Thriving Hives
September 2024
Processing and using Beeswax: Candles and Cosmetics
Brynn Meredith, Teresa Hunsaker, and Andree’ Walker Bravo
Introduction
Beeswax is a substance produced by bees for constructing honeycomb in a hive. From any given hive, a beekeeper can usually harvest about 1-2 pounds of wax for every 100 pounds of honey harvested.1 When raw wax is harvested from the hive, it may be quite dirty and can have many different kinds of debris stuck in it. Because of this, it is important that you clean and process the wax before using it. This fact sheet will teach you how to process the wax that you harvest and provide some suggestions on how you can use it in your home.
Tip: Remember that whenever you are working with beeswax, you should use clean equipment and work in a dedicated location. Consider using pots, pans, and other tools that you won’t need for cooking again, as wax is extremely difficult to clean out completely.
1. Harvesting Wax
To harvest beeswax, first ensure that you have extracted as much honey from each frame as possible. Remove the wax caps by scraping them off or by poking holes into each capped cell. Allow the honey to drain out or use a honey extractor. Save the wax caps in a strainer and allow the honey to drain off of those as well. Once the honey has drained out of the cells, scrape the frame with a hive tool and transfer the collected wax into a container.
2. Initial Cleaning
Typically, you will not have to do much during this initial cleaning. If you can see dead bees or bee parts or other large debris in the wax, you can use a cloth, a soft brush, or even your hands to remove the foreign substances. Rinse all the wax gently with cool water, being careful to not use too much pressure, as this will cause you to lose wax.
3. Melting Wax
Begin the process of purifying or clarifying wax by melting. This should be done slowly over low heat, as it will help keep the wax in good condition. If the wax gets hotter than 180 degrees Fahrenheit, you will start to have problems with discoloration.
For this process, you will want to set up a double boiler. You can buy a professional double boiler, but you can just as easily make one with things that you’ll already have in your kitchen. This is done by placing a large pot on the stove and filling it with water. You will then place a smaller pot or heat-resistant bowl directly on top with its bottom partially submerged in the water. Place your wax in the top of the double boiler setup and turn the heat on to medium or lower. Allow the wax to melt slowly, stirring occasionally.
4. Filtering Wax
Once your wax is fully melted, remove it from the heat source. Cover a large bowl with a fine strainer like cheesecloth, muslin, or even a coffee filter and then pour your wax through. This process will require patience but is essential in ensuring that you have clean, usable wax. The finer your strainer, the cleaner your wax will be. This process will help you remove any remaining dirt, bee parts, propolis, and even honey.
5. Alternate Filtering Method
Another way to filter the wax is to wrap the unfiltered wax in cheesecloth or muslin and secure the fabric closed with string or a rubber band. Place your improvised bag of wax in a pot of heated water (you may also use a large roasting pan, etc). This will cause the wax to melt and float out of the bag and into the water, leaving impurities behind. Once all the wax has melted, remove the bag from the water and allow it to drain off over the pot. Turn off the heat and allow the water to cool and the wax to harden. Repeat as necessary.
6. Cooling and Solidifying Wax
After you have filtered your wax, allow it time to cool and solidify. You can leave it in the bowl, pour it into molds, or spread it on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. The wax should be left to cool and solidify at room temperature. It is important that you do not stick your wax in the fridge or freezer to cool, especially if you’re putting it into molds, as rapid cooling will cause your wax to crack.
After the wax has cooled, take time to inspect it. Beeswax will often retain impurities after the initial filtering and will need to be filtered again. This is especially true if you are using wax for cosmetic purposes. Check to see if there are remaining visible issues with the wax and, if you are looking for a specific color, determine if you’ve got what you want. If you do find remaining impurities or if you have not achieved the desired color, repeat the process. You can do so 1-2 more times until you are satisfied with the wax.
7. Storing Wax
Once you have completed the filtering process, store your clean beeswax in an airtight container. This will ensure that it is protected from dust and other contaminants. Store it in a dry place away from direct sunlight, as this will keep the wax from melting or becoming discolored.
