both the making process and the finished product. The kit includes both glass jars and tins, giving you options depending on the look you're going for. It also ships with 7 different scents, which is the most fragrance variety of any kit on this list and a genuine advantage if you want to experiment with different aromas before committing to a signature scent.

This kit makes approximately 4–6 candles, which is in line with the category average. What sets it apart is how polished the finished candles look. The glass jars in particular elevate the end result — a candle poured into a quality glass jar with a clean label looks like something you'd pay $30 for at a boutique. If you're making candles to give as gifts for birthdays, holidays, or housewarmings, the SoftOwl kit gives you a head start on presentation. The color dyes, wicks, and pouring pot are all included, so this is still a complete kit for beginners — not just a pretty package with missing supplies.

The honest downsides: the SoftOwl kit doesn't include a thermometer, which is a notable omission for a

Wax type: Soy wax
Includes: 7oz jars, tins, 7 scents, color dyes, wicks, pouring pot
Makes: ~4–6 candles
Best for: Gift-worthy presentation, home décor

Pros

Includes 7 fragrance scents — the most variety of any kit reviewed here
Both glass jars and tins included, giving you flexibility in finished candle style
Beautiful presentation makes finished candles genuinely gift-worthy
Soy wax base burns cleanly — appropriate for home use around family and pets

Cons

No thermometer included — you'll need to buy one separately, which adds cost and inconvenience
Makes approximately 4–6 candles, which is on the lower end for the price point
Wax and fragrance quantities are limited, so restocking is needed fairly quickly

Best Candle Making Kit for Essential Oil Lovers

DIY Gift Kits

DIY Gift Kits 49-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit

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Most candle making kits for beginners use synthetic fragrance oils, which are perfectly fine and often smell wonderful. But if you prefer a more natural approach — or if you're sensitive to synthetic fragrances — the DIY Gift Kits 49-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit stands out because it's built around real essential oils rather than synthetic alternatives. For aromatherapy enthusiasts, clean-living advocates, or anyone who just prefers plant-derived scents, this distinction matters quite a bit.

The kit includes 3 essential oils, a pouring pot, pre-tabbed wicks, and metal tins — covering the core basics you need to get started. At 49 pieces, it's not quite as expansive as the CraftBud in terms of accessories and color variety, but it's a genuinely complete beginner setup. It makes approximately 4 candles, which is a smaller yield, but it positions itself as a gift-focused kit — the packaging and product selection are clearly aimed at someone giving this as a thoughtful present, whether to themselves or someone else.

The limitations here are real: three essential oils is a narrow selection, and essential oils are considerably more expensive than synthetic fragrance oils when you go to restock. The color options are also more limited than kits like the CraftBud. However, if the

Pieces: 49
Wax type: Soy wax
Includes: Essential oils (3), pouring pot, wicks, tins
Makes: ~4 candles
Best for: Essential oil fans, gift-givers

Pros

Uses real essential oils — a more natural scenting option than synthetic fragrance
49-piece kit covers the essentials without overwhelming a first-time maker
Well-packaged and thoughtfully presented — excellent as a gift for a crafty friend or family member
Soy wax base pairs naturally with essential oils for a cleaner, more wholesome candle

Cons

Only 3 essential oils included — very limited scent variety to start with
Makes approximately 4 candles — one of the lowest yields on this list
Essential oils are more expensive to restock than synthetic fragrance oils, raising long-term costs

Best Budget Candle Making Kit for Beginners

Hearts & Crafts

Hearts & Crafts DIY Soy Wax Candle Making Kit

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Not everyone wants to spend a lot before they know if they'll even enjoy candle making — and that's a completely reasonable approach. The Hearts & Crafts DIY Soy Wax Candle Making Kit is the most budget-friendly option on this list, and it covers all the genuine essentials: soy wax (1 lb), glass jars, pre-tabbed wicks, fragrance, dye, a pitcher for pouring, and a thermometer. The fact that it includes a thermometer at this price point is genuinely impressive and puts it ahead of several pricier competitors.

