What Makes Beeswax Special ?

Natural beeswax has a dark yellow to brown colour, depending on what the bees had for lunch.  After being collected from the hive, the beeswax needs to be melted, filtered and cleaned to remove the dead bees and bits of propolis.

You will appreciate our natural beeswax even more when you understand what extraordinary effort it takes for bees to produce honey (and wax).  Bees must visit 2 million flowers to make one 500g bottle of honey. One bee makes only one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. A hive of bees flies the equivalent of 3 orbits around the earth to collect just 1kg of honey.

Honey contains antioxidants and is the only food that includes all substances – including enzymes, vitamin, minerals and water – necessary to sustain life.  Did you know that bees are the only insects that make food that humans eat?

Enough About Honey, More About Beeswax !

Like other plant waxes such as stearic acid and soy wax, beeswax is a fatty acid.  It is secreted by worker bees and is initially nearly white but  becomes darker with the incorporation of pollen oils and propolis.  Beeswax has a slightly higher melting point than paraffin (candle) wax.  Melting point ranges between 62 C and 65 C.

Beeswax Candles

Beeswax is stickier than paraffin wax too.  You will, therefore, need to use a thicker wick than you would for paraffin wax candles.  Consider using a wick with a looser weave or one of Candle Deli’s flat braid wicks.

Natural beeswax has a strong honey smell.  Make the most of its natural properties and fragrance :  do not add fragrance oils to natural beeswax.  Use natural beeswax for making container candles, preferably in ceramic, porcelain or clay containers.

Other Uses for Natural Beeswax

Natural beeswax is most often used in eco-friendly cosmetic products such as natural lip balms, in food wraps and as a furniture polish.