How to Make Beeswax Candles
Anyone Can Learn to Make Homemade Beeswax Candles — They Make a Great Gift!
Reading Time: 3 minutes
One of my favorite gifts to make is homemade beeswax candles. They are easy, inexpensive, and perfect for neighbors, friends, teachers, and anyone you want to send cheer to.
This recipe calls for a blend of beeswax and coconut oil. By adding coconut oil to the recipe, you can reduce tunneling from a beeswax-only candle. If you prefer beeswax only, simply remove the coconut oil and use more beeswax. If you don’t keep your own bees, you can buy beeswax online or search for a local beekeeper who may be interested in selling their beeswax.
Supplies Needed for Beeswax Candles
2½ cups (20 oz) of filtered beeswax*
½ cup (4 oz) of coconut oil*
3 half-pint (8 oz) jars
6” cotton candle wicks
*Use a 5:1 ratio if you want to make more than three candles
Hot glue gun or super glue
Skewers or pencils
Scotch tape
Designated stirring spoon and wax container (metal can, bowl or pitcher)
A pot big enough to use as a double boiler
Decorative ribbon or string (optional)
How to Make Beeswax Candles
Place the beeswax in your designated wax container.
Fill your pot with water about 60-70% of the way up. Bring the water to a boil.
Put your designated wax container in the pot and melt your beeswax, double boiler style.
Once the beeswax is melted, add the coconut oil and stir.
Prepping Your Jars
Hot glue or super glue your wick to the bottom center of each jar. This can be a little tricky. Use the eraser of your pencil to secure the glue and wick to the jar’s bottom.
Wrap the wick around the pencil to keep the wick straight and taunt at the top. Tape the wick around the pencil.
Pour the melted beeswax into each jar, leaving about a ½” of room at the top of each jar.
Let the candles cool completely, usually overnight is best.
Trim the wick to about ½”
Tie a simple, decorative ribbon around the rim to make it more festive.
During the first burn, let the entire top surface melt to avoid the wick from tunneling.
Sources:
https://wellnessmama.com/76597/beeswax-candles/
https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2015/02/how-to-make-beeswax-candles.html