For a first-time maker who wants to dip their toes in without a big financial commitment, this kit delivers. You'll learn the core skills — melting wax, monitoring temperature, adding fragrance and dye, pouring, and waiting for the cure — without paying a premium. The 1 lb of soy wax is a modest starting amount, but it's enough to make a small batch and understand the process from start to finish. If you decide candle making isn't your thing, you haven't lost much. If you fall in love with it (very likely), you'll know exactly what to restock and upgrade.

The trade-offs are clear: this is a starter kit, not a comprehensive creative toolkit. The color and fragrance options are minimal compared to kits like the CraftBud, and the overall yield is lower. The jars are functional rather than decorative. But as a low-risk entry point into the hobby — or as a gift for someone who's curious but not yet committed — the Hearts & Crafts kit earns its place on this list.

Wax type: Soy wax (1 lb)
Includes: Wax, jars, wicks, fragrance, dye, pitcher, thermometer
Best for: Budget-friendly starter kit

Pros

Includes a thermometer — an essential tool that many competing kits leave out
Budget-friendly price makes it a low-risk way to try candle making for the first time
Covers all core components: wax, jars, wicks, fragrance, dye, pitcher, and thermometer
Soy wax is a beginner-friendly, clean-burning choice

Cons

Very limited color and fragrance variety — minimal creative range compared to larger kits
1 lb of wax produces a small number of candles before restocking is needed
Jars are basic and functional rather than decorative — not ideal for gift-giving

Best Candle Making Kit for Decorative Candles

Anicco

Anicco Candle Making Kit with Exquisite Jars

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The Anicco Candle Making Kit with Exquisite Jars earns its place on this list for one simple reason: the finished candles look stunning. While most beginner kits prioritize practicality with metal tins or plain glass, Anicco ships with genuinely decorative glass jars that elevate the final product from

Wax type: Soy wax
Includes: Wax, glass jars, wicks, fragrances, dyes
Best for: Decorative jars — looks great as home décor

Pros

Decorative glass jars make finished candles look premium and store-bought
Soy wax produces clean, long-burning candles appropriate for home display
Includes wicks, fragrances, and dyes — a complete beginner setup
Great choice if you want to display candles as home décor or give them as impressive gifts

Cons

Decorative focus means the kit is less comprehensive in terms of supply quantity compared to utilitarian kits
Specific wax amount and candle yield are not listed — check the product listing for current details
Fragrance options may be limited — worth checking current listing before purchasing

Best Candle Making Kit for Convenience

Generic

Complete Candle Making Kit with Wax Melter

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Every beginner candle making tutorial will tell you to melt your wax using a double-boiler setup — a pot of boiling water with a smaller container of wax sitting inside it. It works, but it requires constant attention, a careful eye on the stovetop, and a bit of kitchen confidence. For beginners who find that prospect intimidating, or who simply want the easiest possible setup, the Complete Candle Making Kit with Wax Melter is a genuinely different option: it includes an electric wax melter that does the heating for you.

This is a significant convenience upgrade. The electric melter regulates heat, reduces the risk of overheating your wax, and eliminates the need for a pot of boiling water on your stove. For beginners who are nervous about the melting process — or who want to make candles in a space without a full kitchen setup — this is a meaningful feature. The rest of the kit is solid: soy wax, fragrance scents, color dyes, wicks, and tins are all included. It's a complete setup that genuinely requires nothing extra to get started.

The honest caveats: because a significant portion of the kit's value is tied up in the electric melter, the quantity of consumable supplies (wax, fragrance, dyes) may be smaller than in kits at a similar price point that don't include a melter. This kit is best understood as an investment in a better process rather than maximum supply quantity. If you plan to make candles regularly — and especially if you expect to continue the hobby long-term — the electric melter pays for itself in convenience quickly.