Best Practices
Practice. Consider processing a small amount of wax first so that you can get used to the process. If you start with a huge batch and make a mistake, it will be a lot more frustrating than if you have a small sample to test.
Be patient. Processing wax is time-consuming and can be difficult. Avoid rushing yourself, and take time to ensure that you are doing everything with care, as this will help you to get the kind of results desired. Avoid skipping or rushing through steps.
Uses for Beeswax
Beeswax has several interesting and useful properties. For example, it is a humectant, or a substance that prevents moisture loss.2,3 It also has anti-inflammatory properties,4 which means it can reduce redness and swelling. Additionally, due to its hardness, beeswax can function as an emulsifier and solidifying agent, which makes a great additive to cosmetics.
Another common use of beeswax is in making candles. Using wax collected from your hives to make your own candles at home is a great alternative to buying commercially made candles. This is because commercially made candles are often made with chemicals that can negatively impact your health when burned. However, it is important to note that beeswax is difficult to work with in candle making. Its hardness and high melting point creates a risk of having a weak flame and a drowned wick. Additionally, beeswax must be allowed to cool down very slowly or the candles will get large cracks. This is not to discourage you from candle making but rather to explain the differences between working with beeswax and other kinds of wax. All of these problems are avoidable if you follow the steps outlined in this paper.
Avoid Misinformation
You may see sources suggesting that burning beeswax candles is significantly cleaner than burning paraffin wax candles. This has been disproven, as beeswax only has the advantage of producing slightly less soot. Additionally, you may have read that burning beeswax candles will release negative ions that clean the air. However, this is false. Research shows that artificially created negative ions will purify air,5 but burning beeswax candles does not create this effect. Do not operate under the assumption that beeswax candles will clean your air. No matter what kind of candles you use, ensure that your space has proper ventilation so the resulting smoke can escape.
Candle Making
Once you have clean and usable beeswax and are ready to attempt candle making, select a type of wick to use. When choosing wicks, pay attention to the diameter of your candle. Wide candles will often require two or three wicks. Additionally, candles dyed darker colors or with a lot of fragrance require wider wicks. Wick manufacturers will often have charts to help you pick your wick size and type, but it may be beneficial for you to try a couple types to decide what you prefer.
Here are some common wick types:
• Square braid wick - This wick is most popular for novelty and pillar candles. Generally preferred by beeswax candle makers, #10 is the largest size and #6/0 is the smallest based on wick diameter.
• Flat braid wick - Though popular for taper candles, it may also be used for pillar and novelty candles. The numbering system works by ply, meaning that the smaller the number the smaller the wick.
• Cored wick - Used in jars, votives, and floating candles, cored wick is not typically suited for other types of candles. These wicks will have a core made from various materials. They do not curl, which makes them preferable for deep candles where curling would create issues.
• Wood wick - This wick is good for candles in jars or decorative containers because they burn longer than cotton wicks. They are typically difficult to relight as they take about 20 seconds of heat to catch fire.
Working With Wax
Once you select a wick and are ready to begin making your candles, create a double boiler setup. Place a large pot filled with water on the stove and place a smaller pot or bowl on top with its bottom submerged about halfway in the water. The wax will go in the top part of the double boiler. Alternatively, you can melt your wax in a slow cooker. This will take longer but doesn’t require your constant attention. If you use this method, find a cheap slow cooker that you don’t plan on using for food again, as wax is hard to remove completely. When melting your wax, be patient. It must be melted slowly at a low temperature.
As mentioned earlier, beeswax comes with a laundry list of potential problems due to its hardness. Because of this, creating a blend with palm oil or coconut oil mixed into the wax is advisable for softening. You can add palm oil up to a 50/50 mixture. For coconut oil, most people prefer a 1:2 coconut oil to beeswax mixture. No matter what kind of oil you choose, you should never have more oil than wax. It may be beneficial to experiment with different mixtures.
Final Touches
After your wax is completely melted, you can add coloring and scents. Mix and match fragrances, but avoid going overboard, as headaches may result from burning heavily scented candles. Remember that you can always add more fragrance oils or colorants later but cannot back out from adding too much.
