Beeswax is one of nature’s perfect product, and has been used since ancient times. Beeswax candles burn longer and cleaner than ordinary wax candles and has the highest melting point of any known wax. Their slow, smokeless flames give off more light and heat than other waxes and are virtually drip less (if kept away from drafts and fans). The flame emits essentially the same light spectrum as the sun and in the process of burning emits, negative ions that are known to clean the air and invigorate the body (reportedly, stimulating the pituary gland, thus increasing creativity, intuition, and dream activity). Initially beeswax candles may seem to be more expensive than paraffin candles, yet this is not arcuate. Paraffin wax burns away much quicker than beeswax quashing any price disparity since beeswax has a much longer burn time.

Negative Ion Emitter

Beeswax is the only fuel to emit (Negative Ions) when burning. Dust, hair, odors and other things floating in the air are doing so because the particles are positively charged. Beeswax candles purify the air instead of giving off fumes and black soot as paraffin candles do. Allergens and toxins become positively charged through static electricity created by heating systems and friction caused by normal activity. This ensures that the fumes are non-toxic and non-allergenic. Pure beeswax candles can help rid your home of toxins by emitting negatively, charged ions, as well as, burning away positively charged particles that float toward the burning halo flame. This process cleans the air of positive ions such as dust, odors, toxins, pollen, mold, dust mites, feces, and viruses. This is beneficial for people who have allergies, and environmental sensitivities and who are diagnosed with asthma. Paraffin is a bi-product of the petroleum industry. It is what is left after all the gas and oil is removed from the crude oil. It needs to be bleached and scented using a chemical process, and when burned, will release these toxins and impurities into the air. People with asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems should be especially aware of this.

Beeswax comes in various colors and various shades. It can be creamy, pink, brown, orange, creamy golden, or dark-brown. The variation in the color of beeswax produced by bees is dependent on a few factors. Some of them are listed below:

· The flowers bees forage on play a part in the color of the beeswax they produce. For instance, beeswax from a bee that feeds on clover will be lighter than those from one that forages on fireweed.

· The region the bees live in.

· The race of the bees.

· The conditions under which the beeswax is stored affect its color. When exposed to light, the color fades. Also, higher temperatures favor darker beeswaxes.

White beeswax is bleached by exposing it to sunlight, thin layers of air, and moisture. 

Candle Care

The First Burn and After

· The first time you burn your candle is called the memory burn. Allow the wax pool to reach the edge of the candle before you blow it out (it can take several hours – perhaps 2 or more!). This will prevent tunnelling.

· To maximize burn time, allow the candle to burn until the molten pool has reached the glass or tin wall at every burn prior to extinguishing.

· To prevent uneven burning, use a metal tool to redirect a curled or angled wick to the opposite direction. To prevent wick breakage when doing this, be sure to nudge the wick below the level of the molten pool where the wick is not burned and thus stronger.

Wick Trimming

Trim your wick to ~1/4″ before each burn to keep it burning beautifully.

Prevent Smoke on Extinguishing

To prevent smoking when you blow out your candle, dip the lit wick into the wax with a skewer or toothpick. Once the flame is out, straighten the wick so it’s ready for trimming and lighting next time.

RECYCLE

There is usually some leftover wax, no matter how a candle burns. You can collect and save each piece of beeswax and store in a paper bag, or parchment paper. You’ll be surprised how it adds up! Leftover beeswax can be used to make salve, a wood finish, or another beeswax candle.

If you would like to reuse your candle tin or glass, you can use a candle warmer to reheat the wax which you can then either save or dispose of in the trash. Once all wax is out of the container, you can take a paper towel or rag with warm water and clean. You can also run under hot water or place container in a hot water bath. Just use caution to not burn yourself.