I have always used beeswax for many of the personal care products that I whip up in the kitchen. In things like lip balm, lotion, this calendula salve, or these lotion bars, it has always served the purpose of adding a bit of stability and firmness to the texture of the products. It is natural, gentle, and only faintly fragranced by a soft, honey scent. It has always been a welcomed ingredient in my quest to create products with contents I could pronounce and that wouldn’t irritate my skin.
For the same reasons that I use beeswax in the products I make, it also makes great candle material! Beeswax candles are a wonderful alternative to conventional candles because of their natural qualities. They’re not chemically processed and are non-toxic. Most scented candles and plug in products release hazardous compounds into the air. In fact, that is true in general, of all products that are scented, even things like air fresheners, laundry detergent, and shampoo.
I’ve done my nerdy due diligence and have researched many articles on the topic at the National Center for Biotechnology Information. We are all exposed to toxins daily, but when looking to reduce toxic exposure, candles are an easy one to tackle first.
Beeswax candles are thought to reduce air pollutants, as they produce negative ions that negate the positive charge of contaminants in the air as they burn. Air purifiers and filters work similarly.
One of the reasons I was happy to trade my scented candle obsession for an essential oil diffusing one years ago, was because I was looking for ways to reduce the toxic products around our home. Because of the long list of questionable ingredients that make up most conventional candles, what you are releasing into the air as they burn is not exactly a stellar list.
If you’re someone who likes different scents and enjoys the benefits of aromatherapy, essential oils are a way to satisfy your olfactory senses with a variety of smells that are all at once pleasing, calming, and invigorating. You can read more about essential oils here.
Needless to say, I love diffusing essential oils. We have a diffuser in just about every room in the house. As I’m writing this blog post, I have gently diffusing around me a blend of black spruce, orange, cinnamon bark, and cedarwood. When I first began to explore natural candle options, it felt like I was cheating on my oils. But it wasn’t long before I realized that my desire for candles was a desire to fulfill another sensory experience that I had been missing.
To me, candlelight has an almost magical quality about it. I enjoy the way it softly illuminates a room, casting its rays like a gauzy blanket dancing in a beach breeze and then settling upon the sand. I can sit in a dark room, light a candle, and stare at it for a very long time. I also love the gentle shadows that it spills into the surrounding scene when the rest of the house is dim, but not completely dark. I even enjoy it’s glow on a sunny day, the natural light and the candlelight harmoniously making me feel a sense of joy.
Does it sound like I am exaggerating? I assure you, I have thought about these things. I love sunlight. I love candlelight. I love twinkle lights in a paper lantern. When I was a child and my parents would take me to someone’s house for the first time, the thing I would check out immediately was their lighting situation. If they had fluorescent lights, an assault to my eyes and sense of wellbeing, I immediately did not want to be there. I kid you not. But I might be digressing.
Sally Clarkson (an inspirational teacher, author, and speaker) on her Instagram page, recently captioned a simple photo of candles in a window, with a statement about her fascination with Christmas lights as a little girl. She wrote that “the lights left an impression in my little girl heart of magical-mythical possibilities, a world where fairy tales could come true, where hopes did not disappoint.” She went on to write about our visual perception and how images of light can remind us of God’s beauty. They make long-lasting impressions on our minds that find their way to our hearts, giving us a divine sense of hope.
I remember reading her words and quietly shaking my head in agreement. What a satisfying description of the beauty of light that resonated with me deeply. I knew what I would have been missing had I completely eliminated candles from our home experience.
Not only do I love beeswax candles, but I love making them with the kids too. It’s something to which we all look forward, multiple times a year. We find it very calming as a handcraft, or activity just for the sake of being together. It is something that everyone can do and with which anyone can help. My kids love lighting candles that they know they have lovingly made themselves. It just makes the whole experience that much more special.
There are many methods for beeswax candle making including rolling, dipping, and pouring, and we love all of them! However, the ones that we make the most often are the rolled beeswax sheets and the poured variety.
For candle rolling, it is easiest to purchase a kit with the beeswax sheets and wicks included. We like to purchase these kits from Waxing Moonshine. You just open the kit, cut your wick, and start rolling.
One of the things I love about pouring your own beeswax candles is that it is extremely cost-effective. Purchasing the same size beeswax candles would cost more than all of the materials you would need. So, I’m including a little tutorial below.
*I have linked the materials list to Amazon items that we have used because I thought it might be helpful. I didn’t link the mason jars though, because those are relatively easy to find. Choose the jar shape that you prefer for your candles, as long as they are 4 ounces.
Materials Needed:
- six 4 ounce mason jars
- cotton candle wicks
- wick stickers
- 1 pound of beeswax pellets (be sure that they are all natural, 100% beeswax)
Directions:
Melt all of the beeswax pellets by placing them in a stainless steel bowl, then placing the bowl on top of a pot filled with about an inch of water. Heat the water on the stove, bringing it to a simmer.
Prepare your glass jars by placing the candle wick at the center on the bottom of the inside of the jar, using a wick sticker to keep it in place.
Carefully pour the beeswax into the jars.
Use something to keep the wick propped up in the middle of the jar, until the beeswax cools. There are all kinds of creative methods for this, like laying craft sticks across the top on either side of the wick, taping the wick to a pencil placed across the top, holding the wick in place by weaving it through the middle of a clothespin, etc.
Allow the beeswax to harden and set in a place that is warm (like the inside of an oven that is turned off).
Once the beeswax has hardened, set the candles aside on the counter and continue letting them cure for about two days before using them.
Once they have cured completely, trim the wick to about ¼ inch long.
Now they are ready for use!
Please do let me know if you try making them! They make great gifts, especially if you are looking for options that are simple and handmade.
