About our Candles

Pure Beeswax Wax 

Beeswax is a natural product produced by glands below the abdomen of honeybees.  Flakes of wax are manipulated by the bees to produce hexagonal comb in which they store nectar, pollen and honey.  When the moisture content of honey is reduced to 18% or less, the bees cap the honey comb with additional wax to seal the honey from humidity.  The wax cappings are shaved from the comb to extract the honey, then cleaned and melted to produce beeswax candles.  Natural wax colors vary.   Beeswax candles burn much slower and last longer than conventional candles, which are typically made of soy or paraffin, a petroleum by-product.  This is due to the higher melting point of beeswax, which does not required additives or hardeners to extend the burn time.

Beeswax is melted and filtered to remove impurities (propolis, pollen, etc.).  It is then melted again and poured into silicone molds, where it hardens into the final candle form.  After several hours, the candles are removed from the molds, finished by trimming wick and leveling the bottom, and ready for use.   

Pure beeswax candles will develop a whitish film called "bloom". This results from natural oils rising to the surface and is a sign of purity and cherished by beeswax candle connoisseurs. Candles made from a blend of waxes including beeswax will not develop bloom.   If  you want to maintain a polished yellow appearance, periodically buffing the candle with a soft cloth or warming with a hair dryer will remove the bloom. Once removed, bloom will again reappear on pure beeswax, but has no effect on how the beeswax candle burns.

Please anticipate minor deviations from photos, as all candles are hand crafted using natural beeswax, which varies in shades/colors based on the age and location and function of the wax comb in the hives.  When first made by bees, wax flakes are nearly white.  As bees use comb to store honey and pollen and raise brood, the wax changes in color from almost white to light yellow to deep gold.  

All candles are hand poured in Easton, MD  from 100% pure beeswax, with no chemicals, hardeners, fillers or artificial scents.  Candles are soy and paraffin wax-free.  We only use braided 100% cotton wick that contains no lead or zinc.

The melting point of beeswax is approximately 140 degrees, so our candles can be shipped throughout the country year-round.

Bayberry Wax 

We also offer candles hand crafted principally from genuine bayberry wax with a small amount of pure beeswax.  The use of bayberry or myrtle wax candles in New England is documented in the late 17th century, and the colony of Virginia exported quantities of bayberry candles.  According to tradition, a bayberry candle burned all the way down on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve brings good luck for the coming year.  

As the saying goes: 

   "On Yuletide Eve burn it down to the end.

    A bayberry candle burned down to the socket,

    Brings food to the larder and gold to the pocket!"

Early colonists made candles from tallow (animal fat), which burned smoky and with an odor.   In contrast, bayberry wax and beeswax were treasured for their clean burning, bright light and fragrant characteristics.  Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is a deciduous shrub that grows along the Atlantic Coast, from Newfoundland to North Carolina.  Genuine bayberry wax is produced by boiling the small silver berries of the bayberry shrub to release the berries' waxy coating and skimming the wax from the surface of the water.  It takes about 15 pounds of berries to make one pound of bayberry wax.  The tedious labor required to collect this wax made it the most rare and expensive wax.  Due to the amount of effort required to this unique wax, in colonial days, bayberry candles were reserved for special occasions and holidays, especially Christmas and New Year's Eve. 

Pure bayberry wax is hard and brittle, which can result in candle breakage and reduced burn times.  Blending pure bayberry wax with a small amount of pure beeswax increases the durability and burn time of candles.  Our bayberry candles are made with a bit of white beeswax.  These candles produce a clean, bright light and a delicate, pleasant, evergreen or herbal aroma.  Our bayberry candles are entirely natural and contain no added colorants, fragrances or chemicals.  Due to the lower melting point of bayberry wax, these candles may drip more than beeswax candles.   Bayberry  candles provide a unique aesthetic appeal and make great gifts for Christmas, New Year's, housewarmings, or hard-to-shop-for people. 

For a more detailed information about bayberry candles, see https://eaiainfo.org/2020/05/21/some-notes-on-bayberry-candles/.