Homemade Beeswax Jar Candles

 

This time of year I love filling our home with the ambiance of flickering light, but I don’t want the toxic chemicals found in scented candles or even the toxins released from unscented paraffin candles. I have purchased pure beeswax candles from Farmer’s Daughter Mercantile in the past (I love them!) and this year decided to make our own.

The process is really quite simple, and if you want some scent you can easily add essential oils of your choosing to the jars! It does take quite a bit of oil for the candle to have a scent so we opt for burning unscented candles for ambiance and diffusing oils for the aroma. If you do use oils, the citrus and floral oils are more aromatic in the beeswax than earthy or woodsy oils.

Supplies:

Natural beeswax pellets
Organic coconut oil (optional), 1tsp per jar
Hemp wicks (these aren’t pre-coated with soy or paraffin)
Wick stickers (easier than using hot glue like I did)
A wick centering device (this set has all three things listed so far)
Glass jars (I like small canning jars and also reused some gifted loose tea jars!)
Essential oils if you choose (20-30 drops per candle)
Twine and fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish, if desired

How-to:

Set a wide, shallow dish on the stove with water and heat to medium-low, very gently boiling. While the water heats, prepare your jars by adding a sticker to the metal ring of the wick and press firmly into the middle of the bottom of your glass jar. Align the wick holder on the top of the jar to keep the wick from moving to one side.

Pour about 1/3 of the jar full of beeswax pellets, then add 1/2 tsp coconut oil. Repeat the layers, finishing with the beeswax to near the top of the jar. As you fill the jars, make sure that the wick remains in the center. The coconut oil is optional but helps to slow the burning of the beeswax so your candles will last longer.

Once the water is boiling gently, place your jars in and allow the wax and coconut oil to melt. Add more beeswax pellets as needed as the wax melts and naturally lowers.

Once the wax is melted, remove from the water bath and place on a baking rack to cool. Add essential oils if using, dropping them in all around in the wax. Allow the wax to cool and harden, then tie with twine and a sprig of rosemary for a lovely gift!