Beeswax candles burn long and bright, and the wax carries a faint honey scent of its own, so many makers leave them unscented. This recipe makes container candles in glass jars from natural beeswax pellets, blended with a little coconut wax, because beeswax on its own is too hard for a jar. For how beeswax compares with soy, paraffin and the other waxes, see our guide to the types of candle wax.
What you need
- Natural beeswax. The pastilles weigh out quickly and melt in minutes, with no block to grate.
- Coconut wax, at 10–20% of the total wax weight. It softens the candle and helps it grip the glass.
- Wicks with wick stickers, from our candle wicks. Beeswax needs a larger wick than soy wax in the same jar, so size up. Our guide to choosing a candle wick explains how.
- Heat-safe candle jars.
- A double boiler or a wax melting pot, and a digital thermometer.
- Fragrance oil, only if you want a scented candle. Any of our perfume oils that lists candles in its usage table will do.
Step by step
- Fix the wick. Press a wick sticker onto the metal tab and stick it to the centre of the jar's base.
- Melt the beeswax and coconut wax together in a double boiler to about 70–75 °C. If you don't have one, set a smaller pot inside a larger pot holding a few centimetres of water. Never melt beeswax over a direct flame.
- Warm the jars, for example with a heat gun. Beeswax shrinks as it cools, and a cold jar makes it crack and pull away from the glass.
- If you are scenting the candle, add the fragrance oil just before you pour, at roughly 65–70 °C, and stir gently for two minutes. The usual guide for beeswax is 6–8% of the wax weight, but the oil's own candle limit comes first. Every perfume oil page shows it in the usage table, and if it is lower than 6%, use the lower figure.
- Pour slowly into the jars. Hold the wick upright with a wick centring device, or two pencils laid across the rim.
- Let the candles cool slowly at room temperature, away from AC vents and fans. Keep a little wax back, and if a sinkhole forms around the wick, melt the spare wax and top the candle up.
- Leave the candles for at least two days before you light them, then trim the wick to about 5 mm.
The first burn
Light the candle at the base of the wick so some wax melts and is drawn up into it. Then let it burn until the melted wax reaches the sides of the jar. A short first burn leaves a ring of hard wax around the edge, and the candle then tunnels down the middle on every burn after it.
Cleaning up
Beeswax is hard to get out of a melting pot once it has set. Warm the pot in the double boiler again until the residue softens, wipe it out with paper towels while it is warm, then wash it with hot water and soap.
Questions
Can I use coconut oil instead of coconut wax?
Yes. Many beeswax recipes use coconut oil, and it softens the candle in the same way. Coconut wax sets firmer, which matters in a UAE summer, so it is the better choice for a candle that will sit on a shelf for months.
Can I use olive oil?
Olive oil stays liquid at room temperature, so it leaves the candle soft and oily. Use coconut wax or coconut oil instead.
Why did my beeswax candle crack?
Usually because it cooled too fast or the jar was cold. Read why candles crack and how to fix them.
What else can I make with beeswax?
Beeswax also goes into balms, salves, lotion bars and lip products, usually as a small share of the formula: 5–15% in a balm is typical.