Have you ever made beeswax candles with essential oils?
I used to buy candles from the shops and burn them day and night without realising the side effects.
There is nothing more relaxing or romantic than candles but not if they are going to affect my health and the health of my two girls.
Nearly all of the ones that you buy are so toxic. They contain nasty colours, synthetic fragrances, paraffin and even soy.
This is why beeswax is best and the only wax I use in my candles.
Why only beeswax for candles?
Beeswax candles are 100% natural, toxin-free and made by bees. It is estimated that bees need to fly 241,401klms to collect enough nectar to produce 2.5kgs of honey and ½ kilogram of wax.
Similar to essential oils there is no one overseeing candle production so some candles labelled as beeswax may have a tiny amount of beeswax (5%) and a LOT of paraffin. There are always two sides to every story, but when it comes to choosing the wax you use in candle making, there appears to be 3 sides: Paraffin, Soy and Beeswax.
Paraffin wax
Paraffin wax is pretty bad. This is what most store bought candles are made from (unless they specifically say beeswax or soy). Paraffin is a petrochemical by-product from the process of turning crude oil into petrol. This is unsustainable and bad from the environment. Not to mention that when you burn paraffin wax candles they give off harmful fumes (toluene and benzene), which are linked to asthma and lung cancer.
Soy Wax
Soy wax is another common ingredient in candles. Most Soy produced for candles is processed by soaking the soya bean in Hexane, which is a Petroleum Solvent. SOY is only in a Semi-Solid at this time, so more chemicals are used to get it to the desired hardness.
The soy for soy candles is commercially farmed using high intensity commercial farming practices with fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and chemicals, and all from genetically modified (GMO) seeds. All the toxic sprays stay in the soy and can you guess what happens when you heat it with a flame?
Some may argue that there is non-GMO soy being produced and they would be correct. However, because of the added expense to source soy oil for candles from these farmers it is not cost efficient for candle manufacturers to do so.
Soy candles will spoil without preservatives so these are added, some natural and some not. Additives, bleach and hardeners are other common ingredients in soy candles. Once again what happens when these are heated with a flame?
Beeswax
Sure beeswax is not vegan friendly but it is a much safer option when it comes to my families health. Plus I get my beeswax from beekeepers who look after their bees and do their best not to harm them during extraction.
Best essential oils for beeswax candles
I’m passionate about not having nasty chemicals in my candles so I’m definitely only going to use the best essential oils. Essential Oils that are free of nasty toxic residue from pesticides and herbicides.
I only use Young Living essential oils in my beeswax candles. Young Living have a Seed to Seal process which is my guarantee that no nasty chemicals have been used on the soil the seeds are planted in, right through until the bottle is sealed.
Some of my favourite essential oils to use in Beeswax candles include:
- Cinnamon Bark essential oil
- Citronella essential oil
- Geranium essential oil
- Lemon Myrtle essential oil
- Nutmeg essential oil
- Patchouli essential oil
- Abundance essential oil blend
- Joy essential oil blend
- Purification essential oil blend
- Stressaway essential oil blend
- Thieves essential oil blend
How much essential oil do you add to beeswax candles?
This really depends on the type of beeswax candle you are making, the size of the candle, which essential oil you choose to use and even how much honey is left in the beeswax.
For example if you are making a rolled beeswax candle then you could drip 3-5 drops of essential oils onto the beeswax before you roll it up.
If you are making beeswax candles with essential oils in a jar then you can add anywhere from 20 drops of essential oil to a wholesale bottle depending on the size of the jar you are using. It is trial and error really. I have some recipes to give you a guide in my free ebook which you can download at the bottom of this page.
Beeswax has its own warm, honey aroma which can overpower the essential oil you use. his is another reason I use Young Living essential oils. They are pure and therefore have strong aromas. However some essential oils like vanilla and citrus can really be overpowered by the honey and you can’t smell them at all. Essential oils like Citronella and Patchouli are quite strong smelling so you don’t need to use as much of these in your beeswax candles with essential oils.
One trick I have found is to boil up the beeswax in a large pot of water so that it melts. I then take it off the heat and allow the beeswax to set as a round disc on top of the water. I replace the water and boil it again. I do this a few times. Each time I boil it more and more of the honey comes out of the beeswax and into the water. This also make the beeswax candles more white than yellow.
Another trick which a lot of candle manufactures use is to only add the essential oils to the top 10% of the candle. So you pour in the beeswax and coconut oil into the jar or mould and then after it has set a little you pour in some more of the beeswax and coconut oil with essential oils. That way you use less and when people pick up a candle they only smell the top of it anyway. I for one like to scent my whole beeswax candles with essential oils but if you are trying to be economical then this is good to know.
Why add coconut oil to beeswax candles?
This helps prevent cracking in the top of your candles.
How to Make Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils?
If I’m making rolled beeswax candles with essential oils then I can add a couple of drops of my favourite Young Living essential oil to the inside of the candle to give it a lovely natural sent.
Or if I’m making beeswax candles with essential oils in a jar or container, I can add the essential oils to the melted wax before I pour them in to the jar. For my beeswax jar candle recipe check out the free ebook a the bottom of this post. I also include a whole heap of tips to make your beeswax candles with essential oils a success.
Making Beeswax candles with Essential Oils is totally optional. The beeswax has a lovely aroma all on its own. I just do it to give it a nice added scent. But yes the essential oils do lose a lot of the therapeutic properties when they are heated even in candle. So if I want the therapeutic benefit then I’m always going to choose to diffuse rather than light a candle. But there are times when I need to use candles so why not choose a healthier alternative?
You may read on the internet that burning candles is as bad for your lungs as smoking cigarettes. Until recently I didn’t know that the type of wax, wicks, colour and scent of a candle really does matter.
I break all this down for you in my free Candle Making ebook. This information comes from my own research as well as trial and error. I figure why reinvent the wheel. Just learn from my mistakes.
To grab your own copy click the link below. Not only do I give you essential oil candle recipes but I even show you how to make your own beeswax wraps too in my free ebook too.
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