DIY Beeswax Candles

This is one of those projects I’ve wanted to try for a long time. As I started learning about health risks with conventional candles and worked towards minimizing chemical pollutants in the house, these were one of the first things to be thrown out. But I’ve missed the soft glow and fun smells over the years!

Go figure, my daughter would be the catalyst for doing it. After watching a PBS show on the topic, she asked her dad “When can we do that?” I didn’t see the show myself; however, there are quite a few places online with instructions on how to do it, what supplies to use, tips, etc.

I used the following sites as a baseline.

Wellness Mama – How to Make Beeswax Candles at Home

mommypotamus – How to Make Beeswax Candles

They were so much fun to make and the whole family was able to help. Great for gifts or just having a healthier alternative for your own home. Enjoy!

Health Benefits

No added chemicals – Making yourself, you know exactly what’s going in the candle and what will be released into the air while burning. I used therapeutic grade essential oils, from brands I’ve researched and trust, to scent mine. Other than the beeswax and coconut oil, that’s it!

I don’t need to worry about harmful chemicals, additives, fragrances found in most store bought candles. Many sources relay that commonly emitted VOCs related to the scent in candles include formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, limonene, alcohol and esters. Health problems ranging from headaches, dizziness and allergy symptoms to asthma attacks, respiratory tract infections and even cancer can be possible side effects. In addition, paraffin wax, which creates highly toxic benzene and toluene when burned (both are known carcinogens) is the most common type of wax used.

Purification of air – When beeswax is burned it creates and releases negative ions into the air. These negative ions attach themselves to things like dust, mold, and odors that naturally float in the air, thereby “cleansing/neutralizing” the air.

Supplies Used

There are so many variations of the following supplies. Since it was my first time making candles, I wanted clean ingredients, but I also didn’t want to spend too much money. I’m happy with what we used and how they turned out!

Half Pint Mason Jars – Enough for roughly 24 ounces of wax divided evenly – I found working with jars around the same size easier. I tried to stay within a 2-ounce variance, mainly because I didn’t have much guess work with how many jars I’d be able to pour. Wide mouth is better.

Beeswax Pellets – 1 lb. bag – I used a few different kinds. Mainly from Sky Organics. I also got some from Hobby Lobby. If you don’t want yellow, you can find white pellets, which are usually bleached. Since I wanted the most natural, I didn’t mind the soft yellow color. Generally speaking, bees have a 2-mile range around the hive, so organic vs non-organic is up to the user.

Wicks – I used these Eco Size 10 Natural Cotton Wicks There are different sizes/thicknesses, if using larger jars you may need to adjust what kind you use. There are also organic varieties and wicks with stickers on the bottom, negating the need for hot glue, but they’re more expensive.

Coconut Oil – ½ cup – Organic if possible.

Essential Oils (Optional) – Approximately 25-30 drops therapeutic grade (i.e.: look for ones with information on where the oil was harvested from, where it was distilled, type of distillation). I used lavender for one batch and a Christmas blend for the other. Beeswax has a naturally subtle sweet smell on its own, so essential oils are purely personal preference.

Hot glue gun/glue sticks – Any size will do.

Tips

Beeswax can be messy to work with and cools quickly, which means it can be difficult to clean. I have a separate stainless-steel bowl, glass Pyrex measuring cup, and spatula set aside for projects of this nature. Nothing expensive, but if it doesn’t get 100% clean it’s not a huge deal.

You can always reheat the bowl on a low heat and use a paper towel to wipe out the inside immediately after. Just don’t use anything that you really like or needs to be washed.

Prep the jars ahead of time. Place a little dab of hot glue to the bottom metal part of the wick and insert into the center of the jar. Getting as close to the center as possible is important to ensure an even burn.

To Make

Create a double boiler. I filled a stock pot with a few inches of water and brought to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Plop the stainless-steel bowl right in once simmering.

Add the beeswax pellets and melt. (I didn’t stir as any beeswax left on the instrument would just harden.)

Add the coconut oil and melt. (See previous comment about stirring.)

Remove from heat once melted.

Add any essential oils.

Pour wax into prepared jars.