The benefits of beeswax candles are numerous and great. Invest in or make your own pure beeswax candles to bring light and warmth to your home! While you soak in the beauty, you'll also be breathing clean air. It's a true win-win!
The warm glow and sweet scent of a pure beeswax candle. Nothing beats it. Honestly!
Some people argue that Bath and Body Works candles smell amazing (no offence if that's you!), but they are so strong, they smell so fake and they make my head hurt almost immediately. They just can't compare to a beeswax candle.
Beeswax candles have so many benefits, which I'll go through later on, and because they are such high quality, they are expensive. What I've decided to do now that I know I want more candle glow in my life is to buy some LED candles (like these) and have a small collection of beeswax candles to use when I want to burn a real candle!
This way, I get candlelight more regularly, but don't pay an arm and a leg, and don't flood my air with nasty toxins from cheap candles.
Anywho, let's get into talking about beeswax candles!
Types of Candles
The 3 most common waxes used for candle making are paraffin wax, soy wax and beeswax. I'll give you info about all 3 so you can compare.
Paraffin candles
- Made from petroleum by-products.
- Inexpensive to purchase and can be found almost anywhere.
- Most common type of candle.
- Burns quickly.
- Paraffin wax can hold a large amount of fragrance and color, so it's suitable for making all sorts of candle designs and scents.
- Even if there is no added fragrance or color, these candles release numerous chemicals and toxins into the air when burned. Of course, they release even more of these harmful substances if there are added synthetic fragrances and/or artificial dyes in the candle.
- When inhaled, can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, trigger asthma symptoms and even lead to cancer (paraffin emits many carcinogens into the air when burned).
- Produces a black soot when burned (further evidence of toxins).
Soy Candles
- All natural- made from soybeans.
- More expensive than paraffin candles, but cheaper than other natural waxes, such as beeswax.
- Burns more slowly than paraffin, so lasts longer.
- Because soy is slow burning, fragrance is released more slowly into the air, creating a more subtle scent.
- Produces some black soot, but much less than paraffin wax candles.
- Without preservatives, soy will spoil, so many soy candles contain additives, hardeners and bleach.
Beeswax Candles
- Made from beeswax, which is naturally produced by honey bees.
- Ensure you are purchasing 100% beeswax candles with cotton wicks, or make your own. Some candles are made with a combination of different waxes and to get full benefit from using beeswax, make sure that's all you're burning. Read the label carefully!
- Continue reading for more details!
Benefits of Beeswax Candles
Health Benefits of Beeswax Candles
All-natural - Because they don't contain any toxic chemicals, they don't release any when burned! So unlike other candles, they don't cause further indoor air pollution, which can cause adverse health effects.
Soot-free - Because there are no additives or chemicals, beeswax burns clean and doesn't produce unsightly black soot.
Purify the air - When burned, beeswax candles produce negative ions which bind with air pollutants (positive ions) and drop to the floor, removing them from the air and leaving it cleaner!
Smell great naturally - Beeswax picks up the natural honey aroma found in the honeycomb. I used to get headaches from scented paraffin wax candles, but I can enjoy a beautiful scent from natural beeswax candles without any health effects!
Environmental Benefits of Beeswax Candles
No chemical processing - No harmful processing needs to occur to make beeswax usable for candle making. The bees just do their thing!
Biodegradable - Beeswax is completely biodegradable and compostable.
Renewable - Unlike petroleum, beeswax is 100% renewable since it's created by bees.
Other Benefits
Burn time - Beeswax candles burn longer than paraffin and soy candles.
Less dripping - When burning, beeswax doesn't drip as much as paraffin or soy, and sometimes it doesn't drip it all! This makes for less cleanup and more aesthetically pleasing candles.
Brightness - Because of the high melting point of beeswax, the light from beeswax candles is brighter and more pleasant than that from paraffin and soy candles. It's the most similar to natural sunlight!
Cons of Beeswax Candles
Cost - Because these candles are made from such high-quality material, they come at a higher cost than paraffin and soy candles. However, they do burn longer, so some of the cost is made up for there. Beeswax candles do cost less if you make them yourself as well! I'm looking forward to making some taper candles, as well as some melt and pour jar candles.
Harder to find - It's always harder to find a high-quality natural product because you can't just go pick up a candle at the same store you buy your groceries! I find shopping online the easiest way to find good beeswax candles. Honey Candles and Bluecorn are good companies to go with. Making your own beeswax candles is also a great option if you can't seem to find them anywhere!
FAQ
Why Are Beeswax Candles So Expensive?
Because of its higher quality, the cost of beeswax is much higher than other types of candle-making wax. Naturally, the price of beeswax candles is higher because the materials cost more. However, it's important to note that beeswax candles burn longer and are much healthier, so it's worth the extra cost!
Do Beeswax Candles Smell Nice?
Beeswax smells amazing as it takes on the scent from the honeycomb it's made from. It releases a very gentle smell when burned, nothing strong or overwhelming. And it's completely natural and non-toxic!
Can Beeswax Candles Be Scented?
Essential oils can be added to naturally give beeswax candles another scent. However, a large amount of essential oil must be added to make a noticeable smell when burning a candle. It's more cost-effective to use an essential oil diffuser to put a natural scent into the air.
Do Beeswax Candles Burn Hotter?
Beeswax candles do burn hotter than paraffin and soy, and this is the reason they have a brighter flame and don't release soot. The light they emit is similar to the light spectrum of the sun!
Do Beeswax Candles Burn Slower?
Beeswax is denser than paraffin and soy wax, so it burns slower and drips less!
Do Beeswax Candles Burn Clean?
Beeswax candles are the cleanest burning candles, emitting little to no soot or black smoke.
How do Beeswax Candles Clean The Air?
Beeswax candles are not only clean, they actually clean the surrounding air and improve the air quality! Negative ions are emitted and bind to toxins in the air that have a positive charge (dust, mold, odor, etc). They then fall to the ground to be cleaned up by your broom or vacuum!
Are Beeswax Candles Environmentally Friendly?
Beeswax is a renewable resource, is completely biodegradable and doesn't require any chemical processing for use!
Where to Get Beeswax Candles
Many quality beeswax candle companies can be found online and at specialty shops in your area. Be sure to search for 100% beeswax candles. You won't find them at discount shops or major departments stores! Farmer's markets are also a great place to check.
How to Make Beeswax Candles
Making your own beeswax candles is fun and much cheaper than buying them. Here's a beeswax taper candle tutorial and a beeswax jar candle tutorial to follow.
Should You Add Coconut Oil to Beeswax Candles?
Some companies and DIY recipes add coconut oil to beeswax candles because it's a natural, non-toxic way to help the candle burn more consistently and burn to the edge instead of tunnelling. However, it is totally optional! Here is a guide for how to avoid and fix tunnelling.
Why Beeswax Candles are Better
In summary, beeswax candles are better for your health, better for the environment and have a few extra benefits as well! In my opinion, it's better to spend your money on a smaller amount of quality beeswax candles than a larger amount of really cheap candles filled with toxic compounds. You get what you pay for!
I hope you've found a good reason (or many!) to switch to beeswax candles and leave paraffin tealight candles in the dust for good!
Next time you enjoy a burning candle, notice the pleasant smell and beautiful glow that comes from using natural ingredients, breathe cleaner air, and sleep well, knowing you've made the right choice!
What's your favorite thing about burning beeswax candles? Let me know in the comments below!
Levi Armstrong
I love that you mentioned that beeswax candles are environmentally-friendly because it doesn't require chemical processing to be made. Moreover, it's completely biodegradable since it's from a renewable source. I plan on buying some scented candles to give as a housewarming fit to my sister, who recently moved to her own condo unit. I'll buy beeswax candles because of what you said. Thanks.
Errika
Beeswax candles would be a fantastic housewarming gift! I'm going to remember that for the future. Thanks, Levi!
Victoria Addington
It got me when you mentioned that beeswax candles don't generate unsightly black soot since it is all-natural. My cousin loves collecting any type of candle. It's her birthday soon, so I should gift her a positive vibes-only candle.
http://angeltouchshop.com/product/positive-vibes-only-candle/
Errika
I agree, they make a really nice gift that anyone would enjoy!