Why use beeswax candles?
Pure beeswax candles are one of the few non-toxic, safer, healthier clean-burning candle choices today. Paired with a natural hemp or cotton wick, burning beeswax produces negative ions that bond with toxins in the air. This makes beeswax a better candle than paraffin wax and soy wax.
You can make beeswax candles for your home or as a handmade gift easily with a few simple steps.
In this article, I will give you several types of beeswax candles that you can make at home that are easy DIY projects.
All candles require testing. I have included affiliate links to help you in your candle-making journey. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post via affiliate links to products or services associated with content in this article.
Beeswax is a very hard wax and is easiest to work with if you buy it in a pellet form. In a block form, it is hard to cut up to fit in a smaller wax melter.
Traditionally, beeswax candles are poured into thin sheets of wax and rolled to make pillar candles.
Rolled candles from sheet wax, like beeswax, are candles that can be made without molds.
You can also dip beeswax or add coconut oil to soften the wax to make it more suitable for a container like a small jar.
Beeswax candles are one of my favorite candles and what I consider mother nature’s luxury candle line.
How to make the easiest 100% pure beeswax rolled candle
You will need
- ½ pound beeswax pellets
- 3 mm gauge (approx.) cotton wick or butcher’s twine
- Double boiler with “pouring pitcher”
- Thermometer
- Small cookie sheet with sides or aluminum foil (9×13 ish)
- Large spoon, scissors
- ¼ ounce Fragrance Oil (optional)
- Place the beeswax pellets in the pitcher (or small pot with spout) and place them into the double boiler pot with water.
- Heat over medium until the beeswax is melted and looks clear (no more than 185 F)
- Remove the beeswax from the heat and stir in the fragrance oil if desired. If you are adding essential oils, cool to about 125 F.
- Pour the beeswax into the cookie sheet or your homemade foil tray.
- When the beeswax is cool enough to handle but still flexible, place the wick at one end.
- Start the end of the sheet of beeswax and begin to roll it on itself.
- Stand the rolled beeswax upright and press firmly in place to make sure it is level and straight.
- Trim the wick to about 1/4” long.
- Let the beeswax completely cure for at least 3 days before burning.
If you would like more texture to your candle, crumple the foil and then spread it back out. Turn up all 4 sides to hold the wax and make your tray. You can also pour the beeswax on top of bubble wrap to give it the look of beeswax.
Thin sheets of beeswax will also pull away from silicone texture mats or 3D scenes to make embellishments that will adhere to the outside of the candle while it is still warm.
Beeswax can also be cut with a cookie cutter while still warm and the shapes pressed onto the outside of the candle. It is easiest to work with while warm.
Alternatively, beeswax candles can be made in a small jar or tin. I would not recommend a large jar unless the beeswax is blended with another soft wax such as soy or with coconut oil.
Pure beeswax burns hotter and longer than other waxes. It is a longer burning natural candle.
Beeswax is a hard wax and will shrink significantly as it cools around the wick. You will need to make a second pour if making your container candle 100% beeswax.
Here is an easy starter beeswax candle making kit to give it a try.
How to make a 100% beeswax candle in a jar at home
You will need
- ½ pound beeswax pellets
- 3 mm gauge (approx.) cotton wick or butcher’s twine
- Double boiler with “pouring pitcher”
- Thermometer
- Large spoon, scissors
- ¼ ounce Fragrance Oil (optional)
- Wick bar (or centering device)
- Place the beeswax pellets in the pitcher (or small pot with spout) and place them into the double boiler pot with water.
- Heat over medium until the beeswax is melted and looks clear (no more than 185 F)
- Remove the beeswax from the heat and stir in the fragrance oil if desired. If you are adding essential oils, cool to about 125 F.
- Secure the wick to the center of your container.
- Pour the beeswax into the container and secure the wick centered at the top of the candle.
- Let cool for about 1-2 hours.
- Re-heat the beeswax that is left in the pitcher and pour it into the sinkhole around the wick.
- Trim the wick to about 1/4” long.
- Let the beeswax completely cure for at least 3 days before burning.
Making Beeswax Candles as a Hobby or to Sell at Craft Shows
Beeswax is a luxury fine natural hard wax to make candles with. It is also a little more expensive because beeswax must be harvested and refined to be suitable for candle making.
Tip: People buy beeswax candles because they are natural. They expect the candles to look and smell like beeswax. Beeswax candles are a big seller at craft shows.
Beeswax candles are non-toxic unless you are allergic to bees. – Use caution!
Candle making with beeswax does not require a cosmetic grade but will require an ultra-filtered quality.
All candle wicks must be able to freely transfer the “fuel” from the melt pool to the flame to stay lit.
Any fine particles in that melt pool get trapped and clog the wick stopping the flow and smothering the flame.
Freshly harvested beeswax purchased in bulk for the professional beeswax candle maker is the most economical, but the process of filter would be the chandler’s undertaking. This can be labor-intensive and add an equipment expense.
What color are natural beeswax candles?
Beeswax color can range from a muddy yellow to a soft off-white. The more it is filtered the lighter it becomes. Some beeswax has a green undertone associated with different regions. Overall beeswax has an earthy muddled appearance.
Beeswax can be purchased that has been bleached. It is not pure white but a cream color. This makes it easier to add coloring.
Can you dye beeswax candles?
Yes. Do not try to overpower the yellow. Embrace it. Unless you buy bleached beeswax, yellow will also be your first color. If it is a lighter yellow, purple is a good choice.
What does beeswax smell like?
Pure beeswax is harvested using smoke to calm the bees. The wax keeps this natural fragrance throughout the filtering process. Beeswax can be purchased with this smokiness removed.
Can beeswax be scented?
Yes. If you are using natural beeswax, select a fragrance that pairs well with the natural scent and undertone of the smokiness and sometimes honey fragrance undertones.
Yes, the wax is the housing for the honey.
If you are using deodorized beeswax, the fragrance oil or essential oil will not have to compete with the natural odor.
Beeswax is a hard wax and will not absorb much oil. The typical fragrance load is just under 5%.
It can be difficult to get a hot throw from beeswax. Adding coconut oil can help with this.
Why put coconut oil in beeswax candles?
The beeswax can bond with coconut oil. Because beeswax is a hard wax and cannot absorb much oil on its own, melting a soft oil in the candle-making process with the beeswax such as coconut creates a wax blend with a carrier oil to hold the fragrance.
What is the best wick for beeswax candles?
I use pre-tabbed cotton wicks. I don’t like using wooden wicks for the higher percentages of beeswax candles. Beeswax candles burn for a longer time than regular candles because they are hard dense wax.
Wood wicks do better in a beeswax blend with a softer wax that does not need to be as hot for a full melt pool. If you can get a full melt pool using a wood wick and beeswax send me an email, I have not found one yet!
What temperature do you pour beeswax candles?
Harder waxes should be poured when they are hot at around 185 F. They can be poured as low as 165 F but will start to look rough or rustic. If that is the look you want, then no more than that.
Why do beeswax candles crack?
Some beeswax candles crack if they have been poured and cooled too fast. I have also had some cracks when my wick was attached too tight at the top of my wick bar.
I think the tension while the beeswax is shrinking and pulling away from the wick may propagate a crack. That is just my theory.
Rolling beeswax after it has been allowed to cool too much will also crack at the edges. The beeswax stays flexible when it is warm.
Sometimes a heat tool can blend the imperfections. This can sometimes help with small sinkholes.
