You know that person who lingers just a little too long in the candle aisle at Target? That’s totally me. And while I’d love to say it’s because I just can’t decide which one to get, the truth is I’m that geek poring over the ingredients labels. Candles are known for being pretty bad when it comes to indoor air quality. And rather than pollute my home with artificial chemicals and fragrances, I decided it was high time to look into some natural options. That’s when I stumbled onto beeswax candles. Unlike paraffin wax, which releases carcinogens into the air, beeswax actually helps cleanse the air rather than pollute it. And when done right, making your own beeswax candles is little more than a melt-and-pour process. Here’s how to do it the easy way.
How to Make Beeswax Candles
How to Make Beeswax CandlesUnlike artificial waxes, beeswax emits negative ions which help collect positively charged particles like dirt, dust and chemicals in the air. So simply by lighting a candle, you can dramatically improve the air quality in your home.
While it’s possible to use straight beeswax for your candles, since it’s a slow-burning wax with a high melting point, it has a tendency to “tunnel” as it burns. It’s not a problem, per se, but you might be left with a ring of wax around the inside of your jar that won’t burn.
By mixing beeswax with a soft oil like coconut or palm, you essentially lower the melting point of the wax so it gets hot all the way through. If your candles still tunnel, melt them down again and try using a bigger, thicker wick.
Not only that, but beeswax can be a tad on the pricey side. To cut the cost without cutting the quality, adding a softer oil will help stretch the beeswax even further. I typically choose coconut because it’s inexpensive and easy to find. Plus, it gives your candles a fresh, nutty scent that pairs well with everything from lavender to rosemary. But if you have palm oil on hand, you can use that as well—simply double the amount of oil called for in the recipe and mix as usual.
A word of warning: when buying your beeswax, I would recommend choosing the beeswax granules as opposed to the blocks (I learned this the hard way!). The blocks can be a little less expensive, but unless you soften it in the microwave (a messy process) or have incredibly strong wrists, it’s nearly impossible to chop! At one point I thought my knife was about to snap in half when I tried cutting it into pieces, so don’t be like me. Save time—and knives—and buy the granules if possible.
Beeswax Candles
Equipment
- Cotton wicks
- 2 12-ounce glass jars
- Masking tape
- Small saucepan
- Tin can - either one 28-ounce or two 15-ounce cans
Materials
- 1 pound beeswax
- ½ cup coconut oil
- Essential oils like sweet orange lavender and thyme
- Fresh herbs if desired
Instructions
- Place beeswax into one large can or divide evenly between two smaller cans.
- Fill a small sauce pan with 2 inches of water and place your can in the center. Turn the burner to medium-low heat and keep a close eye on your beeswax while it melts.
- While you're waiting for the wax to melt, set up your wicks. I took a piece of masking tape and punched a small hole in the center with a sharp knife. Then I slid my wick through the hole, centered the tape over the top of one of the jars and secured it to both sides.
- Once your beeswax has melted, turn off the heat and add your coconut oil. Finally, add about 20 drops of each of your essential oils and stir with a popsicle stick or plastic spoon.
- Pour the wax into two 12-ounce glass jars.
- If desired, wait a few minutes for the wax to set up slightly and submerge a few fresh herbs into the wax to give it a pretty, earthy look.
- Let your candles cool on the counter (to avoid cracking, do not put your candles in the refrigerator) for 5 or 6 hours before trimming the wicks.
My 1lb bees wax blocks came wrapped in heavy plastic. A hammer on my garage floor reduced the blocks into nice size chunks for melting in minutes.
I have my own beehives I have taken the beeswax out cleaned it made candles using the beeswax and coconut oil but my candles are still tunneling I have them at 4 ounce jars with one wick any suggestions for how I can redo and improve my candles ? They burn down about a fourth of an inch and then they burn out. This was the post to be a fun project but I am extremely frustrated with my 16 cute little candles that won’t burn.
Might have something to do with the size of your work. Try choosing a larger, thicker wick. Like number six size.
Any time you have mixed formulation of wax that tunnel because of wick size, don't throw the filled jars away, first put a pot of water on the stove. Place your filled jars of formulation in the pot. Turn the heat on to med-low. When the formulation melts to liquid, use canning tool to remove the hot jars from the pot. Using a towel or pot holder pour the liquid into another prepared jar with a thicker wick. Hope this helps you out. Respectfully,
Quentin. Making candles for over fifty yrs.
I was wondering if I can use other types of botanicals, like dried orange slices/lemon, pieces of cinnamon etc. I know that they probably won’t show until the beeswax starts to melt, but will they catch fire or burn?
Thanks for the info.
Lov making candles and really want to start using essential oils. I have tried using soy wax and the scent throw is terrible no matter how much EO I use. How do you find the scent throw with beeswax. Does is help having a carrier oil like coconut oil in it?
Try grating a block of beeswax using a cheese grater (designate the grater for diy purposes only… you’re not gonna want to use this for food afterward!) The grated beeswax melts quickly and evenly. Hope this helps!
Really good advice about mixing the wax and buying granules! I completely agree that hacking away at the blocks is a total pain!
I heat a knife up in a cup of boiling water! Makes it so easy to chop those thick blocks.
I can’t wait to try this. They look lovely, and I don’t want to burn candles either for the same reasons, but I would LOVE to burn these! How nice to share.