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At Bee Hive Candles we strive to bring you useful and important information regarding beeswax, beeswax candles, and our production of beeswax candles. We have compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions to help you learn about the wonders of beeswax.Feel free to ask more questions if you need more information.
1. What type of beeswax do you use?
2. What type of filtering do you use for your beeswax?
3. What type of wick do you use in your beeswax candles?
4. Why is the wick so large in my beeswax pillar candle?
5. Do you add chemicals to your beeswax candles?
6. Do you add scents to your beeswax candles?
7. How do you make your beeswax candles?
8. Why do your solid beeswax candles seem more "finished" than other beeswax candles I've ordered?
9. Can I leave the label on my candle?
10. Why are my beeswax candles different colors or differently scented?
11. Why do cracks sometimes form on the top of my candles after burning?
12. Why does my beeswax candle sometimes seem hard to lite?
13. What's the different between solid and honeycomb beeswax?
14. What's the white cloudy film on my beeswax candle?
15. 10 reasons to choose beeswax instead of paraffin
What type of beeswax do you use?
Our source of beeswax comes from Minnesota and Washington state. The honey and wax is collected from July to September. Our wax comes from the pollination of canola, sweet clover, alfalfa, fireweed, other types of wildflowers, and a little bit of sunflowers. This generally results in a lighter scented and colored beeswax which we think is the best combination for a perfect beeswax.
What type of filtering do you use for your beeswax?
While most of our beeswax is very clean directly from our bee keepers we do lightly filter our beeswax before we create the candle. This helps to remove smaller particle and deposits that may clog the wick while burning. Our filter is simply a nylon / cotton material that does not in any way affect the beeswax smell, color, or texture.
What type of wick do you use in your beeswax candles?
We use all natural 100% square-braided cotton wicking in all of our beeswax candles. It is important to note that some types of candles (mainly paraffin) will use wicking with a tin/zinc/metal core which is sometimes toxic.
Why is the wick so large in my beeswax pillar candle?
A square cotton wick usually works best for beeswax candles. Generally, they have to be about double the thickness of the wick that's used for paraffin candles of the same diameter. This produces the best flame to burn ratio, plus it allows the candle to burn down almost entirely and avoid tunneling.
Do you add chemicals to your beeswax candles?
We add no chemicals to our beeswax. All of our wax is 100% natural. The beeswax is not bleached or filled with any additives. The colored candles have a small amount of aniline (synthetic) dye to color our beeswax. The dye is considered safe, makes up a very small portion of the candle, and will not affect burn qualities.
Do you add scents to your beeswax candles?
We do not add any scents to our beeswax at this time. All of our candles are naturally honey scented.
How do you make your beeswax candles?
We carefully craft all of our beeswax candles by hand. We melt our beeswax to a sufficient temperature (not too hold - not too cold) that allows the candle to come out of the mold easily and with very little defects. We pour, roll, and dip our candles by hand and add our finishing touches -- no big machines or equipment here.
Why do your solid beeswax candles seem more "finished" than other beeswax candles I've ordered?
Rather than pop the candles out of the molds and ship them directly as is, we take the time to perfect our beeswax candles once they are solid. When the candles are removed from our molds, we gently roll the candle on a hot surface to remove any minor blemishes. This creates a smooth, unique surface and texture for each candle.
Can I leave the label on my candle?
As soon as you plan to burn your candle, please remove the label / packaging.
Why are my beeswax candles different colors or differently scented?
Our beeswax is always golden with a honey scent, but because it is a natural product, variation in color and scent is normal. These characteristics are dependent upon the plants honeybees collect pollen and nectar from. Flower blossoms and crops like canola result in lighter colors and scents, while plants such as avocado, sunflowers or buckwheat result in darker colors and strong heavy scents.
Why do cracks sometimes form on the top of my candles after burning?
In order for a candle to work properly it needs to pass melted wax through the wick. Beeswax melts at a higher temperature and requires thicker wicks, therefore it is necessary to hold the lighter next to the wick for a longer time than other candles.
Why does my beeswax candle sometimes seem hard to lite?
Our beeswax is always golden with a honey scent, but because it is a natural product, variation in color and scent is normal. These characteristics are dependent upon the plants honeybees collect pollen and nectar from. Flower blossoms and crops like canola result in lighter colors and scents, while plants such as avocado, sunflowers or buckwheat result in darker colors and strong heavy scents.
What's the different between solid and honeycomb beeswax?
Mainly burn time and texture. A solid beeswax candle is created by pouring liquid wax into a mold. The result is a smooth, dense candle with extremely long burn times. Honeycomb beeswax candles are created by rolling honeycomb textured sheets. The honeycomb candle is less dense and burns a bit faster.
What's the white cloudy film on my beeswax candle?
This white film, called bloom, is normal and occurs to all pure beeswax. This is caused because some of the components of the beeswax migrate to the surface. Bloom can be easily removed by wiping the candle with a soft cloth, applying gentle heat with a hair dryer, or placing the candle in warm sunlight. Even though the bloom is easily removable, many people actually desire this effect as it tends to give the beeswax candle a unique and rustic look and feel.
10 reasons to choose beeswax instead of paraffin:
