In contrast to the other candles that have been discussed, beeswax isn’t a particular brand, it’s a type of wax, just like soy wax and paraffin. Produces by honeybees, the highly flammable wax is famed for being environmentally friendly, its long burn times and the pleasant scent of honey that emanates as the candles burn. What’s more, it’s health benefits have long made beeswax one of the best natural alternatives, alongside soy wax and far outweighing the quality of popular, but less safe paraffin wax.
[content-egg module=Amazon template=custom/grid3]
Like soy wax, beeswax candles should probably be among your top choices if you have allergies or if you or someone in your household suffers from asthma. Since they’re sold by various brands and manufacturers, you can be very selective about the type of candle you’d like from the sizes to the scents, shapes and candle holders. Plus, you can find them in almost any major retail chain or e-commerce website: Williams-Sonoma, eBay, Amazon, GNC, all of these places sell a type of beeswax candle, and they’re also available to be purchased in bulk or wholesale. If you’re not too picky about scents and want something that produces little to no soot, beeswax is wonderful.
All of these premiums do come at a cost, however. Beeswax candles will cost you more than what you would pay for a soy wax candle or even a paraffin wax candle for that matter. Because of the high cost, some brands will also use ingredients that are not entirely beeswax-based, so it’s important to do your homework and read labels to ensure your candle is 100% beeswax.
If you’re considering purchasing a scented beeswax candle in order to give your home a nice aroma, it’s important to keep in mind that despite its high costs, beeswax candles generally do not produce a scent as strong as that of paraffin. As a result, you may want to consider soy wax candles that provide similar health benefits and well-regarded scents, albeit for prices that are considerably less expensive than beeswax.
The Good
- Great for people with allergies.
- Beeswax candles use natural ingredients.
- Less soot is produced than a paraffin wax candle.
- Long burn times.
The Bad
- Pricier than both soy and paraffin wax.
- Some beeswax products are combined with other waxes to save on manufacturing expenses, essentially tainting their natural appeal yet still costing you more money.
- Natural wax scents are not as strong as paraffin wax.
My Two Scents
Along with soy candles, beeswax candles provide a much healthier option than going for paraffin candles, namely reducing allergies and assisting with reducing asthma attacks. Since they typically use natural ingredients and are derived from renewable resources, there is less soot produced, and you’ll be using a product that’s biodegradable. Along with soy wax candles such as Koji, that are designed to be safer alternatives to paraffin, beeswax candles are a good option.
If you’re going to choose beeswax, you’ll also have to be a lot more generous with your pocketbook. Beeswax candles are typically much more expensive than soy wax or even paraffin. Depending on how environmentally conscious you are, the decrease in the honeybee population isn’t being helped by purchasing beeswax candles. While paraffin may not be the wisest option, organic soy wax candles could be a worthwhile and safe alternative that will also cost you significantly less.
Beeswax Candles Value
Since beeswax candles are sold and manufactured by many different brands, we’ll use an example here of burn times based on the type/shape of beeswax candles available. As for prices, they will also vary based on where they are purchased. For purposes of this article, we’ll focus on pillars (3×5 inches), tea lights, votives (3 inches) and tapers.
- Pillars – 100 hours
- Tea Lights – 8 to 9 hours
- Votives – 16 hours
- Tapers – 1 hour (may vary depending on the length of the wick)
Available Scents
Beeswax candles are typically sold unscented because of their natural honey-like aroma. However, depending on the brand you may find candles that do come in differing scents that include but are not limited to the following examples:
- Sweet Honey
- Vanilla Creme
- Apple Cinnamon
- Cafe Cappuccino
- French Lavender
- Patchouli Oil
- Hyacinth Oil
- Pine
As mentioned, beeswax candles are sold in most stores as well as online.
