Beeswax Candles

Beeswax Candles & leftover puck of wax
Wax courtesy of Jerremie Clyde
Photo Credit: Ursula de Vries

Making Beeswax candles is easy, pleasant and good for you and the planet.
Those of us who want to be more environmental can reduce electricity use by using candles. While participating in Earth Hour in March of 2010, I clumsily spilt hot paraffin wax all over my arm and realized that not only was I breathing in petroleum byproducts, but I was getting skin contact too. I decided then to get rid of all the paraffin and artificially scented candles and replace them with beeswax.
I was planning on getting bees so beeswax was a bonus yield along with nutritious honey and garden pollination. We plan on getting bees in the spring and won't get any beeswax until the following autumn, but I didn't want to wait to start using candles so ordered some moulds and wax from the BeeMaid Honey Online store. http://www.beemaidbeestore.com/

Beeswax straight from honey extracting with globs of honey on surface
Wax Courtesy of Jerremie Clyde
Photo Credit: Ursula de Vries

Melting Beeswax over water double boiler
Photo Credit: Ursula de Vries

Pouring beeswax into rubber mould
wick held in place with Prusik knot tied to stick
Photo Credit: Marilyn Way

I wanted to get some candles made prior to the Winter Solstice to have some natural light sources on the shortest day of the year. While checking out the exact date and time, I discovered that the burning of beeswax helps lift your mood by releasing negative ions into the air.

I knew that burning beeswax created a lovely light scent of honey in the air, but didn't even think about how fragrant the air would be while melting the beeswax. The entire house was perfumed with a sweet floral aroma that was comforting on a cold November afternoon.

When we started melting the raw wax from my beekeeper friend, (www.urbansunflower.ca) I was worried about bee legs and wings becoming part of the candle and smelling bad as it burned. As we melted the wax, most of the honey and bits of grass and bugs either floated or sunk to the bottom of the pot. We placed a bit of cheesecloth over the metal funnel as we poured the melted wax into the moulds.
I wanted to save the cheesecloth and show it to my kids after because there were bits of pupa, larva and bee parts but the wax clumped everything together and dried cloudy. I saved the ball of cloth, wax and bits for a fire starter. There was a little bit of wax leftover and we kept that for either next time or to use to make lip balm.

The wax in the candles shrunk as it cooled and was easy to pull from the moulds. When we took them out, the candles made from the raw, honey covered wax was just as beautiful as the candles made from the filtered store bought wax.

The process was pretty much an adult activity because of the temperature but the kids were buzzing around curious about this activity.

A friend of ours came over with a box of beeswax sheets and we made candles with the kids. We cut a piece of wick, laid it across one end of the sheet and pointed the hair dryer to soften the wax as the kids rolled up their own candles.

We could have added some essential oils or wax crayon peelings for scent and colour but decided to just do it natural the first time. I bet some frankincense and myrrh would have been lovely for use in the winter to ward off colds and the flu.

Beeswax candle making in silicone muffin mould
shown with metal funnel/cheesecloth strainer
Photo Credit: Ursula de Vries

Rolled Beeswax Candles
Courtesy Laurel Halladay
Photo Credit: Ursula de Vries

Completed Rolled Beeswax Candles
Photo Credit: Ursula de Vries

"Also, insufficient sunlight in the short winter days increases the secretion of melatonin in the body, throwing off the circadian rhythm with longer sleep. Exercise, light therapy, increased negative ion exposure (which can be attained from plants and well ventilated flames, burning wood or beeswax) can reinvigorate the body from its seasonal lull and relieve winter bluesby decreasing melatonin secretions, increasing serotonin and temporarily creating a more even sleeping pattern."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice