Do it Yourself, Essential Oils, Homemade, Life

Natural Beeswax Candles

I have always loved candles. A way to instantly make your home feel cozy and warm. It doesn’t matter if your house is clean or a complete mess, candles automatically make it feel inviting.

Natural Beeswax Candles with Essential Oils
Natural Beeswax Candles with Essential Oils

Something I have always strived to do was to make my home a healthy haven for my family. But it wasn’t until two years ago when I started using essential oils that I realized the candles I so enjoyed were gonna have to go! Even the beeswax and soy candles I thought were healthy turned out to be full of scents that were adulterated and far from pure. Not to mention they were more than likely blended with paraffin which is made from petroleum. The last thing I want to do is to fill my home with pollution and release toxins into the air we breath! {read here} And, since I realize that what we breath in the air goes into our bodies and affects our health in a big way, I just couldn’t keep burning them. However, I also knew right then and there I was going to find a way to start making my own using the essential oils I loved!

Natural Beeswax Candles with Essential Oils
Natural Beeswax Candles with Essential Oils

The first thing you will want to do is gather all of your ingredients and supplies. This takes a little pre-planning because some of these items can’t necessarily be bought at a local craft or grocery store. The good news is, Amazon is our friend!

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Next you must decide what size candles you want to make and what type of wick to use. If you plan to make varying sizes just keep in mind you will need different thicknesses of wicks to go along with them.

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When choosing wicks, make sure they are natural and do not contain harmful material like lead! {Read here for eye opening information} You can purchase wicks already coated in wax with a metal base, or an all cotton blend that comes in a spool.

Ingredients/Supplies

  • 1 1/2 cups of all natural beeswax chopped or as pastilles {find here} or {here}
  • 1 1/2 cups of organic palm oil/shortening. I bought mine at Target but you can also purchase online {here}
  • Mason jars or small containers that can handle heat {1 recipe fills about 4 half-pint containers}. I found my small jars at Walmart.
  • Cotton wicks in appropriate sizes. When choosing the pre-coated wicks I went with a size medium {here} for my half-pint jars. Using all cotton un-coated wicks I went with a size #4 {here} for the same size jar.
  • Wooden skewers for uncoated wicks.
  • Newspaper (if needed) for covering your work surface..
  • Glass jars to melt ingredients in you don’t mind getting covered in wax. I just reuse the same jars each time I make candles and don’t even bother with trying to clean them!
  • A pot for heating water in that is large enough for placing the “melting” jars inside.

Remember, larger container = larger wick. This will prevent the wax from drowning the wick once it starts to melt. However, if you use too large of a wick the candle will burn out quickly leaving less time to enjoy it.

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Instructions

1. Pour measured wax and shortening into glass “melting” jars(s). Place the jars into a pot filled with a few inches of water. Turn on heat and proceed to melt the wax. Make sure to melt the wax over medium heat {high heat could cause the wax to ignite}. Stir with a spoon as needed during the melting process.

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2. Once the wax has melted, it is time to add your essential oils. I only use Young Living’s pure unadulterated essential oils {about oils}. The hard part is choosing which oil scents to use! A few combinations I LOVE are Thieves/Orange, Peace & Calming/Tangerine and Lemongrass. How many drops you add depends on how strong you like your aroma to be. Also, some oils and oil blends are naturally stronger than others. Happy choosing!

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3. Prepare your wick {this can be done while the wax is melting}. When preparing the non-coated cotton wax you will want to dip it into the melted candle wax and lay it out to dry. Pull each end of the wick with your fingers to straighten it out while drying. Once this very quick process is complete, hold the wick upright in the middle of the container. Pour a small amount of wax into the base in order to anchor the wick. Take the other end and wrap it around the wooden skewer.

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4. Once the wick is set, pour in the remaining wax to fill the container. After the whole candle has hardened, trim the wick to about 1/2″  to 3/4″ . The clean up couldn’t be easier. Just screw the lids back on the jars you used for melting the ingredients and store them until next time. Your candle is now ready to burn. Enjoy!

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Duplicating the recipe is a breeze and I love to make extra to give as gifts. The gift of warmth and light!

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