Beeswax Candle FAQ

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 question if you need more information.

Are your beeswax candles 100% pure beeswax?

Yes. Every single one of our beeswax candles uses 100% pure beeswax from the USA. We do not mix any other waxes or fillers with our beeswax.

What type of beeswax do you use?

Our source of beeswax comes from Washington, Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota. 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 filters are simply a nylon / cotton / paper 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?

Most of our beeswax candles use natural 100% square-braided cotton wicking, though some may use other natural material type wicking. 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 braided 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% pure and natural. We do not use any type of mold release.

Do you add scents to your beeswax candles?

We do not add scents to any of our candles. Scents are man made and are generally full of nasty things. We do add 100% essential oils to our Aromatherapy Beeswax Candles. The rest of our beeswax candles are naturally honey scented and we add nothing to them.

Do you add colors to your beeswax candles?

Yes. The dyes are formulated with eco-friendly ingredients. They offer excellent color consistency and strength for crisp, clean and bright candles. The colored dye makes up a very small percentage of the overall beeswax candle, much less than 1/10th of 1%. The dyes do not contain hazardous solvents or additives (such as naphtha or naphthalene used in other dyes). The dyes are never tested on animals. No dye ingredients are on the California Prop 65 list of cancer causing ingredients.

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.

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.

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?

Burning the candle for extended periods of time results in a large pool of melted wax. As beeswax cools, it shrinks slightly which can sometimes cause cracking. This will not affect the quality or burn time of the candle.

Why does my beeswax candle sometimes seem hard to lite?

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.

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.

Is it ok to ship my beeswax candles in hot/cold weather?

Yes, beeswax is very resilient. We've shipped all over the US without any issues. We've shipped our beeswax candles to California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas in the middle of summer and to Minnesota in the middle of winter. Rest assured your beeswax candles will be delivered perfectly intact regardless of the weather.

Reasons to choose beeswax instead of paraffin:

• Beeswax candles contain none of the harmful chemicals sometimes found in paraffin candles.
• Beeswax candles burn significantly longer than paraffin candles.
• Beeswax candles burn cleaner than paraffin candles, producing hardly any soot.
• Our beeswax taper candles are virtually dripless in normal draft free conditions.
• The light emitted by a beeswax candle is much stronger and brighter than that of a paraffin candle.
• Beeswax is a renewable resource!
• Beeswax candles can be burned around those with allergies or who are sensitive to strong chemical scents.
• Natural beeswax candles support our beekeepers; our candles are created out of beeswax made in the USA.
• Beeswax candles do not expire. Beeswax has been found in the pyramids virtually unchanged after 1000s of years.