A Question about Beeswax

A Question about Beeswax

I have worked for Honey Candles for over eight years. I have been writing about burning beeswax candles for quite a few of those years. I recently was shown some old ‘beeswax’ candles that had been around a while that generated a lot of questions for me. And I don’t have an answer or maybe I just don’t like the obvious answer.

What I know about pure natural premium quality beeswax made into candles:

  • It is non-toxic
  • It burns cleanly
  • It burns hotter than paraffin
  • It is made into candles in its native state other than with some filtering
  • It is pleasant to touch with a smoothness and richness
  • It has a depth to the finish with no flakes, cracks, dark wax or white spots
  • It is naturally honey scented
  • It ‘blooms’

The ‘beeswax’ candles I was shown were the color of beeswax. Maybe a little dark but the right color. They were very hard however almost like plastic. They smelled like - no I thought and smelled them again. It can’t be - it smells like baby powder. The gears in my head started to grind. I was told these candles were around ten years old. That was from long before I arrived here. What! Look at this! Here is what really put the question in my head – there was no ‘bloom’!

I put a ten year old Honey Candles® candle next to the other brand (because the owners saved one from ten years ago because they had the same reaction as me). The very 'bloomed' Honey Candles® Tube is to the far left. The three on the right are the 'other' brand. Can you see the difference? I examined the label of the other brand.  It said it is 100% pure beeswax.

I know the qualities of pure natural beeswax and the other brand's candles don’t have them all. So please use my above points when you are looking for a premium quality beeswax candle. If the candles you find don’t have these qualities don’t buy them. No matter what the labels says. And especially don’t buy them if they don’t say they are 100% pure beeswax.

Back to the ‘beeswax’ candles that smell like baby powder, are like hard plastic and don’t bloom – what conclusion did you come to? Are they 100% pure beeswax like the label says?

Published By Pat Cattermole

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Back to Beeswax Blog