Benefits of Beeswax Candles

When I attend markets or meet my customers, I often get asked what the benefits of beeswax candles are. Like honey and other honeybee products, it seems everyone is aware that there are benefits to using them. But people often don’t know exactly what they are, or how many benefits there actually are to using beeswax candles instead of other candles. And they are always intrigued when I tell them about one in particular (see#2 below). So, if you would like to find out for yourself, here are 9 reasons why you should choose Beeswax Candles for your home. Read on for the full list of the benefits of beeswax candles.

The importance of candles in our lives

When you think of it, we use candles to mark nearly all important moments in our lives. Throughout our whole lives, from birth to death. It is fascinating that even though we don’t have to use candles for practical reasons such as create light, we still hold on to these little rituals. There is something about the symbolism of candles. Something that we find so meaningful and comforting. Maybe it is the fire, the flame, that it connects us to something natural, something warm and utterly uncomplicated.

We light candles for so many different reasons. We light them to celebrate birthdays and mark joyful occasions such as births and weddings. Romancers woe their partners over candle lit dinners and exorcists use candles to chase away the Devil. We light them to relax and create a calm, soothing and homely ambience at the end of a busy day.

Religious and spiritual ceremonies use candles for their symbolism and beautiful light and we use candles as a way to mark the passing of time. We light advent candles to count down for Christmas and adorn our homes with them. We light candles to commemorate loved ones we miss and to remember those who have passed away. When mourning, we find solace and comfort in the naked, warm flame of a lit candle. In short, candles accompany us from the cradle to grave, and they have different meanings every time we light one.

Beeswax candles – the original candle

Candles were originally all made from beeswax. This natural product was available to our ancestors thousands of years ago, and they modelled their candles from it. It is only relatively recently that we have started making candles from other material such as petroleum-based paraffin candles and plant-based waxes such as soy wax, palm wax and coconut wax.

Paraffin candles

Paraffin candles were popular for a long time due to its low production cost. This enabled people to use candles often because they were inexpensive to buy. However, petroleum-based candles such as paraffin candles are fast losing popularity because of the toxins and pollutants they release into the air when they burn. It is now understood that this inexpensive material should be used in moderation, if at all, and people are looking to other sources for inexpensive, cleaner burning wax.

Candles from plant waxes

A cleaner alternative to petroleum-based candles are candles made with plant-based waxes. They burn cleaner emitting less toxins and soot than paraffin candles. Because it is relatively inexpensive, from a renewable source and burns well, soy wax is now a firm favourite among many candle makers. Popular plant-based waxes include soy wax, coconut wax and palm wax.

Beeswax candles – an everyday luxury

But what happened to the poor neglected beeswax candle? Well, she was still happily although quietly plodding along in the background, largely unchanged since her initial inception. Boring and unimaginative, you say? No! Quite the opposite, I would argue.

Because, let’s face it, the reason why beeswax candles have changed so little over time, is simply that they didn’t need to. There isn’t really anything that can be done to improve the humble beeswax candle: to make the perfect beeswax candle all you need is a wick and pure, natural, raw beeswax.

Because of the time involved in making and refining beeswax, beeswax candles are expensive to produce. This means that they have become something of a luxury everyday item, something we treat ourselves to or give as gifts to loved ones. However, beeswax candles can offer very good value as they have so many benefits that other candles don’t have, both for our health and for the environment as a whole. Because of these benefits, the beeswax candle is not only the original candle it is also the ultimate candle.

What then, make beeswax candles so great? And what are the benefits of using beeswax candles over other candles?

Here are 9 reasons why you should choose Pure Beeswax Candles for your home:

1. Good for the environment & low carbon footprint

Beeswax is hade from a renewable source and can be sourced locally. It cannot be produced synthetically, so if you are choosing a beeswax candle, you are also choosing to support the bees who made it and their beekeeper. Bees, as we know, are hugely important to the environment and intricately linked with the wellbeing of our planet, so by choosing to support the people who look after them, you also choose a healthier planet and better environment. Because beeswax is produced naturally and locally, and without adding chemicals when processing it, beeswax candles have a low carbon footprint. It makes it the perfect candle for people who care about the environment as well as the ancient craft of beekeeping and traditional candle making.   

2. Beeswax candles help purify the air

One of the biggest health benefits of using beeswax candles is that they can help purify the indoor air. Burning beeswax candles is said to be beneficial for people suffering from asthma and air borne allergens. Not only do beeswax candles not emit pollutants and soot when they burn, they are the only candle that helps clean the air. How does this work?

The air we breathe contains millions of electrically charged particles. These are called ions. There are positive and negative ions in the air, but many more positive ions than negative ones. Because of their charge, positive ions attract particles in the air such as dust, mould and bacteria. When we breathe in too many positive ions loaded with these particles, it affects our health, and we start to feel bad. It affects our mood, our health, our sleep and our energy.

When beeswax burns, it emits negative ions into the air. These negative ions attract the positive ions which are loaded with dust and mould etc. Negative ions balance the air by neutralising the positive ions. Once they have bound these particles in the air, they become heavier and fall to the ground, no longer air borne.

