Beeswax Candle Guide

Michigan Homespun - Beeswax Candle Guide:

Handcrafted solid Beeswax Candles are made in Saint Clair Shores, MI just off of Lake Saint Clair. The Beeswax used in from the Northern part of Michigan, produced by Michigan Bees.

Scent and Color:

Beeswax candles have a natural honey scent. There is no added scent to the candles because Beeswax Candles clean the air and would burn off any scent that was added. Beeswax Candles are long burning, clean the air and are environmentally friendly.

Our beeswax candles have a natural soft creamy yellow color and soft, sweet, honey scent. Beeswax candles may vary in color. The color of the beeswax depends on what type of nectar the bees feed on. Usually it ranges from a soft creamy yellow to a deeper yellow to light brown. No additional color is added to the Beeswax Candles.

Beeswax versus other types of candles:

Beeswax Candles burn up three times longer than regular wax candles. They also have a brighter flame than other candles. Beeswax candles are clean burning and do not leave any soot or residue on walls or furnishings. Beeswax candles remove cigar, cigarette smoke, bacteria, fungus and mold and odors from the air, which benefits people with certain breathing difficulties. People have said they sleep better at night after burning a beeswax candle about ½ hour or longer during the day.

Wicks:

These candles are made using 100% pure Michigan Beeswax. The wicks used are made of 100% natural cotton wicking. The size of the wick used is determined on the diameter of the candle to give the best quality to the candle. For the best burn time keep wicks trimmed to 1/4 of an inch. This will help to prevent the flame to become too big. If the flame is allowed to become too big the candle will burn faster and cause the candle to drip. The candlewick in a candle is constantly feeding fuel (the wax) to the flame and a pool of wax is created around it due to the heat. The size of this wax pool can vary due to wick size, ambient air temperature, thickness of candle, how long it has been burning and other variables. While a taper will rarely leak on the sides, pillar candles need more attention. Some will burn forever, some need to be "hugged" (folding some of the wax along the edge in closer to the wick), and some can only be burned for a few hours or they may leak over the side causing a mess and impairing the looks of a decorative candle. Some decorative candles should only be burned for a short period of time since they are designed more for artistic reasons than to produce light for an extended period of time. Always use caution when burning candles to prevent fires!

All candles must have proper holders. Candles that are not held vertical and stable may burn on one side only or drip wax. All pillars should be in a container to prevent wax damage. Occasionally when extinguishing a candle, the wick will burn down slightly making it more difficult when you wish to re-light it. Scraping the wax slightly around the base of the wick (digging a small 1/4 inch hole) will make re-lighting the candle easier if there is a problem.

Safety:

For safety reasons never leave lit candles unattended. Do not pick up or move candles while lit or when wax is in a liquid form. Place container candles on heat resistant surfaces while lit. Keep the wick trimmed to ¼ inch while burning. Keep lit candles out of drafts and away from children and pets. All candles should be burned out of a draft. If there is a draft the candles will drip and will shorten the burn time.

The best way to put out the flame on a candle; with the tip of a pencil or wooden skewer, dip the wick into the liquid wax then with the pencil or skewer pull the wick out of the wax to cool. This prevents the smoky odor you would otherwise get if you were to blow out the candle or use a snuffer. Putting out a candle with a snuffer is also safe to do, but you will get some smoky odor in your area for a couple of minutes. If you wanted to blow out the candle; the best way is to place your finger about 2 inches in front of the flame and then blow. The air will go around your finger and the flame should go out. Blowing directly on any candle is not recommended because it could splatter hot wax and the wick may continue to glow and emit smoke.

Bloom:

As with all natural beeswax candles as the candle ages, or is stored in a cool place, it will develop a dusty appearance, this is called "bloom". It is very desirable for people in the design industry to have candles with this "bloom" on them. This shows that the beeswax candles are authentic. Many people prefer the appearance of candles with bloom on them. Bloom does not affect the burning qualities of the candle. If desired, it may be rubbed off with a soft cloth or removed by the gentle heat of a hair dryer.