Quick Guide on How to Make Beeswax Candles

Learning how to make beeswax candles at home is a unique way to create lovely gifts and home decor items. These candles are eco-friendly, beautiful, and subtly scented. The process of making them involves using your hands and developing artistic abilities, making it a wonderfully therapeutic and stress-reducing experience.  

Have you ever wanted to fill your home with the warm glow of a unique and handmade home decor item? Or are you wondering, should you add coconut to beeswax candles for a healthier option? Whether you're looking for a beeswax candle recipe without coconut oil, how to integrate essential oils, the best recipes or the most common mistakes, we have all the information you'll need. In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to get started on your candle-making journey, from choosing the right wax to selecting the best ingredients and pouring your first candle. Let's get started! 

Jump to Section 

• Candle Making Classes
• How To Make Beeswax Candles From Raw Beeswax
• How To Make Beeswax Candles From Honeycomb
• How To Make Scented Beeswax Candles
• How To Make Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils
• How To Make Beeswax Candles Burn Longer
• How To Make Beeswax Candles FAQs

Candle Making Classes

Why Take Candle Making Classes

Candle making classes in Houston, Los Angeles or NYC are exciting places to learn hands-on techniques, gain confidence with tools and materials, and explore your creativity in a supportive environment. It doesn't matter if you're a novice creative just starting out on your candle-making journey or a more practiced professional seeking information about beeswax candle-making recipes with coconut oil, these classes offer expert guidance, helpful tips and everything you need to understand how to make beeswax candles that are uniquely your own. 

Where to Find Candle-Making Classes

You can find candle-making classes that will teach you how to make beeswax candles in many popular locations or even through online platforms offering engaging live sessions. Talented and experienced local artisans host workshops in their studios or at chic local businesses and meeting centers, making it convenient to find a class near you. Most classes are held in a small group format, so there is plenty of independent instruction and opportunities to engage with the artist, and the other participants, and learn unique new recipes and beeswax candle additions. 

What Types of Events Are Candle-Making Classes Best For?

Candle-making classes are a fun way to get your group together for socializing, learning and laughter. Learning how to make beeswax candles is an ideal activity for a wide range of events, including birthday parties, team-building activities, bridal showers, a casual date night or a relaxing night out with friends. The experiences are unique and memorable, and they combine creativity with social fun, making them events that everyone in your group can enjoy, regardless of skill level or creative abilities.

How To Make Beeswax Candles From Raw Beeswax

Can You Use 100% Beeswax For Candles?

100% beeswax candles are very high quality, but they can be more expensive. Many artisans will mix other types of wax, such as soy wax, to lower the price. Some candle makers even prefer the consistency of mixed waxes, so there are plenty of options for all preferences. If you are just learning how to make beeswax candles, experiment with different mixes and find what works best for you.

Cleaning and Filtering Raw Beeswax 

If you're using raw beeswax, one of the first steps in how to make beeswax candles is to clean the wax out and get it ready for use. To do this, begin by boiling the wax. To avoid fire hazards, never boil beeswax over an open flame. Do not heat it higher than 175° Fahrenheit. Once it's heated, use a cheesecloth, paper towel, coffee filter or a small sifter to separate debris. Repeat this process until the wax seems smooth and cleaned to your liking. 

Necessary Supplies

To make beeswax candles, you will need:

• beeswax,
• a container to hold the candle,
• a wick,
• containers to mix the wax, and
• a thermometer.

Optionally, you can also mix in other types of wax, essential oils, and dyes to enhance your candle's appearance. There's a huge variety of methods in how to make beeswax candles, and there are many different types of candles, so the supplies can vary from project to project and depending on what recipe you're following. The supplies we've listed are the bare minimum that you will see in nearly any beeswax candle recipe. 

How To Make Beeswax Candles From Honeycomb

What is Honeycomb?

Honeycomb is a hexagonal structure made by bees and is most commonly known for producing honey. It's made of wax and is where bees store their babies. It's an excellent material for candlemakers and is used in one of the many methods when looking for instructions on how to make beeswax candles.

It comes in sheets that can be easily molded, and is one of the easiest materials to use when making beeswax candles. Therefore, the process of using honeycomb is beginner-friendly and ideal for anyone just starting on their candle-making journey. 

How Can I Use Honeycomb for Candle Making? 

You can use beeswax honeycomb sheets to make candles by forming and melting them into the desired candle shape. These sheets are easily accessible. They can be bought online and are great for beginner candle makers who want to experiment and find what works best for them. Using this product is one of the easiest ways to learn how to make beeswax candles. It's also an excellent option for a beeswax candle recipe without coconut oil, as it uses only a few ingredients. 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Honeycomb Beeswax Candle Making

Learning how to make beeswax candles with honeycomb is fairly simple.

1. First, use a heat gun to make the honeycomb sheets pliable and easy to mold.
2. Then, take the honeycomb sheets and roll them into the right shape.
3. As you're doing this, lay the wick on the edge of the sheet and fold it over to integrate it with the rolled candle shape.
4. Now you're done!

This is an easy method for candle making, and it provides you with an immense amount of flexibility to mold the candles into the shape you want. 

