Beeswax is one of the most beautiful things Nature can give! Everything bees produce is absolutely wonderful and so beneficial to use! We have already shown here on the blog How To Clean Beeswax, how to make Beeswax Pellets and even how to use beeswax in various natural cosmetics, such as Moisturizing Cream or Lip Balm, among others. In this post we will show you how to make beeswax candles to set the mood at home. At the end of the post, you can also watch our educational video where we show you everything in detail.
Making beeswax candles at home is a simple process, but it requires some care. So let's look at everything that is needed and get to know several tips and important advice for a good result.
If the wick is too
thin, it will not be able to melt the wax to the edges of the jar.
If the wick is too thick for a small jar, it is very likely that the wax may crack in the middle.
- 1 Sterilized container.
- 1 Wick.
- 1 Wick Holder. Alternatively 2 coffee sticks or 1 clothespin can be used.
- 1 Pyrex. Ideally a measuring cup that can easily pour liquids.
- 1 Pan with water up to 2 inches high.
- 1 Pan base.
- 1 Digital kitchen thermometer.
- Beeswax bars or pellets, as needed. The amount of beeswax will depend on the size of the jar. We recommend using beeswax pellets, as it makes it much easier when weighing.
- 1 Small container for the beeswax.
- 1 Kitchen scale.
- 1 Kitchen glove.
- EO (essential oil) of choice, as needed. A fragrance can also be used, but it you must remember that fragrances are synthetic and can cause allergies in more susceptible people. Therefore, we recommend the use of EO. You can use just one oil or a synergy (blend) of oils of your choice. A good quality EO must also be used, otherwise the candle will be unscented.
- 1 Small container for the EO.
- 1 Cloth.
- 1 Ice cream or coffee stick for mixing the wax and essential oil. If you want to use a spoon, it might be a good idea to keep it exclusively for this purpose, because the wax gets very sticky and is very difficult to remove.
- Scissors to cut the wick at the end.
The candle we made for this post and video took 40g (1,41oz) of beeswax pellets and 2,4g/ml (0,08oz) of lavender essential oil. Follow the instructions to make a candle to suit the size of the jar you have available.
1 - If have no experience in dealing with beeswax, it may be a good idea to protect the work area with parchment paper or silicone sheets. Once cold, beeswax, becomes very hard and sticks to surfaces.
2 - Fill the chosen jar with beeswax pellets. Set the pellets aside and fill the jar again. Thus, you will use double the amount of wax that fits inside the jar in solid state. This is because, once melted, the wax will spread better throughout the jar, and some of the wax will always be retained in the Pyrex. We recommend weighing the total amount of wax on a scale, in case more candles are going to be made in the same type of jar.
3 - After you know the weight of the wax, weigh out a maximum of 6% of essential oil for the total weight of the wax. For example: if you have 100g (3,52oz) of wax, add a maximum of 6g (0,21oz) of essential oil. The density of oils is variable, but the weight in ml will be very similar, so 6ml of essential oil can be added.
4 - Cover the EO container with a cloth. EO is volatile, so it should remain covered until poured into the wax.
5 - Place the beeswax inside a Pyrex.
6 - Place a Pyrex in a pan with water up to 2 inches high.
7 - Turn on the stove on low heat and let the wax melt. The melting point of beeswax is at 70ºC (158ºF) but, if the amount is large, it may need more temperature to melt.
8 - After melting completely, remove the wax from the heat and place the Pyrex on top of a pan base, so that it doesn't come into contact with a cold surface, which would cause the wax to solidify too quickly.
9 - Check the temperature with a digital kitchen thermometer.
10 - Before the temperature drops below 70°C, add the EO and mix well. This step is very important. The EO cannot be added when the wax is too cold, as it will not blend well. Below 70ºC the wax begins to thicken and it becomes impractical to mix with the EO and to pour into the jar. It also cannot be added when the wax is too hot, as the heat of the wax will cause the scent to dissipate and the candle to become less fragrant;
Extra Tips:
Ideal temperature to add the EO: 71 - 73°C (159 - 163ºF)
Ideal temperature for pouring the wax into the jar: 65 - 71º C (149 - 159ºF)
The room temperature has a lot of influence on the preparation of beeswax candles. The colder the air is, the faster the wax will thicken. It is therefore necessary to measure the wax temperature several times and to work quickly so that it does not have to be melted again (which could further dissipate/diminish the aroma of the candle).
11 - Carefully and consistently pour the wax into the jar. Neither too fast, nor too slow, so that the wax look homogeneous, without bubbles or visible layers.
12 - Let the wax cool completely. The time it takes will depend on the air temperature. It may take a few hours to solidify completely. Alternatively, the jar can be placed in the refrigerator when the wax is already slightly solid. When placed in the cold, the candle can be fully solid after 1 hour.
13 - After the wax is completely solidified, cut the wick at about 1cm (0,39") from the top of the wax.
14 - The candle is ready to use!
The candle we made for this post and video was made with beeswax from our beehives. It is a pure wax that tends to darken over time.
Store-bought beeswax tends to be very yellow or white because it has been subjected to industrial processes.
The wax that is left in the Pyrex can be removed with a spoon or can be melted again in a water bath and used to make more candles.
Do not pour the wax down the drain of the basin because the accumulation of wax can clog the pipes.
Do not wash the materials in the dishwasher, as wax residues may stick to the dishes and clog the filter.
We advise you to keep the materials used to make candles, exclusively for this purpose.
To remove excess wax, pour boiling water over the material. This should be done into a bowl. Wait just a bit until the wax softens and, wearing thick rubber gloves, pass a sponge without detergent, or else with soap nut liquid, so that the water can be used on the plants after it has cooled down.
Some readers have asked us if they can use beeswax for hair removal! The answer is: "NO!!! NO WAY!!! NOT A CHANCE!!!
Some brands of depilatory wax claim to contain beeswax in their composition. Even they do, it is only a very small fraction of the formula. Beeswax, by itself, cannot be used as a depilatory.
Beeswax melting point is too high (70°C / 158ºF) to be used on the skin. On the other hand, beeswax solidifies very quickly. In other words, beeswax cannot be used on the skin. Neither when it is hot, nor when it starts to cool down.
We have already shown here on the blog several ways to use beeswax on the skin, through moisturizers and balms. If you want to make natural hair removal wax at home, check out our post: DIY Sugaring Wax.
And with a beautiful natural candle you can scent the house or gift someone dear on a special day!
We hope you enjoyed all the tips! Have look at our video where we show you every detail of how to make beeswax candles.
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