About Beeswax Candles
Beeswax is an alternative to other popular types of wax that are used to make candles. Paraffin wax, the most popular candle wax, is a byproduct of the petroleum industry. Beeswax is considered by many to be a more environmentally friendly way to make candles than paraffin wax because it is made from a renewable resource. As its name suggests, beeswax is made by bees to create the honeycombs in their hives. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Significance
-
One of the most popular reasons to use beeswax candles is that the candles don't produce the same soot that is produced when paraffin candles are burned. While the amount of soot produced by paraffin is small, it can cause air quality problems for those with asthma and other respiratory problems. Beeswax is clean burning and leaves no soot marks behind.
Function
-
Most candles, including soy and paraffin wax candles, are often made with the addition of candle pigments and scents. These can further create air quality problems when the candles are burned. Beeswax candles come with a natural scent that is similar to the smell of honey. It also comes in several soft shades of off-white, yellow, or pink that are prized by beeswax candle fans. This means that no color or scent must be added to these candles.
-
Types
-
Some candles are made from beeswax that has been melted down and made into beeswax blocks. Those blocks are melted in a candle melting pot just as paraffin or any other type of wax would be melted. The melted wax is then poured into a candle mold to create the candle. But many beeswax candles are made with flat sheets of beeswax that are rolled around a central wick to make a quick pillar candle.
Identification
-
Beeswax is created by the worker bees of the hive. These bees have special glands on the undersides of their bodies that convert the honey they eat into tiny flakes of wax. As the wax is excreted by their bodies, these bees take it with their front legs and place it into their mouths. The bees then chew the wax to make it more malleable. After it is soft and pliable, they use it to expand the honeycomb.
Considerations
-
Candles can be sold as beeswax candles even if they are largely made up of other types of wax. As long as the wax is 51 percent beeswax, it can be labeled as beeswax. This is sometimes done by candle manufacturers because beeswax is one of the most expensive types of wax. To get a candle that does not have any other type of wax, look for candles that are labeled as containing 100 percent beeswax.
-
