Making Beeswax Candles Made Simple

Beeswax remains one of the most valued candle making materials. People have treasured its pleasing fragrance and clean burning characteristics for centuries. Even with the advent of soy wax in recent years, beeswax remains the preferred natural alternative to petroleum based paraffin. Here’s how to make beeswax candles using a modern method that is very easy to learn.

Traditionally, people have made beeswax candles by even the dipping method or by using molds. I’m about to teach you a much simpler method that uses sheets of beeswax.

The sheets are commonly about 10 x 16″ in size. They most often have a slight waffle pattern imprinted on the surface. A characteristic of beeswax is that it remains flexible at room temperature, which allows you to produce a candle without melting the wax and using a mold.

To make a beeswax candle with this method, lay a sheet of the beeswax on a smooth, flat, clean surface. the candle be as high as a sheet of waxes wide. If you want to make a shorter candle, simply trim the sheet using a straight edge and a sharp knife.

Arrange the sheet so that the edge that will become the center of the candle is toward you. Cut a piece of wick so it is an inch or so longer than the candle height. Gently press the wick into the edge of the wax, leaving a little bit extending beyond each end.

Now gently and carefully roll the sheet of wax around the wick. Use a firm but gentle pressure and take care to press evenly along the length of the candle. If you press too hard you risk distorting the candle.

In cold weather, the wax may be a little stiff. If this happens, you can use a hairdryer on a low setting to warm the wax. Be careful as you do this. It’s easy to apply too much heat, melt the wax and ruin the candle.

When you reach the end of the sheet, gently press the edge of the wax into the body of the candle to make a smooth seam. If you’d like a thicker candle, such as a pillar, continue rolling with another sheet of wax.

After you’ve experimented with this method for while, you’ll probably want to try some of the more traditional ways of making beeswax candles. You can find full instructions in these methods, including tips for success, at: How to Make Beeswax Candles

although beeswax is one of my favorite waxes, it is not the only material you can use to make candles. You can explore other possible choices at: Candle Making Wax.

You can further explore the wonderful craft of candle making is:

http://www.CandleMakingConnection.com/

Now that you know how to make beeswax candles, I hope you’ll consider it only the beginning of a very enjoyable hobby.