How to Make Beeswax Candles

Before we get to the nitty gritty of how to make beeswax candles, let’s discuss the relevance of beeswax in human history and why it continues to be the candle material of choice for creating high end candles.

Beeswax is a byproduct of the honey-creation process in beehives.  Worker bees create honey and wax simultaneously, making it possible for beekeepers to harvest wax and honey simultaneously.  However, the creation of beeswax is dependent on how fast the honeybees worked, and how often the beekeepers harvested these materials.

Throughout history, candle makers have known that beeswax is the best candle raw material for making church candles.  Before molds were invented, beeswax candles were painstakingly created by hand, which was time consuming and labor intensive.  When container candles and molds came in, beeswax candles became easier to create, and has been the candle material of choice for religious rituals.

One of the main reasons why specialists still used beeswax despite the cost of buying the raw materials is the scent.  Honey gives off a peculiar sweet scent that is almost hypnotic in its essence.  You can never get tired of smelling it.  The best thing about the scent of beeswax candles is that it’s not cloyingly sweet; but rather gives a pleasant and gentle olfactory stimulation.

Beeswax turns into a sticky mass when melted, so most candle makers have created strategies to maximize the flexibility of beeswax. 

With beeswax, you can melt beeswax and create candles according to the usual methods used for other types of waxes (paraffin, soy, etc.), or you can take the beeswax sheets and create candles by rolling them (appropriately called “rolled beeswax candles”).  In the latter method, you don’t have to melt the beeswax all the way, so you can use whole sheets as is.  In the former, you can use granules or blocks of beeswax (usually cheaper than sheets).

Melted beeswax can be poured in containers or molds to create uniquely shaped candles.  You might need to invest a lot on releasing agents to prevent the sticky beeswax from clinging to the mold, but on the whole, beeswax candles form well and take on the shape of the molds easily as soon as poured.

The “easier” method of processing your beeswax is rolling it.  You don’t need to heat the already flexible beeswax sheet but you will need to knead very carefully to ensure that you don’t break the honeycomb pattern on the beeswax.  This will require patience and firm but gentle handling.

Here are some more tips on how to craft “rolled beeswax candles”.  You will need to cut the sheets of beeswax into rectangular shapes, around 8 by 16 inch sheets.  You will have to prime your wick before usage.  Wick priming simply means coating the wick in melted beeswax and letting it dry.  The wick should be 1/3 inch longer than the width of the beeswax sheet so measurements and cutting should be precise.  Place the wick at the end of the sheet and roll the ends firmly around the wick.  This is probably the only time you will have to use a firm pressure on the beeswax so that the wick can be snugly enclosed in the fold.

If you’re familiar with baking and have tried rolling dough in the past, you might discover that you’re good at making rolled beeswax candles.  The question is, “what if you end up pressing too hard and breaking the beeswax?”  If this happens, you might want to consider trying the traditional method instead.  Just take the broken or damaged beeswax sheets and melt them for container candle making.


Soy Candle Making Supplies

Candle making is a hobby that anyone can try.  But like many specialized crafts, there’s more to candle making than meets the eye.  For starters, you need to identify the main differences among the candle wax types to better understand the principles of candle making and how you can create the best looking and most fragrant candles.  Next, you need to choose the wax that you will use for creating candles.  Once you have these things sorted out, you can buy candle making supplies.

If you’re like me, you probably want candles that last longer, are not too expensive to make, give off a heavenly scent and burn cleanly with no sooty emission.  For these qualifications, there’s one type of candle that fits the bill… soy candles!

The equipments and techniques for soy candle crafting are the same as those you use for paraffin candle making.  We’ll recap the soy candle making supplies you’ll need.

