Maddie James
Beeswax candles are popular for their long burn time, natural air-purifying properties, and golden colour. However, beeswax has a high melting point and can be difficult to scent. Coconut oil is often added to beeswax candles to improve their scent and make the wax easier to melt and pour. It can also help the candle burn more slowly and more consistently, preventing a phenomenon called tunnelling, where the wick burns down into the centre of the candle. While coconut oil can make the wax softer, it does not affect the sustainability or clean-burning qualities of beeswax.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Why add coconut oil to beeswax candles? | Beeswax is difficult to scent; coconut oil adds an extra boost of fragrance and holds and throws it well. |
| Coconut oil has a lower melting point than beeswax, softening the wax and lowering its melting point, making it easier to melt and pour. | |
| Coconut oil helps the candle burn more consistently, avoiding tunnelling. | |
| Coconut oil is a renewable, high-yield crop, making it a sustainable option. | |
| Coconut oil does not compromise the clean-burning and sustainable qualities of beeswax. | |
| Coconut oil is a natural additive. | |
| The mixing ratio of beeswax to coconut oil varies. Most hobby candle makers recommend a 50-50% ratio. | |
| You can make 100% beeswax candles without coconut oil. |
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What You'll Learn
Coconut oil helps beeswax candles burn more slowly and for longer
Coconut oil is a common additive to beeswax candles. It is added to candles to make the candles burn more slowly and for longer. Coconut oil has a lower melting point than beeswax, which slightly softens the wax and lowers the melting point. This may decrease the burn time slightly, but since beeswax is already the longest-burning wax, even softened candles last longer than most other candles.
Coconut oil is semi-solid at room temperature, and olive oil is liquid, so olive oil will yield a softer candle. Therefore, coconut oil is a better option than olive oil.
The ratio of beeswax to coconut oil varies depending on the source. Some recommend mixing half and half, while others claim that a pound of beeswax should be mixed with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Most hobby candle makers recommend a 50-50% mixing ratio, but it's a good idea to start with a little more beeswax and less coconut oil to avoid the finished candles being too soft.
To make candles, you can add beeswax and coconut oil to a double boiler. If you are using a big block of wax, you will have to cut it as you weigh it. Once the beeswax and coconut oil are melted, take them off the burner. At this point, you can add essential oils if you want. Then, pour the mixture into containers with wicks attached to the bottom. Let the candles set up for 5 to 10 minutes or 1-2 days. Finally, trim the wicks to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch long.
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It can make the candle-making process easier
Adding coconut oil to beeswax candles can make the candle-making process easier in several ways. Firstly, it can help to lower the melting point of beeswax, making it easier to melt and pour the wax. Beeswax has a high melting point, and the addition of coconut oil can soften the wax, improving its pourability.
Secondly, coconut oil can enhance the fragrance of beeswax candles. Beeswax is known to have a faint honey scent, but it does not hold onto scents as well as other waxes. Coconut oil, on the other hand, has a great ability to hold and throw fragrance. Therefore, adding coconut oil to beeswax can boost the scent and make it more noticeable.
Additionally, coconut oil can help prevent tunnelling in beeswax candles. Tunnelling occurs when only a narrow central part of the wax melts, causing the wick to "dig into" the centre of the candle, leading to premature burning or incomplete wax utilisation. By adding coconut oil, the candle burns more evenly, and the tunnelling phenomenon is reduced or eliminated.
The ratio of beeswax to coconut oil can vary depending on personal preference and experimentation. Some recommend a 50-50% ratio, while others suggest using less coconut oil initially to avoid the candles becoming too soft. It is important to note that adding coconut oil may slightly decrease the burn time of beeswax candles due to its lower melting point, but beeswax already has the longest burn time among waxes, so even softened candles will outlast most competitors.
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It helps candles burn more evenly and consistently
Adding coconut oil to beeswax candles is a great way to improve the quality of your candles. Beeswax is one of the most beloved materials for candles due to its long burn time, natural air-purifying properties, and beautiful golden colour. However, beeswax has a high melting point and can be difficult to scent. This is where coconut oil comes in.
