I did it. I got sucked into computer-land for too long. And when that happens, I peel myself away – brain slightly sizzled – and instantly try and find something to do that will ground me.
Baking bread has always been one of those things. It's a reminder to me that I'm living. And that I'm living a certain lifestyle. And that there are things so much more valuable than time spent on the computer.
Cleaning the chicken coop is another one of those tasks. As is watering gardens, sneaking a treat to Sally (she loves apples!), thumbing through seed catalogs, knitting, and on it goes. These are tasks that fill me with purpose. They force me to slow down and be in the moment – on the farm.
Which is exactly where I want to be.
Beeswax candles serve much of the same purpose.
Considering that synthetic wax candles can be purchased at the store for approximately .02 a piece, this certainly isn't a project that's done for cost savings. That's not the point. The point is that there's something wholesome about it… something grounding… something of more value than just the candle itself.
That being said, there is serious value to falling in love with pure beeswax candles. And though we don't raise our bees for their wax (we leave their comb year after year so that they don't have to draw it out each year and thus, produce more honey) I love that it's a resource we could easily harvest right here from our own property.
And though I shouldn't be surprised that anything having to do with bees is super-cool, I still think beeswax is an exceptional product.
Did you know that beeswax produces a negative charge when it's burned? And did you know that pollen, dirt, and and dust are charged by positive ions? And thus, burning a beeswax candle actually causes these particles to drop out of the air thus, purifying the air? And thus, lessing affects of allergies, asthma, hay-fever and more?
Now you do.
Candle making is a new hobby for me. But it's one that I'm planning on sticking with. It took just a few hours of fun-candle-dipping-family-time to stock up on candles for a few months. This time of year, I like to burn them from about 4:00pm until bedtime. It adds a life-giving element to an otherwise dark and cold season. Much like fresh flowers add life to the kitchen table in summer, these homemade beeswax candles add life through the winter.
Beeswax Candles
You will need:
– 100% pure beeswax (purchase pure beeswax here)
I recommend starting out with about 3-5 pounds
– Deep container, such as a metal tin or glass jar
– Bowl
– Water
1. Roughly chop the beeswax into large pieces. Place into your deep container (I used a glass gallon jar).
2. Over medium heat, heat up a large stockpot full of water.
3. Place the deep container into the large stockpot. This creates a double-boiler of sorts and allows the beeswax to gently melt in the heat of the water.
4. Cut a piece of wick to double your desired length. For example, I wanted 6-8″ taper candles so I cut a 16″ piece of wick. Both ends of the wick will be dipped into the beeswax and you can easily hold it up by the middle.
5. Once the beeswax is melted, pinch the wick in the middle and let the ends of the wick hang down. Slowly dip the ends into the wax. Dip into a bowl of water (this will ‘set' the wax). Shake any excess water off and dip once again into the wax. Repeat the water-wax-dipping-cycle until the candle reaches desired thickness (our tapers were about 3/4″ to 1″ thick).
6. Cut the bottom inch of the candle off to create a straight bottom. Dip once more for good measure.
7. Hang or lay on wax paper to dry. Let set for 24 hours before burning, baby.
I must say- there's just something romantically beautiful about a collection of fresh, homemade beeswax candles lining the kitchen counter. And the smell? Fu-get-about-it.
It's a little piece of air-freshening heaven on earth.
I'm tellin' ya. Bees are magic. Created by a Holy God with the most incredible sense of organization, creativity, and artistry. I'm ever amazed by these little wonders and what they can create.
Even when they do fly up my bee suit.
How To Make Beeswax Candles
Easy, Homemade Heavenly Scent
- 100 % pure beeswax (approx. 3-5 pounds)
- Wick
- Deep container (such as a metal tin or glass jar)
- Stock pot
- Bowl
- Water
- Wax paper
- Roughly chop the beeswax into large pieces. Place into your deep container (I used a glass gallon jar).
- Over medium heat, heat up a large stockpot full of water.
- Place the deep container into the large stockpot. This creates a double-boiler of sorts and allows the beeswax to gently melt in the heat of the water.
- Cut a piece of wick to double your desired length. For example, I wanted 6-8″ taper candles so I cut a 16″ piece of wick. Both ends of the wick will be dipped into the beeswax and you can easily hold it up by the middle.
- Once the beeswax is melted, pinch the wick in the middle and let the ends of the wick hang down. Slowly dip the ends into the wax. Dip into a bowl of water (this will ‘set’ the wax). Shake any excess water off and dip once again into the wax. Repeat the water-wax-dipping-cycle until the candle reaches desired thickness (our tapers were about 3/4″ to 1″ thick).
