How to Make Poured Beeswax Candles

Poured beeswax candles are made from melted beeswax that is reshaped in a mold to create the candle instead of using pre-formed beeswax sheets. The completed candles look like paraffin candles, but they burn cleaner. Poured beeswax candles burn slower than rolled beeswax and they don't develop a white film on them as quickly as rolled beeswax does.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Beeswax
• Melting pot
• Candle mold
• Candle scent
• Candle pigment
• Candlewick
• Wick tab or screw
• Wick putty

1. Melt your beeswax in a metal pot. Many candle makers use a pouring pot that is specifically made for melting wax, but an old pot that won't be used for cooking again can also be used. Place the beeswax along with a wax thermometer into the pot and let it get to about 170 degrees.

2. Set up a candle mold for your beeswax while it is melting. Place a wick at the bottom of the candle mold if there is no wick hold in the bottom. The wick will need to be put into a wick tab to hold the wick at the bottom of the mold. If there is a wick hole, thread the wick through the bottom and place the wick screw loosely into the hole. Use wick putty to fill in any gaps to keep wax from spilling through the bottom of the mold.

3. Add any color or scent into the wax once it has melted. Many people choose not to color their poured beeswax candles because the natural color, anywhere from off-white to a deep brown, is a natural colorant for the candle. Beeswax also has a natural sweet odor, so a candle fragrance may not be necessary. If you choose a color or scent, use an ounce of liquid fragrance for every pound of beeswax you are melting. For color, concentrated color squares are an easy way to add color. The amount to use will depend on the manufacturer and the size of the square.

4. Pour the beeswax into the mold. Pour it slowly to avoid air bubbles from developing in the liquid beeswax.

5. Tap the outside of the mold to release any trapped air.

6. Let the beeswax cool and harden. The larger the mold, the more time will be needed for the wax to harden.

7. Slide the poured beeswax candle out of the candle mold. In candles with a wick hole, the last side to slide out of the mold is the top of the candle. Trim the wick on the top of the candle down to about 1/2 inch.