MAHA - Homemade Candles

In another episode of MAHA, we are going to make candles from beeswax. Almost all of the candles you can buy in the stores have toxic ingredients in them which is released into the air when you burn them. All those wonderful scents! Toxic!
Candles are easy to make and only take a few ingredients and tools.

Homemade Beeswax Candles
Adapted from artfulhomemaking.com

1 pound beeswax
1/2 cup coconut oil
wax melting pitcher
saucepan for double boiler
candle wicks
4 ounce jars (or any size you have available)
glue gun and glue sticks
clothespins

Heat up your glue gun and stick the wicks to the bottom of the jars. Try to keep the wicks in the center of the jar.
Fill your saucepan or pot about half full of water, put it on the stove, and bring the water to a boil.
Pour 1 pound of beeswax pellets into your wax melting pitcher or other container.
Set the container with the beeswax into the boiling water in the saucepan to create a double boiler effect. Turn the heat down so the water is just gently boiling or simmering.
Allow the beeswax to melt, stiring occasionally. Use a wooden skewer or a wooden spoon.
After the beeswax has melted, add the 1/2 cup of coconut oil. Stir to combine, and wait for it to melt. Then add any essential oils, if using. It will take 50-60 drops of oil to make a difference in the smell of the candle, so you need to keep this in mind.
Quickly pour the melted beeswax and coconut oil into the jars. Work quickly because beeswax starts to set up very fast.
After pouring the wax into the containers, center the wick with a clothespin or use a pencil or bamboo skewer to center the wick.
Allow the candle jars to sit undisturbed while the wax sets up and hardens. Then trim the wicks to about 1/4″ to 1/2″ long.
Wait a day or two before lighting the candles for the first time. This allows them to cure. When lighting for the first time, it’s a good idea to let the candle burn for a few hours (about 3-4 hours). This will help your candle burn better, and it also can prevent tunneling (assuming the correct size wick was used).
Plan for about 3-4 hours burn time each time you light your candle, and it should burn better.

Troubleshooting Beeswax Candles

Beeswax is trickier to work with than other types of wax. The kind of beeswax and the source can even make a difference.
Finding the correct wick size can also be tricky, and sometimes requires some trial and error. The wicks used in this lesson were the recommended size, but they may not work well with your wax or your containers.
With beeswax, it’s recommended that you test different sizes of wicks to see how each one will perform with your particular container and wax.
Different shades of beeswax will give you different shades of candles.
How can you avoid cracks in beeswax candles?
Try to let the candle cool more slowly in a warm location. Also, you might try pouring the wax at a slightly cooler temperature (155-160 degrees). You can also try heating the containers in a warm oven before pouring the beeswax into them.
If you want to fill in cracks after they occur, you can melt some beeswax and pour it in the cracks to fill them in.

How to Avoid Tunneling in Beeswax Candles

Sometimes tunneling occurs because the wrong wick (for the size of the jar) was used. It can take a bit of trial and error to find the best wick for the container used.
Beeswax candles made in jelly jars have a nice burn pool, spreading all the way to the edges, but the ones made in the wide-mouth jars don’t burn as fully to the edges because they could really use a different/bigger wick.
The other very common reason for tunneling is that the candle wasn’t allowed to burn long enough. Plan to burn the candles for about 3 hours each time they are lit.
This is especially important for the first time the candle is lit, as it helps it to burn more successfully after that.
Beeswax candles can take a bit of experimentation to get them right, but the smell is wonderful and no toxins!