Burning beeswax candles can also help neutralise odours.

Many people who suffer from allergies and asthma use beeswax candles to help clean the air. It is also said that one of the benefits of burning a beeswax candle in the bedroom for about an hour before going to bed is to help get a better, deeper sleep. (Be mindful not to leave burning candles unattended or leave them burning while you are asleep.)

3. Contain no perfume, dye or synthetic fragrance

Beeswax candles are free from perfume, dye and artificial fragrance. Many other candles contain either aromatic oils, dyes or synthetic perfumes. Sometimes these dyes and fragrances are added to disguise the unpleasant smell and colour of the wax itself. Candles with additives are more likely to emit soot and other pollutants into the air when they burn.

Beeswax has its own natural colour and wonderful aroma of honey and is completely free of synthetic fragrance. This is great for people who are sensitive to perfume and allergens. Beeswax candles are especially suitable for homes with children and pets.

Do you want to know about how beeswax is made and how it gets its natural scent? Read about it here: Beeswax – how do bees make it?

4. Eco-friendly & non-toxic production

The production of beeswax candles is a natural non-toxic process. The refinement of beeswax is done without the need to add any toxic chemicals to the wax. This means that the production is clean and does not add pollution. It also means that the finished product is natural and contains no toxic residues or pollutants like many other mass-produced or petroleum-based candles.  

5. Burning beeswax candles have a calming effect

One of the many benefits of burning beeswax candles is its ability to calm us and soothe our mood. The light that a burning beeswax candle emits is very similar to natural sunlight. This has an uplifting and calming effect on our mood. Many also find it helps with concentration, energy and spiritualism. It is not surprising that we light beeswax candles when we want to enhance certain moods, when we relax and wind down, have a long soak in the bath after a long day, when we pray, or want to create a romantic ambiance at the dinner table or in the bedroom.

6. Pure beeswax candles are beautiful

Yes, I know, it shouldn’t matter how something looks as long as it is good for us. But it does. Aesthetics are really important to us, especially in our homes. Looking at something beautiful and knowing that it is also good for you does wonders for how we feel. I know that many people who buy beeswax candles or are gifted them put them up on the mantle piece or coffee table and never light them. They keep them in their homes purely because they are beautiful, and they like to look of them.

The good thing with beeswax candles, is that they get better with age. Exposed to air and temperature changes, beeswax develops a beautiful patina, or bloom. This is very desirable, especially in dipped dinner candles. The bloom gives a timeless elegance to the candle, and any room it is placed in.

7. Supporting local beekeepers & the bee population

We all know how important bees are for our environment and for the survival of our species. They are responsible for pollinating a large portion of the food we eat, and while it may not be true that we would all die if the bees disappeared, it is true that our diet would be very boring. By purchasing honeybee products such as honey and beeswax, you help support local beekeepers and they in turn help the bees survive and thrive.

Producing beeswax is hard work both for the bees and the beekeepers, and this is the main reason why beeswax candles are not cheap. The bees need to consume between 6,5 – 9 kg of honey to make just one kilo of beeswax. This means that for every kilo of beeswax, the beekeeper sacrifices several kilos of honey. However, it is beneficial for the health and wellbeing of honeybees to produce new wax and use it in the hive. This means that every year the beekeeper removes old wax from colonies to make room for new wax. This is then melted down and filtered several time until it is clean and can be used to make candles and other beeswax products.

8. Beeswax candles burn 3 times longer than other candles

Beeswax has a high melting point compared with many other waxes used for candles. This means that beeswax candles burn significantly longer, offsetting its higher cost. The high melting point also means that they burn cleanly and drip very little, if at all.

9. Beeswax candles are 100% Natural

Forget toxic dye and synthetic perfumes! The only two ingredients needed for a beeswax candle are 100% pure natural beeswax and a wick. The beeswax is not treated with harmful toxins to clean it, but rather melted and filtered until it is clean and pure. It is then either made into sheets for rolling or melted to make poured moulded candles and dipped taper candles. The wicks are usually either made from cotton or wood. It might sound simple, but this is the recipe for the world’s best candle. A candle for our health, for the bees, for the environment and for the future!  

So, to recap, there are loads of good reasons to choose beeswax candles:

1. Beeswax candles are good for the environment and have a low carbon footprint
2. Beeswax candles help purify the air in your home
3. Pure beeswax candles contain no perfume, dye or synthetic fragrance
4. Beeswax candles are produced in an eco-friendly and toxin-free way
5. Burning beeswax candles have a calming effect
6. Beeswax candles are beautiful
7. Supporting local beekeepers and the bee population
8. Beeswax candles burn 3 times longer than other candles
9. Beeswax candles are 100% Natural

To view my full range of pure beeswax candles, follow this link: Beeswax Candles – Hanna’s Bees

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Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, you might find something else that you like here: Blog – Hanna’s Bees (hannasbees.ie)

Warm regards, Hanna