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Benefits of Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candles are the world's oldest form of candles - and for a good reason. You may have heard of beeswax candles before but have never seen them in person or tried them for yourself. Naturally, you are probably wondering why they are considered the best type of candles. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider trying beeswax candles in your home:
An all-natural and renewable alternative to manufactured waxes.
Ideal for those with fragrance sensitivities and migraine suffers.
Beeswax is All-Natural & Renewable
Unlike other waxes, beeswax is an all-natural and renewable option for candles. It is the only wax found in nature that does not require extensive processing to be made into candles.
Paraffin wax is a petroleum by-product created out of crude oil sludge, and soy wax is generally made from GMO soybeans that strip the land of vital nutrients. On the other hand, beeswax is a natural by-product of honey production, and removing the wax from the hive does not harm the bees.
Beeswax can also be easily composted once you have finished your candle, or you may recycle the wax for a wide variety of other uses. This means that from the hive to your home, your beeswax candle will not leave anything wasteful behind.
Beeswax May Purify the Air
Have you ever burned a candle and noticed a greasy, black substance form on the wall or ceiling nearby? This is soot caused by the nasty chemicals within a traditional candle and is certainly not something you want to be breathing in!
Beeswax is just the opposite. It is believed that burning a beeswax candle can actually purify the air instead of polluting it. This happens because negative ions are emitted when a beeswax candle is burned, and those negative ions attach to pollutants in the air, causing them to drop to the ground.
This phenomenon is similar to the effects you may feel when you are near a waterfall or use a Himalayan salt lamp. Negative ions are widely believed to purify and improve air quality, and as a bonus, are thought to invigorate the body. Why would you want to actively pollute the air in your home when you could purify it instead!
Beeswax is Ideal for Fragrance Sensitivity & Migraines
Have you ever noticed when you go into someone's home, you are immediately hit in the face with whatever fragrances they have inside? You may not notice because we grow immune with extended exposure, but your home may be the same way, especially if you frequently burn fragranced candles or use room sprays.
Fragrances tend to build up over time on the surfaces in our homes, and they can become overwhelming and even aggravating to your sinuses. (This applies to our pets, too!) If you are sensitive to fragrances or suffer from migraines, this can be especially problematic. While a fragrance may be ok one day, it doesn't take much to trigger a crippling headache the next.
The benefit of choosing a pure beeswax candle is that they are unscented and have a naturally occurring honey aroma that isn't irritating to the senses. This is also great news if you love to have multiple candles burning at once or in different areas of your house. No one wants to be bombarded with a cloud of overbearing fragrance!
Not sure if you are sensitive to fragranced candles? The next time you go to light a fragranced candle, take note of how you feel before you light it (and take a look at your animals, too.) Set a timer for 30 minutes, and re-evaluate how you are feeling.
Do you have a headache?
Are your eyes starting to feel dry or burning?
Have you been sneezing?
Do you feel nauseous?
As for your pets:
Have they been avoiding the room where the candle is?
Are they rubbing their eyes or face?
Are they sneezing?
These are just a few signs that fragrances may be an issue in your home.
Beeswax Burns Longer & Brighter
Beeswax is truly an amazing natural phenomenon. Aside from the previously mentioned benefits, pure beeswax candles will actually burn brighter and longer than other waxes. Other types of candles rely on chemicals to extend their burn times when beeswax only needs to be itself.
The reason that beeswax burns longer is that it is very hard. Have you ever noticed that you can easily dig your nail into other types of wax or that they have almost a slimy texture? That is not the case with beeswax. Because it is so hard, it requires more time for the wax to become molten. Therefore, it takes a longer time for the wick to consume wax. This results in a beautiful, long-burning candle that will last almost twice as long as other types of candles.
Beeswax candles will also burn brighter than any other type of candle because of how hard the wax is. More heat is required to melt the wax, which in turn makes a brighter flame. The flame on a beeswax candle is similar on the light spectrum to that of natural sunlight. It makes for an extra enjoyable experience on a rainy day when sunlight is lacking.
Beeswax Stands the Test of Time
Beeswax is like a fine wine - it only gets better with time. Something interesting that is unique to beeswax is that when it is pure, it will develop something know as "bloom." Bloom is a white, dust-like film that only appears on pure beeswax and signifies quality. In competition settings, beeswax candles are often scored based on the level of bloom on the candle, and it is sought after.
Whether or not you like to keep the bloom on your beeswax candles is completely up to you. It is great if you are going for a rustic aesthetic or prefer your candles to look aged. If you chose not to keep the bloom, it could be easily removed with a dry, clean cloth or by gently heating with a hairdryer on a low setting.
Another wonderful benefit of beeswax is that it is self-preserving and will not go rancid. Other types of wax will spoil over time, especially with the addition of fragrances and oils. Beeswax can be stored indefinitely and will not lose any of its benefits. This makes beeswax candles ideal for storing away for emergency scenarios like power outages - never mind that they burn brighter and longer!
Are Our Beeswax Candles Right For You?
There are so many factors that make beeswax candles a great choice, but ultimately they need to be right for you. The one way to know for sure is to give them a try! Check out our collection of handmade pure beeswax candles made of beeswax from our family's apiary in Central New York. Have more questions? Please feel free to reach out! We love talking about bees, beeswax, candlemaking, and anything else related and would be more than happy to chat.