Information on Beeswax Pillar Candles
Beeswax pillar candles are high quality candles. Pillar candles made with beeswax are almost always dripless. They do not smoke, and they give off only the faintest aroma of honey. Beeswax pillar candles burn with a bright and large, consistent flame. Beeswax, however, is more expensive than paraffin waxes and other candle ingredients; some chandlers mix the beeswax into their paraffin pillar candles to improve their quality.
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Manufacture
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Beeswax pillar candles are made by two different methods. Thin beeswax sheets are rolled around a candle wick until the desired thickness is achieved. Beeswax sheets are available flat but usually have a honeycomb pattern molded onto both sides.
The other method involves melting clean beeswax in a double boiler. A candle wick is threaded into a pillar shaped candle mold, and the hot wax poured into the pillar candle mold to cool and harden.
Function
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Beeswax is considered a high-quality candle wax because it has a high melt-point. That means beeswax melts at a higher temperature than other candle waxes, which makes a beeswax candle burn slower than other candles.
The high melting point also makes beeswax pillar candles dripless. While the flame melts the wax around the wick, the outer layer of the pillar melts down more slowly than the middle of the candle, holding in the liquid wax and preventing drips.
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Considerations
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Beeswax is stickier than other candle waxes such as paraffin or soy. As a result, it is difficult to remove beeswax pillar candles from their molds.
When working with beeswax, chandlers must either coat the inside of the pillar candle mold with a silicone release agent or add a small amount of harderner such as stearin to the melted beeswax. After the stearin melts, the mixture is stirred and poured into the pillar mold.
Placing beeswax pillar candles (still in their molds) into the freezer for at least 15 minutes before removing them from the mold also helps with release.
Legal Considerations
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The legal definition of a "pure beeswax candle" is 51 percent beeswax. That means that chandlers and store owners may sell candles that are only 51 percent beeswax but label them "pure beeswax". The other 49 percent of the candle may be paraffin wax and/or candle wax additives. The "pure beeswax" label may give the incorrect impression that the candles are 100 percent beeswax, which they are not. When shopping for beeswax pillar candles, look for candles labeled "100 percent beeswax" rather than "ure beeswax" if you do not want other ingredients in the candles.
History
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Candles have been used for thousands of years as a source of light, but during the Middle Ages people discovered that beeswax candles were superior to tallow candles because beeswax candles do not smoken orr give off foul odors, and have a consistent, bright light. Back then, only the very rich could afford beeswax candles. Today, beeswax maintains its status as the most efficient and high quality candle wax available.
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References
- Photo Credit velas image by Norberto Lauria from Fotolia.com
