Beeswax candles

What you’ll need

• Beeswax Waxes Buy
• Cotton candle wicks Wicks Buy
• Wick stickers Wicks Buy
• Wick centering devices Wicks Buy
• Glass candle jars Containers Buy
• Candle pouring pitcher Tools Buy
• Candle thermometer Tools Buy
• Digital scale for candle making Tools Buy
• Heat gun for candles Tools Buy
• Wick trimmer Tools Buy

What you need

Pure beeswax is hard and shrinks a lot as it cools, so for jar candles it's usually blended with a little oil or coconut wax. That helps the candle stick to the glass, crack less and melt all the way across instead of tunneling.

For three 7 oz (about 200 ml) jars you'll need:

• 400 g (14 oz) of beeswax pastilles (yellow or filtered white).
• 100 g (3.5 oz) of coconut wax or coconut oil (an 80/20 blend).
• 3 pre-tabbed cotton wicks, one size larger than you'd use with soy.
• Wick stickers and centering bars.
• Optional: essential oils, 3–6% at most. Beeswax already has its own scent and holds less fragrance than soy.

Tools: a pouring pitcher you keep just for beeswax (it's hard to clean), a thermometer, a scale, a heat gun, a wick trimmer and sturdy candle jars.

Stage	Typical temperature	Note
Beeswax melt point	62–65 °C (144–149 °F)	Starts to melt
Full melt of the blend	75–80 °C (167–176 °F)	Don't exceed 85 °C (185 °F)
Add essential oils	70–75 °C (158–167 °F)	Stir 1–2 minutes
Pour	65–75 °C (149–167 °F)	Into pre-warmed jars

Preparation

Warm your jars; with beeswax it's practically required. Put them in the oven at about 140–160 °F (60–70 °C) for 10 minutes, or hit them with the heat gun right before pouring. A cold jar makes the wax shrink suddenly and pull away from the glass.

Stick the wicks in the center. Beeswax is dense and the flame needs more fuel, so when in doubt go one size up from what the wick calculator suggests for soy, then test.

Process

Melt the beeswax and coconut in a double boiler. Beeswax starts melting around 144–149 °F (62–65 °C); bring the blend to 75–80 °C (167–176 °F) but don't overheat it, or it darkens and loses its scent. Never melt it over direct heat: it's flammable at high temperatures.

If you're adding essential oils, do it at 70–75 °C (158–167 °F) and stir for a minute or two. Plenty of makers leave beeswax unscented, since that honey aroma is the whole appeal.

Pour at 65–75 °C (149–167 °F) into the warm jars, slowly, leaving about 1/2 inch (1–1.5 cm) of headspace. Unlike soy, beeswax is poured hotter so it bonds to the glass. Set the centering bars and let the candles cool slowly; covering them with a cardboard box helps the temperature drop gradually.

A sinkhole around the wick is normal. When the candle is almost set, poke a few relief holes near the wick with a skewer and top off with the wax you saved, reheated to the same temperature.

Curing

Beeswax doesn't need the two-week cure of a scented candle. After 2–3 days the wax has settled and the candle burns more evenly. If you added essential oils, a week improves the scent. The curing guide covers the details.

First burn

Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch (5–6 mm). On the first burn, let the melt pool reach the edge of the jar; with beeswax that can take a little longer, around 3 hours in a 3 inch (7–8 cm) jar. If there's still a hard ring at the edge after that, the wick is too small. Always keep an eye on the candle, keep it out of drafts and test burn every batch.

Over time a whitish film called "bloom" may appear on the surface. It's natural for beeswax; buff it off with a soft cloth or a quick blast of warm air.

Variations and ideas

• Pillars: pure beeswax is perfect for molded pillars; see pillar candles.
• No melting: for something quick, try rolled beeswax candles.
• Soy blend: 30–50% soy brings the cost down and improves adhesion.
• Tapers: with a mold, see taper candles.

Troubleshooting

Tunneling

The wick is too small or the wax too hard. Size up the wick or add more coconut.

Cracks or pulling away from the glass

Cold jars or fast cooling. Pre-warm the jars and insulate the candles while they cool.

The flame goes out

The wick is drowning in the dense wax. Try a bigger size.

Smoke or mushrooming wick

The wick is too big or untrimmed. Trim it before every burn. More fixes in the troubleshooting guide.

Step by step

1. 1 Pre-warm the jars in the oven at 140–160 °F (60–70 °C) or with a heat gun.
2. 2 Stick a pre-tabbed cotton wick in the center of each jar.
3. 3 Weigh out 400 g (14 oz) of beeswax and 100 g (3.5 oz) of coconut wax or oil.
4. 4 Melt the blend in a double boiler to 75–80 °C (167–176 °F), never above 85 °C (185 °F).
5. 5 For scent, add essential oils at 70–75 °C (158–167 °F) and stir for a minute or two.
6. 6 Pour slowly at 65–75 °C (149–167 °F) into the warm jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace, and save a little wax.
7. 7 Set the centering bars and cover the jars with a box so they cool slowly.
8. 8 When nearly set, poke relief holes near the wick and fill the sinkhole with the saved wax.
9. 9 Let the candles rest for 2–3 days.
10. 10 Trim the wick to 1/4 inch and test burn until the melt pool reaches the edge.

Tips

• Keep one pitcher just for beeswax; it's very hard to clean completely.
• Use filtered beeswax from a known source so debris doesn't clog the wick.
• If the wick drowns, go up a size; beeswax nearly always needs a bigger wick.
• To clean up, warm the tool and wipe the wax off with paper towels before washing.
• White "bloom" is natural; a soft cloth or a heat gun takes it right off.

Mistakes to avoid

• Pouring into cold jars: the wax cracks and pulls away from the glass.
• Using the same wick you'd use for soy: it's usually too small and tunnels.
• Overheating the wax: it darkens, loses scent and raises the fire risk.
• Adding lots of fragrance: beeswax holds very little and can sweat.
• Cooling candles in a draft or in the fridge.

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Stock checked on October 6, 2026

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