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Beeswax: Made from flowers by
honeybees.
Beeswax is the most elegant material used in candle making. Beeswax is all natural, non-toxic,
non-polluting, and non-allergenic, with the delicious, natural aroma of honey - no synthetic fragrance added. A perfect, renewable resource, beeswax is made by
the female worker bee for the honeycomb. To produce one pound of beeswax, the
worker bees eat about 60 pounds of honey, fly 150,000 miles, and visit 33
million flower blossoms!
Beeswax is healthy.
Beeswax candles are the only candles for anyone with chemical sensitivities or
allergies. There is no petroleum by-product burning in the candles. Nor do
beeswax candles require the use of any additives to produce wonderful candles.
The result is that it is safer for those sensitive to allergens.
Beeswax is a good value.
Beeswax has the highest
melting point of any natural wax. Therefore, it burns longer than paraffin - up
to twice as long - without the addition of additives! Also, it achieves a very
efficient and complete burn (mostly to carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor)
and thus burns brighter, hotter, cleaner, and longer than any other
wax. Have you wondered why the golden beeswax flame appears warmer and more beautiful in appearance? It is! When properly made and burned, beeswax candles are smokeless and drip
resistant. Measured by burn time, beeswax candles are usually a better value
than paraffin - even when they appear to cost more. Beeswax candles also do not
produce the soot that damages property and injures your health.
But beware: labeling laws allow a candle to be labeled "beeswax"
if it contains as little as 10% beeswax - the balance is probably paraffin. If the label doesn't say
"100% beeswax" or "pure beeswax", it almost certainly is not.
Insist on 100% Pure Beeswax - the best choice.
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Naturally Drip
Resistant
The high melting point and molecular
structure of beeswax contribute to it's being naturally drip resistant.
The melting point for beeswax falls between 62°C
and 64°C, or between 145°F and 147°F, which is the highest melting
point of any natural wax. Thus, it solidifies quickly when cooling and gives
the wax less time to drip before it hardens.
Additionally, beeswax is
made up of long stranded molecules whereas paraffin is made up of shorter chain
molecules. Picture the difference between cooked spaghetti noodles and elbow
noodles. Since beeswax is made up of long molecules (like spaghetti) they get
entangled more with each other, forming knots and loops around each other. The
shorter fats of paraffin molecules (like elbow noodles) are not long enough to
get entangled. So the beeswax molecules "hold on" to each other.
All
this being said, even beeswax will drip if it is burned in a draft. Keeping the
wick trimmed to ¼", and keeping the wick straight will go a long way to
preventing dripping and will extend the life of your candle. This is
particularly important when burning pillar candles.
Our metallic
beeswaxes utilize a dye which can result in dripping. Therefore, we use the metallic
wax in an outer wrap and trim only. But be careful when burning the metallic
waxes as you may experience some dripping.
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Slow Burning
Beeswax candles
cost more than paraffin candles ... or do they? This depends on how you measure
it! A beeswax candle will cost more than a paraffin candle of
the same size, but it will also burn longer - up to twice as long - without the
addition of any chemical additives.
The texture of the beeswax you
choose makes a difference. The traditional honeycomb texture has more air in it
than the smooth or corrugated textures, which are denser, and this denser wax
burns more slowly.
What is Bloom?
Bloom is a dusty appearing substance that appears
on the surface of beeswax. In reality, it is the result of soft oils in the wax
coming to the surface. Many people like bloom, but it can give the appearance
that the color of the wax is fading or the candle is dust covered. It is not harmful and can easily be
removed. A smooth wax may be buffed with tissue paper or a nylon stocking. An
easier fix, especially for textured wax, is to blow a warm hair dryer lightly
on the surface. Watch the bloom disappear.
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Fragrance and Additive Free
Beeswax burns with the sweet, delicious, natural aroma of honey.
The American Lung Association says:
"Although candles
create a warm, inviting feeling within the home during the holidays and
throughout the year, there are studies showing that candle usage can create
problems for your home's interior. Burning candles can emit small amounts of
toxins such as acetone, benzene, lead and mercury into the air. Choose bees wax
candles instead of scented or slow-burning candles with metal in the wick, or
candles that are greasy to the touch."