When using jars or decorative containers for your candles, you can secure your wick to the bottom with a metal base or hot glue. You can also just use wax by dipping the wick in melted wax and allowing it to harden so that it will be stiff. Then, add a bit of melted wax, slightly cooled, into the container and stick the wick upright in it until it hardens. After securing the wick, pour in the wax to make your candle.
Once poured, allow the candle to cure for at least 24 hours. Do not place the candle in the fridge or freezer; this will cause the wax to crack. If you need to pull the candle out of a mold and are having difficulty doing so, place it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes only after it has fully cooled to room temperature. Once the candle sets, trim the wick. The candle will then be ready for use.
Tip: Remember that candles have a “burn memory,” which means you must allow the candle to burn long enough that the wax melts to the container’s edge, or you will get tunneling with future burns.
Other Products
Reusable Beeswax Wrap (like plastic wrap)
Makes 2-3 12x12 wraps
100% cotton fabric
0.35 ounce pine resin
1.25 ounces beeswax
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
Large popsicle stick (or other disposable stirrer)
Parchment paper
Paint brush (dedicated for just this)
Wash and dry the fabric and cut it into the desired shapes and sizes.
Place resin, wax, and oil in a double boiler setup and set the heat to medium-high. Allow ingredients to melt, stirring occasionally.
Heat oven to 300 °F.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread a piece of the cut fabric onto it.
Brush the wax mixture onto the fabric, covering the whole thing evenly. Try to apply small amounts at a time to avoid oversaturation.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven for 2 minutes or until the fabric looks wet.
Remove from the oven and look for dry spots. Brush more of the wax mixture over those spots. If this causes unevenness you can place it back in the oven, as this will help with redistributing the wax.
Place the next piece of fabric on top of the current one to absorb any extra wax. Do this quickly so that they don’t get stuck together. Hang the completed piece up to dry and repeat the process until you run out of your wax mixture.
These sheets can be used however you would usually use plastic wrap. They are great for storing fruit and vegetables, covering dishes for storage, and can even be used in place of ziplock bags!
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoons shea butter
1 tablespoons sweet almond oil
2 tablespoons beeswax
2 teaspoons honey
2-4 drops essential oil (optional)
Melt all the ingredients slowly in a double boiler to avoid burning. Fill an empty lip balm tube or an alternate small container.
Lip Balm
Lotion Bars
3 ounces beeswax
4 ounces shea or cocoa butter
4 ounces coconut oil
10-20 drops essential oil, depending on fragrance strength
In a double boiler setup, melt the first 3 ingredients together and mix. Remove from heat and add essential oils. Pour the mixture into silicone molds and let the bars harden for 24 hours before unmolding.
Beeswax Cream
1 cup olive oil
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup beeswax, melted ½ teaspoon vitamin E oil
2-4 drops essential oil (optional)
Melt the first 3 ingredients together in a double boiler to avoid burning. Stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the last 2 ingredients and stir. Transfer to an airtight container to store. This cream can help with minor burns and abrasions and may soothe rashes.
References
1Food4Farmers. (2014, February 16). Bee products for income [Web log post]. https://food4farmers.org/bee-products-forincome/
2Nong, Y., Maloh, J., Natarelli, N., Gunt, H. B., Tristani, E., & Sivamani, R. K. (2023, March 31). A review of the use of beeswax in skincare. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 22(8), 2166–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/ jocd.15718
3Kurek-Górecka, A., Górecki, M., Rzepecka-Stojko, A., Balwierz, R., & Stojko, J. (2020, January 28). Bee products in dermatology and skin care. Molecules, 25(3), 556. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25030556
4Cornara, L., Biagi, M., Xiao, J., & Burlando, B. (2017, June 28). Therapeutic properties of bioactive compounds from different honeybee products. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8, 412. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fphar.2017.00412
5Jiang, S., Ma, A., & Ramachandran, S. (2018, September 28). Negative air ions and their effects on human health and air quality improvement. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(10), 2966. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijms19102966
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