Wax type: Soy wax
Key feature: Electric wax melter included
Includes: Wax melter, soy wax, scents, dyes, wicks, tins
Best for: Convenience — no double-boiler setup needed

Pros

Electric wax melter eliminates the need for a double-boiler stovetop setup — a major convenience upgrade
Safer and easier for true beginners who are nervous about working with hot wax
Complete kit includes wax, scents, dyes, wicks, and tins alongside the melter
Ideal for anyone making candles in a dorm room, apartment, or space without a full kitchen

Cons

The electric melter takes up a larger portion of the kit's value, potentially leaving less budget for consumable supplies
Bulkier kit to store compared to a standard pouring-pot setup
Check current listing for specific wax quantity and candle yield — not specified in available product data

CraftBud 58-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit View	SoftOwl Premium Soy Candle Making Kit View	DIY Gift Kits 49-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit View	Hearts & Crafts DIY Soy Wax Candle Making Kit View	Anicco Candle Making Kit with Exquisite Jars View	Complete Candle Making Kit with Wax Melter View
58	—	49	—	—	—
Soy wax	Soy wax	Soy wax	Soy wax (1 lb)	Soy wax	Soy wax
Wax, wicks, tins, dye blocks (16 colors), fragrance oils, pouring pot, thermometer	7oz jars, tins, 7 scents, color dyes, wicks, pouring pot	Essential oils (3), pouring pot, wicks, tins	Wax, jars, wicks, fragrance, dye, pitcher, thermometer	Wax, glass jars, wicks, fragrances, dyes	Wax melter, soy wax, scents, dyes, wicks, tins
~6 candles	~4–6 candles	~4 candles	—	—	—
Complete beginners — everything included	Gift-worthy presentation, home décor	Essential oil fans, gift-givers	Budget-friendly starter kit	Decorative jars — looks great as home décor	Convenience — no double-boiler setup needed
—	—	—	—	—	Electric wax melter included

How to Choose the Best Candle Making Kit for Beginners

Before you click "add to cart" on any candle making kit, it helps to understand what separates a genuinely useful beginner kit from one that leaves you frustrated after your first pour. Here's everything you need to know.

1. Does It Include Everything You Actually Need?

This sounds obvious, but many kits marketed as "complete" are missing one or two crucial items. Here's the non-negotiable checklist for a beginner candle making kit:

Wax — Soy wax is ideal for beginners. It's cleaner-burning, easier to work with, and more forgiving than paraffin.
Wicks — Pre-tabbed wicks (with a metal sustainer at the bottom) are easiest for beginners. Make sure they're the right size for your containers.
Containers — Tins or glass jars. Both work well; glass looks more decorative.
Fragrance or essential oils — This is what makes your candle smell good. Check how many scents are included.
A pouring pot or pitcher — You need something with a spout to pour molten wax cleanly.
A thermometer — Critically important. You add fragrance at a specific temperature (usually around 185°F) and pour at another (usually 135–145°F). Without a thermometer, you're guessing.
Dyes — Optional but fun. More color options = more creative range.

If a kit is missing the thermometer or pouring pot, factor in the extra cost and hassle of buying those separately.

2. What Type of Wax Is Used?

All six kits in this roundup use soy wax, which is the right call for a beginner candle making kit. Here's why soy wax wins for new makers:

Cleaner burn — Soy produces less soot than paraffin, which is better for indoor air quality.
Longer burn time — Soy wax typically burns slower than paraffin, giving you more hours per candle.
Easier cleanup — Soy wax is water-soluble, so spills are far easier to clean up.
Better scent throw — Soy wax binds well with fragrance oils, releasing scent effectively when burned.
Natural and renewable — Soy is plant-derived, which matters to many buyers.

If you ever expand beyond kit supplies, you can read more about choosing the right fragrance intensity in our guide to best fragrance oils for candle making.