Pure paraffin is colorless,
burns too quickly, and doesn't have much of a scent. As a result, paraffin
candle makers and the people who provide wax to them compensate with additives.
They add stearic acid and other chemicals designed to extend the burning time.
They add chemicals to color the wax and to give them scents. Then people burn
these candles and the partially combusted residues of these chemicals float
about in the air and settle on their furniture, on their clothes, and on
everything else.
Aromatherapy, the use of fragrance for therapeutic
effect, is a wonderful and healing art. However, "Aromatherapy candles" may
bear little or no relation to true aromatherapy and can have negative effects
on air quality and health.
Some companies use good quality essential
oils but they are most commonly in a paraffin candle. According to the American
EPA, paraffin candles are known to release carcinogens like benzene and
toluene.
The American Lung Association says: "Refrain from burning
scented or slow-burning candles that have additives." This is such a serious
issue that the insurance industry is issuing stern warnings - and policies.
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Smoke
and Soot Free
Candle emissions can leave dark
shadows (ghosting) or soot on walls, on furniture and in the heating and
cooling system, potentially costing homeowners thousands of dollars to fix.
Pure paraffin is colorless, burns too quickly, and doesn't have much
of a scent. As a result, paraffin candle makers and the people who provide wax
to them compensate with additives. They add stearic acid and other chemicals
designed to extend the burning time. They add chemicals to color the wax and to
give them scents. Then people burn these candles and the partially combusted
residues of these chemicals float about in the air and settle on their
furniture, on their clothes, and on everything else.
Link to
Insure.com article
http://info.insure.com/home/candles.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HKL/is_5_7/ai_66918312
http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/beeswax.shtml
http://www.dld123.com/hshnewcandles.html
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1594/is_6_9/ai_53379075
http://www.life.ca/nl/67/candles.html
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Not
Petroleum Based - Renewable Resource
Paraffin
is a petroleum product. Crude oil does not burn cleanly and must be processed
in oil refineries in order to make the gasoline we burn in our cars. Processing
removes substances that prevent the clean burning of oil, and in turn these
substances are used to manufacture many different things, including paraffin.
Paraffin is bleached, and then texturized with acrolein. It has the advantages
of being cheap and easy to work with, and it has a characteristic colorless
translucence that is prized in some types of candles. Unfortunately, burning
paraffin candles produces smoke and soot, and can release carcinogens like
benzene and toluene as well as other toxic substances. Being made from
petroleum, paraffin as a resource is non-renewable
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Burning Tips
Beeswax
is expensive - Get the most from your beeswax candles:
- Keep the wick trimmed to about 1/4 inch. Always trim the wick
after burning and do not trim when the wick is cold.
- Keep the candle out of drafts. A draft can lead to smoking,
dripping and uneven burning. If the flame of the candle is dancing, there is
a draft in that location.
- Aged beeswax candles burn even longer than freshly made ones.
Keep some candles tucked away to burn at a later date.
- Burning candles close together in groups will affect the burn
time and quality of the burn because of heat generated by the candles.
- Remove any bits of wick or other foreign matter from the pool
of melted wax after extinguishing your candle, and trim the wick
immediately.
- To extinguish - snuff the candle or dip the wick into the wax
pool. Do not blow the candle out as this may scatter hot wax.
- The first time you burn a pillar candle allow it to burn
until the melted wax (called "The melt pool") covers the top of the candle
(about an hour per inch of diameter). In subsequent lightings, keep the burn
time down to a maximum of three or four hours. This insures a clean, efficient
burning cycle for the life of the candle.
- Never leave a burning candle unattended, especially
near pets and children.
- Always place your candle on a non-combustible, heat-resistant
surface before lighting it, and use candle holders appropriate for the size of
the candle.
- Use your candles sensibly and safely and you will be able to
enjoy their serene beauty and sweet scent for many hours.
Our Shipping Rates
SHIPPING/HANDLING FREE - For Orders Over $75
Otherwise, Shipping/Handling is $5
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