DIY Beeswax Candles

Candles are one of the most dangerous things in our homes. And not just because they can be a fire hazard. When made from artificial wax, paraffin wax, and synthetic fragrances, the aromas that fill our homes are quite toxic. These fragrances and waxes have been known to cause a plethora of health problems.

For myself, whenever I am in an area with one of these candles lit, I get terrible headaches and extremely nauseous. The first time I found this out was when I had a bath and body works candle lit in my room with the door closed. Not after long it actually made me throw up. I’ve avoided traditional candles every since.

Other potential side effects can include short-term problems like headaches, allergies or respiratory problems but they can also give long-term problems such as cancer, birth defects, and asthma. Their effect is no joke and not something to be taken lightly.

There are healthier alternatives though such as soy, coconut, or beeswax and candles scented naturally like with essential oil for example. All of these can be purchased but I wanted to show you how to make them incredibly cheap! They’re also really easy to make and so fun to customize!

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DIY Beeswax Candles

Equipment: 

• Double boiler
• Wooden spoon
• Small glass jars ( I upcycled some old yogurt containers!)
• Wooden or cotton wicks

Ingredients:

• 1 lb organic beeswax pellets or grated beeswax
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 10-15 drops of essential oils (optional)

The method:

1. Prep your candles by making sure the jars are clean and dry, attach your wicks to their anchors and place them in the jars.
2. Using a double boiler, (or fill a large pot with water and place a smaller pot or heat-safe bowl inside) melt your beeswax until it’s liquified.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut oil and optional essential oils until melted and combined.
4. Pour into jars, and allow to set for several hours before using.

Recipe notes:

• If you’re using wooden wicks (my favourite!) they’ll need to be trimmed quite close to the candle in order to stay lit.
• Wooden wicks can also give off a “woodstove” smell and may crackle like a fire. This is totally normal and adds to the charm of the candle!
• You may need to use some sort of stabilizer to keep the wick centred, I used chopsticks. Alternatively, you can dip the wick anchor in the melted wax to secure it to the bottom of the jar before pouring in the rest of the wax.

Making your own healthy, non-toxic candles is super easy and so much better for you and for the environment. Plus they make fun, personalized gifts as well.

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