Our Ultimate Guide To Scenting Beeswax Candles

If you are tired of shop-bought scented candles and you are looking to get creative by making your own at home, you can easily scent beeswax candles with a few ingredients.

To make beeswax candles, you typically need some high-quality organic beeswax pieces, coconut oil, scented oils and a wick and container.

We’ve composed a guide below which will take you through why beeswax candles are good for you if you should add coconut oil to beeswax candles, things to consider when scenting one as well as how to do it.

Are Beeswax Candles Better Than Regular Candles? 

Beeswax candles are a great natural alternative to regular candles and paraffin wax if you are trying to avoid breathing in chemicals. 

We’ve listed some benefits of choosing beeswax candles over other types down below. 

• Takes toxins from the air – Beeswax candles are much more natural than paraffin candles and can help to clear the air from toxins. These types of candles release negative ions which help to bind with the toxins in the air, making it cleaner.
• Can burn for longer – Beeswax scented candles are proven to burn longer than soy candle waxes and paraffin candles. 
• No soot – Beeswax candles do not burn soot like other candles, stopping your candle from releasing toxins in the air.
• It looks great! – Beeswax candles also look great! Creating ambience in the room and being a center piece for your empty coffee table!

Should I Add Coconut Oil To My Beeswax Candles? 

For making homemade beeswax candles, you will likely have to add coconut oil to beeswax candles to make sure the wax in the candles is burning properly. 

Adding coconut oil to beeswax candles allows the wax in candles to burn evenly rather than tunnelling, it also helps to give the scent a boost in essential oils because beeswax candles do not have a great hot throw (scent when burned) and a better cold throw instead.

Things To Consider When Scenting A Beeswax Candle 

Before making beeswax homemade candles, you need to make sure you’ve got all the basics covered.

We’ve listed the most important things to consider when making and scenting a beeswax candle down below to get the best result possible.

Beeswax

In order to make the best homemade candles, you should also aim to use the best beeswax possible. This could be in the form of beeswax pellets or beeswax blocks, you can normally get a better deal if you buy organic beeswax blocks. You can also buy raw organic beeswax, but you will need to filter it first. Moreover, if you are filtering beeswax at home, then you can read our article about it.

The Wick 

For the wick you should use a pre-coated wick for ease of use, hemp wicks are great as a natural alternative to normal wicks and keep your candle toxin-free. You can also try to use wood wicks.

The Container 

You have a choice of glass, ceramic or tin for candles, you can use an empty jar for this job but the jar should ideally be under 3-inches in diameter otherwise you would require a very large wick for the candle.

Scent Recipes With Essential Oil 

If it’s your first time making homemade beeswax candles then trying to figure out how to create the scent you want can be overwhelming and confusing. 

We’ve listed some scented beeswax candle recipes with essential oils down below. 

Spring 

•  Peppermint, Rosemary and Eucalyptus.
• Spearmint, Orange and Lemon.
• Pine, Grapefruit, and Bergamot. 

Summer 

• Spearmint, Basil and Lemon. 
• Lavender, Rosemary, Lime and Lemon.
• Lemon, Peppermint, and Orange.

Winter 

• Orange, Clove and Cinnamon.
• Cinnamon, Pine and Orange. 
• Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Pine and Peppermint.

Fall 

• Juniper, Cedar wood and Orange. 
• Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger and Pine.
• Lavender, Orange and Peppermint.

Our Step By Step Guide To Making Scented Beewax Candles 

Using beeswax for candle making is simple to do and easy if you’re a candle maker beginner, we’ve listed everything you’ll need and how to make one of these candles down below.

What You Need 

• Six ounces of beeswax blocks. 
• Hemp candle wicks. 
• Repurposed jars. 
• Kitchen scale. 
• Candle thermometer. 
• Two wick-centring devices. 
• One ounce of coconut oil. 
• Two wick sticker tabs. 
• Two teaspoons of lemon oil. 
• Candle melting pitcher. 
• Heat safe whisk.

How To Make It

1. Place the wick sticker in your jars using the wick stickers then measure your beeswax out, saving 6 ounces for each kind of candle. 
2. Now melt the beeswax in your candle pitcher, do this by putting the pitcher into two inches of boiling water. Keep heat to medium and low so the water can simmer, stir with your heat-resistant spatula.
3. Remove the pitcher from the water when the heat reaches 144 degrees, and pour an ounce of coconut oil into the melted wax. 
4. Put a candle thermometer into the pitcher and let it cool to 200 Fahrenheit, then mix in your essential oils. Keep stirring for about two minutes so the scent can be evenly distributed.
5. While your wax is setting you can use your wax centring device to keep it in place. Once cooled, trim the wick to a 1/4 inch then allow it to cure for three days before lighting.

Tips For Common Candle Problems 

If you’re new to making scented beeswax candles then you might run into a few common problems when making them. 

We’ve listed how to troubleshoot them down below.

Drowned Wicks 

Drowned wicks can be disappointing after the time spent making your scented beeswax candles. It can happen if your container’s sides are not straight enough, the wax might have come too close to the top of the container so it couldn’t pool or the container is too wide for the wick.

Sinkholes 

Sinkholes can form in candles when wax shrinks and cools too quickly, luckily, there is a way to prevent this from happening by allowing your wax to cool slightly before pouring it into your jars. 

Make sure it’s about 180 degrees before pouring.

Rough Candle Top 

After cooling your candle, you might notice a rough top with some small holes. This will only happen if the wax was too cool when pouring or if some water got into the wax when it was cooling, this often happens during the double boiler method.

Tunnelling

This can be prevented by burning your scented beeswax candles for the right amount of time, only blow your candle out when a pool of wax has formed across the entire candle, not just in the middle, especially the first time you burn your candle.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Beeswax Candles 

Does the size of the wick matter when making a candle? 

Yes, the size of your wick is very important otherwise your candle will not burn properly, you should aim for your candle wick to not flicker too much when lit and also not pool too much in the middle.

What can I use instead of a candle melting pitcher?

You can also use a heatproof pot for melting your candles however a candle pitcher is affordable and will do a better job.

How can I keep my wick in the center of wax? 

You can use a wick centering device to help keep it straight or simply a pencil to keep it straight while it cools.

Are soy or beeswax candles better? 

Both`soy and beeswax candles are great natural alternatives to paraffin wax candles, beeswax does tend to be a more natural alternative to soy.

Do beeswax candles purify the air? 

Yes, beeswax candles do purify the air because they release negative ions as they are burnt.

What kind of wax do Yankee candles use?

Yankee candles use paraffin wax, which is often why they smell so strong, however, they do release chemicals when they are burnt. 

How many inch in diameter should my candle container be?

We would recommend a starter candle not making it any bigger than 3.5 inches in diameter otherwise it will need two wicks.

Why are my scented beeswax candles not smelling? 

You might have not put enough essential oils or maybe you didn’t use coconut oil which is important for carrying scents.

What are the downfalls of using beeswax for making candles?

The only downfall of using beeswax for candles is that it is very expensive compared to other wax types.

Last Words

Overall, to scent beeswax candles you’ll need a mix of your favourite essential oils and coconut oil to help it carry. Make sure you choose the right wick and container and allow the wax to cool properly before pouring.

Beeswax candles are a great alternative to other wax types since they are more natural and help to cleanse the air by releasing negative ions.

Let’s find out here How To Filter Beeswax!