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How to Make Beeswax Candles. Skip the toxins that most candles contain and make your own beeswax candles… the mess free way!
A few years ago, if you had visited my home you would have been welcomed by the smell of a few candles.
A good smelling candle is hard to resist… until you know that it’s hiding all sorts of toxins.
(Toxins like fake fragrances and waxes that actually pollute your indoor air!) Once you realize that those scented beauties can damage your health, it’s pretty easy to stop buying them.
However, if you still want that charming glow there is thankfully a toxin free alternative: beeswax candles.
Benefits of Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candles are pretty amazing. Not only do they not have all the toxins that most candles have the ability to actually help clean the air in your home, release negative ions, and as an extra bonus beeswax candles tend to burn longer than other candles.
You can of course buy beeswax candles. No problems with doing that so long as there is no funny stuff added to them.
However, why buy when you can DIY? Not to mention that homemade beeswax candles make pretty amazing gifts! You can even customize them by adding your own unique blends of essential oils!
Now I know you might be wondering just how hard is it to make your own beeswax candles… let me put your fears at ease.
It is not hard at all! I was able to make this round of candles all while homeschooling my kids and making lunch!
A Mess Free Way to Make Candles
Wax is notoriously difficult to clean up! I was wondering how I’d over come this issue.
I really didn’t want to heat the beeswax up only to have to clean the container that I used. I could just have a designated beeswax container but I didn’t have one so it just wasn’t going to happen.
I then realized that I could make beeswax candles mess free! That’s right, I didn’t even need to clean one single container! That is a wonderful DIY, right there!
How to Make Beeswax Candles
Beeswax (1 lb will yield roughly 4- 4 oz jars)
Cotton wicks with tabs
Jars (4 oz or 8oz mason jars work great!)
Essential oil (optional)
Equipement:
Skillet or large pan
Canning jar lids
Sticks (for holding the wicks up)
Directions:
Fill skillet about 1 inch full of water.
Place canning jar lids into the water. (These will act as your “double boiler” so that the jars do not touch the pan.)
Fill jars with beeswax almost to the top.
Heat up water over medium heat.
Carefully place jars on top of the canning jars (water should be about halfway up the jars)
Heat until the beeswax is melted. (This will take about an hour. Do not leave candles unattended.)
Make sure to add more beeswax as it melts or you will end up with a half full candle.
Once your beeswax has melted, carefully remove jars (do one at a time).
Add in essential oils if desired. (20-30 drops per 4 oz)
Take one wick and place into melted beeswax. (this will be a little difficult as you can’t really adhere the wick in place but it’s the cost of having a mess free process)
Use a stick to wrap around the top of the wick and lay on top of the jar to hold the wick in place.
Place somewhere draft free (and not too cold) to cool.
Repeat with remaining candles.
Trim wicks and your candles are finished!
I’ve done this with larger jars in the crock pot. Same thing, turn on high, put jars in, cover, when melted add more wax (I used soy flakes so you had to add more flakes when they melted)
Crock pot was another method I thought about but I didn’t have a ton of time.
Making beeswax candles has been on my DIY list for awhile, thanks for the great tutorial, I can’t wait to try it out! Thank you for sharing on Homestead Blog Hop! š
You can also do the same thing in the oven. 200F until melted. Just set them on a cookie sheet, fill the jars with wax and when they are 2/3 of the way melted add more wax to fill the jars to a proper level. I just add the wicks after they are done because they will just float up during the melting process and then the wax coating the wicks comes off too. Doing it right after you take them out of the oven and adjusting the wicks so they are centered as they wax cools and hardens makes for near perfect looking candles.
Thank you for the tip! I have a kid/husband free weekend so I need to utilize my time to make Christmas gifts while netflix & chilling šš»
I used to make container paraffin candles years ago. To make the tops smooth I put my candles on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven under broiler about 9″ from the top & watch them very closely until the tops melted smooth. Then let them sit until they are hard. If u still have that problem, cover your candle s with a cardboard box. Beeswax has to harden VERY slowly.
Question about the beeswax you used. After clicking on the link and reading the reviews, there were several negative reviews about an odor that was very powerful regardless of adding any oils. Have you run into this? Is there a way to change that or is there a specific brand that won’t have similar results?
Yes, I’m aware of those reviews. I haven’t had any odor issues. It is beeswax so it smells strongly of beeswax, but it doesn’t smell bad.
I love the smell of beeswax! I was able to harvest quite a bit of wax from my hives this year, so I’ve made some lip balm. I can’t wait to make these candles.
hi – i am about to try bees wax candle making – can i hot glue gun the wick in place before putting the bees wax in the jar?? i did this with soy wax candles and i found it works great – thread the wick up the inside of a straw – dollop of glue on the end and up end the wick into the jar and centre it – i pressed down gently for a few seconds – removed the straw and put the wick around a skewer to centre it – this should work for the bees wax as well shouldnt it?? – i am just waiting on my wax to arrive – i love candles
Yes, you can definitely hot glue the wick in place first!
The wax at the top of my candles are all cracked… I made them for christmas gifts…any ideas on how to melt the tops only to make smooth?
From what I’ve read, cracking is due to candles cooling too quickly. (I’ve had it happen to me as well) You can reheat the whole candle and cool more slowly…. or I’ve also taken a stick lighter to the tops of the candles to smooth out the cracks.
Why shouldn’t the jars touch the pan? I set my jar n the pan of water.
The concern is that the jars may get too hot (or also possibly that water might get into the beeswax)…. but I’m often lazy and just set the jar in the pan.
How do you keep a beeswax candle from tunneling. I can’t solve this problem. Any advise?
From what I hear, tunneling has to do with not burning a candle long enough. You want to burn it long enough that the candle can melt the whole way across. (if the candle is too large than more wicks may be needed) I believe I’ve heard that you should burn it for an hour at least.
I only use real beeswax candles at home and cottage! I love this idea to make some! Thanks!!
Where can I buy bees wax?
I link to the beeswax that I use in the post. (generally amazon is the easiest place to buy beeswax)
I have bought beeswax candles that smell sweeter than the beeswax candles I make are they adding fragrance that isn’t being disclosed? Thoughts?
Great question! In theory they should be disclosing if they use fragrance. It’s possible that they just use a different type of beeswax (beeswax from a different location might smell different just like honey is different depending on location)
I love this approach! I have more candle making equipment, so i don’t mind a little extra mess, but this makes candlemaking really easy for people who want to try it out! And I imagine these little mason jar candles make the perfect little gift. Thanks!
Would this work with non mason jars? Iām thinking the stemless wine glass type, just not sure if a thicker glass like the mason jars are needed for the heating process. Thanks!
Typically you need thicker glass when pouring candles due to the high heat. You could try it but there’s a chance it will shatter the glass.