How To Make Scented Beeswax Candles

Scents That Work Best with Beeswax

Scented candles are an inviting form of aromatherapy, and according to the Cleveland Health Clinic, essential oils can even improve mental health because they release tiny molecules into the air that are picked up by receptors in the nose when inhaled. The scent alerts your brain through the olfactory nerve, making you feel calmer and happier. Essential oils are a fantastic addition to any candlemaker's toolbox.

Many essential oils can positively affect your mental health, but which ones specifically work best in beeswax candles? Scents like lavender, vanilla and peppermint blend well with the beeswax and come through prominently. However, you can use just about any essential oils in beeswax candles, so experiment with your favorites or even popular blends.

When to Add Fragrance to Melted Beeswax

Add essential oils to the melted beeswax when it has reached a temperature between 160°F and 185°F. This is a great time to stir in the oils as it allows them to mix well. You'll want to regularly check the temperature of your candle with a thermometer to get this right, as if the wax is too warm or cold, the essential oils may separate from the mixture. This can be one of the hardest parts to master when learning how to make beeswax candles precisely, so don't fret if you don't get it right on your first go.

Creating Custom Blends

To create creative scents, mix essential oils into custom scent blends that are sweet, earthy, musky or floral. Experiment with combining different scents to determine which ones blend best. Mixing scents is one of the most enjoyable aspects of candle making, as it allows you to create candles that you'll enjoy lighting in your home.

Many companies, like Penn & Beach, offer services that allow you to create your own blend, which they'll then prepare for you if that's something you're interested in. You can also create custom blends at home by mixing the essential oils you have on hand. 

How To Make Beeswax Candles With Essential Oils

Should You Add Coconut Oil To Beeswax Candles?

You may have seen other makers use coconut oil in their candles, and you might be asking yourself, why add coconut oil to beeswax candles? The reasoning for using a beeswax candle recipe with coconut oil is to create a longer burn time and enhance your added aromatherapy scents. The oil helps extend the candle's longevity and can also enhance fragrance strength and consistency. That being said, you do not have to add coconut oil to beeswax candles. There's nothing wrong with skipping it entirely, and your candle will still be fully functional without it. 

How Much Essential Oil to Use

There is no strict rule for how much essential oil to use when learning how to make beeswax candles. While it's a fine line to balance, as you want the scent to be noticeable but not too overwhelming, the best guide is often your own preference. However, as a general guideline, most sources recommend using 1-2 ounces of essential oils per pound of beeswax, but there is ample room to experiment with this ratio. Everyone's scent preferences are different, and some scents may be stronger than others, so a lot of it involves trial and error. 

How To Make Beeswax Candles Burn Longer

1. Properly Trim the Wick

Trimming your candle wick is important not only when making the candle, but also during its upkeep. This ensures a clean, even burn for your homemade candles. Ideally, you want the top of your wick to sit approximately ¼ inch above the wax. 

2. Allow a Full Melt Pool

When learning how to make beeswax candles, many sources advise allowing for a full melt pool, but what exactly does that mean? A full melt pool ensures that the wax is in contact with the edges of the container. If you've done everything correctly, your melt pool should grow one inch per hour. This allows the candle to burn longer and the fragrance to disperse more evenly into the room. 

3. Store Your Candle Correctly

For the best results, store your candle in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. A home closet or even atop your dresser, away from a window, works well. This practice can help prevent cracking and excessive melting of the candle. Proper candle storage also helps your creation burn more evenly and last for a longer period. 

4. Cure the Candle Before Using It 

One of the most common mistakes when learning how to make beeswax candles is not allowing the wax to cure for long enough. You'll want to make sure it's fully hardened before burning the candle; otherwise, it won't burn as cleanly and can turn into a gooey, melted mess! When cooling the wax, be patient and allow it to cool at room temperature. The wax might crack if you rush this step.

How To Make Beeswax Candles FAQs

What Are 3-4 Mistakes To Watch For When Making Beeswax Candles?

Some of the most common mistakes when making beeswax candles include trimming the wick too much, adding too much fragrance and cooling the wax too quickly. Trimming the wick can cause it not to light, adding too many fragrances can create an unnatural aroma and cooling the wax too quickly can lead to cracked surfaces. 

What Is The Disadvantage Of Beeswax Candles?

One of the largest disadvantages of beeswax candles is that they aren't vegan, which can be an ethical issue for some people. Smaller issues include that they don't hold dyes or scents as well as other candle waxes, so some may say they're a bit mild or bland. That being said, beeswax candles are a lot of fun to make, burn for a long time and are all natural, so for all of the cons that exist, there are plenty of pros as well.

It's really all up to personal preference. Don't let the cons deter you from learning how to make beeswax candles if it seems like something you're interested in.

So, there you have it! We've covered everything you need to know about how to make beeswax candles at home! We've gone in-depth on types of materials, different candle-making methods, dos and don'ts and plenty of the small details to get you started. Enjoy your candle-making journey and have fun making custom candles for yourself, friends, family, or anyone else you desire. Which methods of beeswax candle making do you plan to use?

For even more fun with candles, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!