3. How Many Candles Can You Make?

Most beginner kits yield between 4 and 6 candles. That's intentional — it's enough to learn the process without overwhelming you with supplies. But it's worth knowing upfront so you're not surprised when the wax runs out after your third pour.

Once you've finished your starter kit, most makers transition to buying wax, fragrance oils, and wicks in bulk, which dramatically reduces the cost per candle. Your kit is essentially a one-time learning investment.

4. Fragrance Oils vs. Essential Oils

Most kits include synthetic fragrance oils, which are perfectly safe for candle making and available in a wider variety of scents than essential oils. They're also significantly cheaper, so you get more scent for your money.

Essential oil kits (like the DIY Gift Kits option above) appeal to people who prefer natural ingredients. The trade-offs are real: essential oils are more expensive, some don't hold their scent as well in candles as synthetic fragrances, and the scent options are narrower. Neither is objectively better — it comes down to your personal preferences and values.

5. Containers: Tins vs. Glass Jars

Metal tins are durable, affordable, and great for travel candles. They cool faster than glass and are less likely to crack. Glass jars look more decorative and let you see the color of your wax — a big plus if you're experimenting with dyes. Both are legitimate choices; the right answer depends on your intended use.

If you want to display your candles as home décor or give them as gifts, glass jars (like those included in the Anicco and SoftOwl kits) are the better visual choice. If you're focused on the craft itself and don't care about aesthetics yet, tins are perfectly functional.

6. Electric Wax Melter vs. Double-Boiler Setup

The traditional candle-making method uses a double boiler — a pot of simmering water with a smaller container of wax placed inside. It works well but requires stove access and careful monitoring.

An electric wax melter (included in the Complete Candle Making Kit with Wax Melter) automates the heating process. The melter regulates temperature and reduces the risk of overheating your wax. This is especially useful for beginners who are nervous about working with hot materials, or for anyone making candles in a space without a full kitchen.

If convenience and safety are your top priorities, the electric melter kit is worth the investment. If you're comfortable in the kitchen and want maximum supply quantity for your budget, a standard pouring-pot kit will serve you just as well.

7. Price vs. Value

Candle making kits range from budget-friendly starter sets to more comprehensive packages. Here's how to think about value:

Budget kits (Hearts & Crafts style): Great for testing the hobby before committing. Lower supply quantity but covers all the basics. Ideal as a gift for someone who's curious but not yet committed.
Mid-range comprehensive kits (CraftBud): Best for most beginners. More supplies, more color variety, better creative range. Worth the extra investment if you're serious about learning.
Feature kits (Complete Kit with Wax Melter): Best for convenience seekers. Higher upfront cost, but the electric melter adds genuine value for long-term makers.

Tips for Your First Candle Pour

Once you've chosen your kit, here are the most common beginner mistakes to avoid — and how to sidestep them before they happen.

Measure your wax by weight, not volume. Candle making recipes are typically measured in ounces or grams. Using a kitchen scale from the start builds good habits.

Don't skip the cure time. After pouring, soy candles need at least 24–48 hours to cure before burning. Many beginners light their candles too early and get a weak scent throw as a result. For the best scent performance, wait 3–7 days if you can.

Do the full first burn. The very first time you burn a new candle, let it burn until the entire top layer of wax has melted to the edges of the container — this is called achieving a full melt pool. Skipping this step can cause "tunneling," where the candle burns straight down the middle and wastes the wax on the sides.

Keep your wicks centered. A wick that drifts to one side causes uneven burning. Most kits include wick stickers or centering tools, but a simple clothespin or pencil laid across the top of the container works perfectly.

Add fragrance at the right temperature. Adding fragrance oil to wax that's too hot burns off the scent before the candle is even finished. Most soy wax fragrance oils should be added around 185°F — your thermometer makes this easy to get right.

For a complete step-by-step walkthrough of the candle making process from setup to finished product, check out our full guide on how to make candles at home.