  • You will need a double boiler to heat the soy wax. 
    A double boiler is a cookware with a smaller pot inside a bigger pot.  If you don’t have a double boiler, you will need two pots of different sizes.  Fill the bigger pot with water and “float” the smaller pot inside it.  The water boils around and under the smaller pot.  This set up melts and heats the wax inside the smaller pot without burning it.  Your wax will melt beautifully and you can leave the heat at low to medium (150 degrees Fahrenheit up to 180 degrees) for more efficient wax melting.  Be careful not to go beyond 170 degrees for more than 10 minutes to avoid charring.
  • Thermometer for measuring the temperature of the wax
    Most stores that sell soy candle making supplies also sell thermometers for measuring the temperature inside the double boiler during the melting process.  Your soy wax must melt in a consistent manner without clumping to get the ideal texture for your soy candle.  Proper melting will only occur if the temperature inside the double boiler is maintained.
  • Pouring jugs and Wick holders
    Prepare the wax for the cooling room.  If you’re creating candles inside your kitchen, achieving a stable room temperature should be easy.  When you’ve turned off the flame, you can prepare your wax for cooling.  Make sure that the soy wax has cooled to about 140-150 degrees Fahrenheit before you transfer into the molds. Pouring the wax at a higher or lower temperature can result in candle cracks of uneven cooling.
    Set the wick using the holders and pour the soy candle wax carefully using a special candle-making jug.  Move your pouring jug around the container to evenly distribute the wax inside.  Let the wax cool naturally, which means you shouldn’t use water or ice to hasten the process.  You might need a screen to prevent insects or impurities from coming in contact with the wax or the wick while the candle is cooling.
  •  Medicine droppers, gloves, safety goggles, an apron and other accessories
    Some of the supplies you will need to have on hand when crafting soy candles are medicine droppers with gradations and small containers for combining scents and dyes.  You will also need gloves to handle the dyes or aromatic oils.  Fragrance oils and dyes can stain your hands and clothing so make sure you’re protected by wearing goggles, gloves and a heat-resistant apron.  Use the gradations on the medicine dropper to measure the amount of the reagents.  These components should be mixed with the wax during the melting process.  Putting too much or too little will create a bad color or a too-strong fragrance, so be careful to just add bit by bit until you’re satisfied with the hue and the aroma of your soy candles.

Candle Making Tips for Beginners

Candle making is a craft that you can take on if you’re creative and patient. You might even discover that you have the soul of an artist just by creating a few designs, which you can mass produce and sell.  Even a beginner can do it with some candle making tip (like what you’ll find here.)

Candles are consumer items that people cannot live without. People use them for religious rituals and family traditions, and they make nice table top accents. The most amazing candle designs have been made by hand by ordinary people. Anyone who can turn a lumpy piece of wax into something quaint and lovely can join the ranks of the globally renowned artists who have the talent to create and share beauty to the world. 

But before you can become a candle maker, there are some essential things you need to know about this art. Here are some candle making tips you can use if you’re up to the challenge of producing art from ordinary wax and wick.

I. Learn the Process

At the onset, candle making may not seem easy, but once you master the basic process of deciding on a color or a design theme, melting and cooling wax, choosing the right candle mold and sculpting your design, you can create homemade candles effortlessly. Don’t be disheartened by initial failures. You may be disappointed when your first candles don’t form properly, but if you’re willing to start over until you get the hang of it, you will be able to master the techniques of candle making and be an expert in no time. The key is to meticulously follow the formula on your guidebook, much like baking. You also have to follow your gut feelings, or should I say your artistic intuition, to create candles that truly represent your unique style.

2. Prepare Your Workroom

If you’re just starting, your own kitchen can serve as your workroom. This means you have to double check the valves and wirings of your equipment (kitchen stove, double boiler, industrial thermometers, cooling equipment, etc.). Most of the candle making tips you will receive from friends or fellow enthusiasts will emphasize the need for an orderly work room. It’s easy to get confused and disoriented when you’re handling volatile substances so you need to divide your workroom space in such a way that you won’t feel lost while you’re creating candles.
Designate an area solely for preparing the ingredients; ideally, you can use a separate table just for inventory and prep work. Also, find a suitable place for cooling the wax so you can segregate the batches that have cooled down considerably and the batches that are still hot.

3. Workroom Safety

Workroom safety is particularly important when handling hot wax and open flame. You have to make sure you wear protective clothing, such as a long sleeved shirt that’s gathered at the wrists for a snug fit (so the ends don’t dangle and touch the hot wax). Wear old clothes so that you won’t feel bad about throwing them away just in case they get stained by the dyes.
Keep a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit near your workplace just to be safe. Also, have lots of sturdy, non-slip mats around your cooking area and on your sink so you don’t have to worry about your equipment sliding and causing injury. 

4. Choose Your Dyes and Scents Wisely

One crucial part of candle making is choosing dyes and blending the colors. For starters, you can buy a dark shade of your color of choice and then mix it with something lighter later (pure white or black dye should always be in your grocery list for blending). Have fun experimenting with scents by using a small amount initially then increasing the volume according to your preference. Note that some scents overpower the user and may even cause nausea. Plan your scents and colors carefully by testing different blends on separate batches.

5. Have a Theme in Mind

Always consider the end user of the candles you’re creating. Create different designs for a variety of functions. Utility candles are a lot simpler to make, but if you want to target the people who are looking to use candles as living room accents, you have to invent designs that will complement a particular look (e.g. minimalist, modern, trendy, etc.).

Candle making is fun.  Keep it that way.  Start a new project when you are in a good frame of mind.  The process can sometimes generate frustrations.  If you start in a great mood, you can handle a few setbacks and still be happy with the overall process.  If you start when you are not your best, it will only go downhill from there.  Make candle making your happy time.