Disclaimer: I am not a homemade candle veteran. I do not sell candles. I have dabbled a little, and want to share what I have learned.
Does making homemade candles just seem overwhelming? You are thinking “I don’t want to do it wrong. I don’t want to burn myself.”
That’s what I thought too. It took me a long time homesteading before I even tried making homemade products like this.
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Today, I just want to give you a quick tutorial on making homemade beeswax candles.
This recipe is from the book Handmade: The Modern Guide to Made-From-Scratch Living by Melissa K Norris. I highly recommend this book. It has great recipes for all kinds of things around the homestead that you can make at home.
Unfortunately, our bees didn’t work out so well this year. You can read about that in this post —> 7 Lessons I Have Learned From My Honeybees This Year
So I have to buy beeswax just like you. But that’s okay. Better luck next year.
Homemade Beeswax Candles
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What you will need:
2 oz. coconut oil
Wick centering device (came with the wicks)
Cookie sheet
Spoon or spatula
Scissors
Double broiler or glass measuring jar with a mason jar lid and sauce pan
Instructions:
- Center your wick in the jar. You can use tape or hot glue to do this. Then put the wick centering device on the top of the jar to keep it centered.
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Put your jar on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven to keep it warm until you are ready to pour the candle.
- Measure your wax and put it in the glass jar.
- Use a double broiler to melt your wax and then coconut oil. I used a glass jar inside a sauce pan with a mason jar lid on the bottom to keep the glass off of the bottom of the pan.
- When the wax and coconut oil is melted (about 30 minutes) take the jar out of the oven and pour the wax into the warm jar.
- Turn off the oven and put the jar back in the oven to cool on the same cookie sheet.
- Once the candle has cooled, remove it from the oven.
- Let it cure for atleast 24 hours.
- Trim the wick to 1/4 inch above the surface of the candle.
Why I love homemade candles:
Beeswax candles are awesome because they are all natural. There are no synthetic chemicals or fragrances in this candle, which is great for burning in your home. You can add essential oils to this candle before it cools, but you would have to add alot of drops to make it smell right, which could be expensive.
Plus, when you burn a beeswax candle it already smells like honey, so you don’t need to add anything else. This is a great way to get started with making natural products in your home.
If you are interested in seeing this recipe and others in action, check out Melissa’s Hand Made Masterclass that goes with the book. You can get access to it here (affiliate link) Hand Made Masterclass.
Other Candle Making Resources:
Here are some resources for making other kinds of candles in your home.
Everything You Need to Know About Making Your Own Candles @ Fix
Homemade Candles in the Slow Cooker @ Live Simply
DIY Homemade Citronella Candles @ Don’t Waste the Crumbs
How to Make Tallow Candles @ The Prairie Homestead
Did your candles turn out awesome? Please share them with us in our Facebook Group! You can join here —> Real Food Homesteaders.
Don’t be afraid to try something new in homesteading. It may not work out the first time. You may feel like a failure if it doesn’t come out perfectly. But you know what?
You can’t learn a new skill without trying, failing and trying again. So don’t give up. Keep trying new things to see what works for you and your family.
Do you have any tips to share? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!
Don't know where to start with homesteading?
Grab our checklist to show you how to make your dreams a reality, step by step.
When you sign up for our email list, you will get this PDF for free, along with weekly emails covering topics on gardening, homesteading, etc. Don't worry. We won't spam your inbox. You can unsubscribe any time.