The cleanest, brightest, longest burning candles are beeswax candles! Beeswax candles are the world’s oldest candles. In times gone by, royalty and nobility used beeswax candles for their beautiful light and pleasant aroma. Nowadays beeswax candles are a great way to lend ambiance and warm, natural light to your home.
Beeswax is a natural byproduct of beekeeping. Extracted beeswax used for candles is repurposed capping wax left over after the beekeeper has extracted honey. Capping wax is wax made by bees to seal their hexagonal cells after filling them with nectar. In the hive, beeswax is made and used by bees to store honey and raise their young.
The Bee Charmer sells sustainably and responsibly sourced beeswax candles. Our candles are made with 100% all natural local beeswax, with no chemicals, fragrances or paraffins added, and are all handmade locally in Asheville, NC.
At our shop downtown we get a lot of questions about our locally made pure beeswax candles! The Bee Charmer is here to speak for the bees, so here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about beeswax candles.
Are beeswax candles safe?
Yes, beeswax candles are safe but like all candles, should not be burned unattended. Pure beeswax candles are naturally smokeless and do not contain chemicals fragrances. In fact, the subtle scents from beeswax candles are in large part due to the nectar and honey that was originally stored in the honeycomb!
Also, it is not recommended to burn beeswax candles in hurricane glass because beeswax candles burn at a higher temperature than other wax candles. Beeswax is one of the densest waxes and has a high melting point of approximately 149° Fahrenheit. Beeswax candles burn clean with little to no smoke when trimmed properly.
Are beeswax candles dripless?
Beeswax candles are naturally dripless! Because beeswax is so dense and has a higher melting point, these candles tend to burn slower and thus dripless. In normal conditions, without a draft, these candles are virtually drip free.
Comparatively, paraffin wax candles are so prone to dripping stearic acid is added to the wax. The stearic acid raises paraffin’s melting point. Even with the addition of stearic acid, paraffin candles still don’t compare to the cleanest, longest burning beeswax candle!
Are beeswax candles toxic?
Beeswax candles are not toxic. In fact, they are naturally non-toxic! Beeswax is a naturally occurring substance created by bees. Pure beeswax candles are also chemical free and biodegradable.
Are beeswax candles healthy?
Beeswax candles are healthy to burn in your home. Beeswax candles are hypo-allergenic, and can actually improve air quality! They burn with little to no smoke or scent and clean the air when lit. Made from a renewable resource, beeswax is also biodegradable, making it a healthy choice for the environment too.
In comparison, paraffin wax candles are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Petroleum undergoes several chemical processes, along with the addition of stearic acid and synthetic fragrance before it becomes paraffin. When burned paraffin releases toxins from these chemical processes and additives into the air.
Other healthy things bees make:
Are beeswax candles vegan?
Beeswax candles are not vegan. However, beeswax is considered to be a vegetarian product.
By definition, vegetarian products contain no animal flesh. In contrast, vegan products are neither made from animal flesh, cannot be animal-derived, or contain any animal by-products.
Beeswax, like honey, is generally not considered vegan because it is a by-product of bees.
Do beeswax candles clean the air?
Beeswax candles clean the air! When lit, beeswax candles clean the air by releasing negative ions. Releasing negative ions into the air is the same technology used by electric ionizing air purifiers.
Beeswax candles can be helpful for those with asthma or allergies since the negative ions released by the melting beeswax is effective at removing common allergens from the air. Negative ions clear the air of pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and dust by binding to those particulates, which are positively charged. When negative ions bond to these positively charged particulates they become too heavy to remain airborne — meaning all that junk in the air falls to the floor, instead of being breathed in.
Beeswax candles are pretty amazing for being the oldest candles in the world! Come visit The Bee Charmer next time you’re in downtown Asheville for locally made beeswax candles, honey, and other great gifts.