Who Should Buy a Candle Making Kit vs. Individual Supplies?

A candle making kit is the right choice if: - You've never made a candle before - You're not sure if you'll enjoy the hobby - You're buying as a gift for someone else - You want a curated, matched set of supplies rather than sourcing everything separately

Individual supplies make more sense if: - You've already tried a starter kit and want to scale up - You have specific wax, fragrance, or container preferences - You're making candles in larger quantities for sale or gifts - You want to reduce cost per candle by buying in bulk

For most people reading this guide, a kit is the right starting point. It removes the research burden, guarantees compatibility between components, and gives you a structured creative experience on your very first try.

Our Final Recommendation

After reviewing all six options, the CraftBud 58-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit is the standout choice for most beginners. Its combination of complete supplies, 16 dye colors, fragrance oils, a thermometer, and enough wax to make approximately 6 candles gives you the broadest creative range of any kit on this list without requiring any additional purchases. It's the closest thing to a genuinely all-in-one experience available in the beginner candle kit category.

If you're buying for someone else or want finished candles that look truly impressive, the SoftOwl Premium Kit is the gift-ready pick. If you're on a tight budget and just want to try the hobby risk-free, the Hearts & Crafts kit covers all the essentials at the lowest price. And if you want the easiest, most beginner-friendly process, the electric wax melter kit removes the most intimidating step entirely.

Whichever kit you choose, the most important thing is to start. Candle making is a genuinely accessible craft — your first pour won't be perfect, and that's completely fine. By your third or fourth candle, you'll understand the process intuitively, and from there the only limit is your creativity.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best candle making kit for an absolute beginner?

The CraftBud 58-Piece Soy Candle Making Kit is the best overall choice for complete beginners. It includes everything you need — wax, wicks, tins, a pouring pot, a thermometer, fragrance oils, and 16 dye color blocks — so there's nothing extra to buy before you start. The thermometer in particular is a feature many kits skip, and it's essential for getting consistent results.

Are soy candle making kits better than paraffin for beginners?

Yes, soy wax is generally recommended for beginners. It burns cleaner and produces less soot than paraffin, making it better for indoor air quality. Soy wax is also more forgiving to work with, easier to clean up (it's water-soluble), and tends to hold fragrance oil well for a good scent throw. All six kits in this roundup use soy wax for exactly these reasons.

How many candles does a beginner kit typically make?

Most beginner candle making kits yield approximately 4–6 candles. That's intentional — it's enough to learn the process and make a few practice pours without overwhelming you with supplies. Once you've finished your starter kit, most makers move to buying wax and fragrance oils in bulk, which significantly reduces the cost per candle.

Do I need any extra equipment beyond what's in the kit?

It depends on the kit. The best kits (like CraftBud and Hearts & Crafts) include a thermometer and pouring pot, which means you genuinely don't need anything extra to get started. Some kits omit the thermometer — in that case, a simple candy or cooking thermometer is an inexpensive addition. A kitchen scale is also worth having to measure wax by weight, though you can often start without one.

What's the difference between fragrance oils and essential oils in candle kits?

Fragrance oils are synthetic scents specifically formulated for candle making. They come in a huge variety of options, hold their scent well in wax, and are more affordable than essential oils. Essential oils are natural, plant-derived scents — they're preferred by people who want a more natural product, but they can be more expensive and some don't hold their scent as strongly in candles. The DIY Gift Kits 49-Piece set uses essential oils; the other kits on this list use synthetic fragrance oils.

How long should I wait before burning a candle I just made?

You should wait at least 24–48 hours before burning a freshly poured soy candle. For the best scent performance, a cure time of 3–7 days is ideal. Burning a candle too soon after pouring can result in a weak scent throw because the fragrance oil hasn't fully bonded with the wax yet. Patience pays off — properly cured candles smell noticeably stronger and more complex than ones burned right away.

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