- Cut the bottom inch of the candle off to create a straight bottom. Dip once more for good measure.
- Hang or lay on wax paper to dry. Let set for 24 hours before burning, baby.
Davi
How many candles were you able to make with that much wax?
Davi
Never-mind! I found it. 🙂
Davi
Or did I? Sorry, there was a fly in my coffee, that ended up in my mouth. It has thrown off my whole evening…
Laura Wilson
I have seriously been waiting ever since you got bees for this moment.
Holly
I never knew beeswax could be so yellow. What a gorgeous color! Inspiring post. Thanks for sharing!
Leah
Would you be willing to share the directions for making these into other types/sizes of candles, for example, if I wanted to pour them into jars– what would be the process? Also, how many oz. of wax does this “recipe” create?
Edward
Not many. But they are good candles though and even clean & ionize the air while they burn. They make similar to how wax makes candles so you can just weigh a few candles and you’ll be close. Dip candles quite a few but poured candles, not as many as you would like for the cost of the beeswax lol.
Caroline Watanabe
I’ve had bees for a few years now but haven’t gotten around to making candles yet. How do you clean the wax that’s all guppy and covered with honey before making the candles? A friend who makes candles said it’s too hard to make them with 100% beeswax. I really would like to try.
Sarah
It’s super easy to clean. You just melt/simmer the whole gross mess for a few minutes, then let cool. All the gunk falls out, the wax forms a big chunk on top. (Think how you get a big solidified film of fat over a cooled fatty stew that you can lift off in chunks. Just like that, only thicker and way more satisfying.) I’ve done it many times, it’s always simple. Usually I mess things up, but never that.
Deb
I melt my wax down and pour through pantyhose to remove all the impurities
Lauren Swinson
Hello Shaye! I just found (and fell in love with) your blog last week! Love it! I also was wondering how many 6″-8″ tapers you can make per pound of beeswax? I’ve been googling and I can’t find anything!
Shaye Elliott
I’m not exactly sure, as part of ours stayed melted in the jar. 8? ish?
Lauren Swinson
Wonderful! Thank you!!!
Margo
Is that 8 candles meaning:
2 candles on each strand, 8 strands, totaling 16 candles?
Or 2 candles on each strand, 4 strands of candles, making 8 total candlesticks?
Erika
Exciting! Making beeswax candles has been on my “to do” list for Christmas gifts. I think it would make a lovely advent activity with my children, too. I was thinking I needed a candle drip thingamajig? ..but looks like you managed without it and obviously with homesteading projects it’s about keeping costs down and making things simple. Thank you!
Ginger Trad
Why is the beeswax so yellow? I get local beeswax candles and they are more like a dark oatmeal color. I wonder if the wax has dye added.
Shaye Elliott
Nope – this came right from a friend’s hive. I’m not sure why the color variation?
Michael Brandon
Yellow bees wax is from cappings of honey comb that the bees have not used for breeding their young in. We slice the caps off the honey cells then spin the honey out. If the honey cells have been used for breeding as well, the cells and caps are a dark brown colour. Or if old comb is melted down, the colour is likely to be that dark colour if it’s been from brood frames.
Erika
This is a great walk through for beginners. Excited to do this as an advent family activity. Thanks, Shaye!
Davuth
Wow.. thanks for this step-by-step bee candles.. For me, I love to use soy candles. What do you think about this?
Thanks.
Sovanny
Wow.Great candle.Thank for your detail.
Bee Healthy Candles
Whether you have a date in mind or not, a tealight is just perfect for setting the mood. Our natural tealight candles are available in golden and white shade so amuse your date and guests with this subtle light and have the time of your life. https://www.beehealthycandles.com/product/tealights/
Bee Healthy Candles
We have been making beeswax candles long enough to understand your preferences. With a keen eye and the perfectionism of a master, we make beeswax taper candles like an artist makes a baroque painting. https://www.beehealthycandles.com/product/10-taper-white/
Bee Healthy Candles
We use 100% natural beeswax which offers all the benefits that paraffin wax doesn’t. There are no chemicals, no aroma enhancing or adding agents or any coloring agents used in our candles. Our 100% beeswax candles are made with pure and neat beeswax and pure cotton wicks. https://www.beehealthycandles.com/
secret
We’re here because we want to MAKE candles. Not see
adds on “pure and neat beeswax and pure cotton wicks.”
Definitely not 3 adds.
Teresa Milne
Wonderful advice and very informative . I made 12 all natural organic candles today. I am in South Africa and love your vlogs.
Murphy
How many taper candles did 3 lbs. of wax make?
mmmm bees in my mouth
I like the taste of the beeswax