Coconut oil has a great ability to hold and throw fragrance, which means that when it is added to beeswax, it can give off more scent and do so quicker than if beeswax was used alone. Coconut oil also has a lower melting point than beeswax, which slightly softens the wax and lowers the melting point. This makes the wax easier to melt and pour, and it improves the burn quality of the finished candle.
The lower melting point of coconut oil helps the candle burn more evenly and consistently, preventing the so-called tunnelling phenomenon. Tunnelling occurs when only a narrow central part of the wax melts, causing the wick to "dig into" the centre of the candle. This can cause the candle to go out prematurely or burn out without using all of the wax. By adding coconut oil, the wax melts more evenly, and the candle burns more consistently, making the most of the wax.
The ratio of beeswax to coconut oil in your candles is important and may require some experimentation. Most hobby candle makers recommend a 50-50% mixing ratio, but it is a good idea to start with a higher ratio of beeswax to coconut oil to avoid the finished candles being too soft.
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It boosts the fragrance of candles
Beeswax is a beloved candle material due to its long burn time, natural air-purifying properties, and beautiful golden colour. However, beeswax candles have a faint honey scent and can be difficult to scent with other fragrances. Adding coconut oil to beeswax candles can boost their fragrance.
Coconut oil has a great ability to hold and throw fragrance. This means that when it is added to beeswax, it can give off more scent, and more quickly, than if beeswax was used alone. Coconut oil also has a lower melting point than beeswax, which slightly softens the wax and lowers the melting point. This may decrease the burn time slightly, but since beeswax is the longest-burning wax, even softened candles tend to last longer than most competitors.
Coconut oil is also a completely renewable, high-yield crop, making it a sustainable and efficient option for farming. Beeswax and coconut wax are the two most sustainable waxes available, so adding coconut oil does not affect the sustainability or environmental impact of beeswax candles.
When making your own beeswax candles, you can experiment with different ratios of beeswax to coconut oil. Most hobby candle makers recommend a 50-50% mixing ratio, but it's a good idea to start with a little more beeswax and less coconut oil to avoid the finished candles being too soft. You can also make 100% beeswax candles by omitting the coconut oil altogether.
In addition to boosting the fragrance of candles, adding coconut oil to beeswax candles can help them burn more consistently and avoid tunnelling. Tunnelling occurs when only a narrow central part of the wax melts, causing the wick to "dig into" the centre of the candle, leading to premature extinguishing or incomplete wax usage.
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It's a sustainable and efficient option
Coconut oil is a renewable, high-yield crop, making it a sustainable and efficient option for farming. It is also a natural additive that can be used to make beeswax candles more sustainable and efficient.
Beeswax is a natural, environmentally friendly wax that can be used to make candles. However, it has a high melting point, which can make it difficult to work with. This is where coconut oil comes in. Mixing coconut oil with beeswax lowers its melting point, making the wax easier to melt and pour. It also improves the burn quality of the finished candle, helping it burn more consistently and evenly. This prevents tunnelling, which occurs when only a narrow central part of the wax melts, causing the wick to "dig into" the centre of the candle and either go out prematurely or burn out without using all the wax.
Coconut oil also boosts the fragrance of beeswax candles. Beeswax does not hold onto scents as well as other waxes, but coconut oil has a great ability to hold and throw fragrance. This means that when it is added to beeswax, it can give off more scent, more quickly.
The ratio of beeswax to coconut oil in candle-making can vary depending on the manufacturer and even from batch to batch. Most hobby candle makers recommend a 50-50% mixing ratio, but it is a good idea to start with a little more beeswax to avoid the finished candles being too soft.
Overall, adding coconut oil to beeswax candles is a sustainable and efficient option that can improve the quality of the candle and enhance its fragrance.
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Frequently asked questions
Coconut oil helps beeswax candles burn more slowly and for longer, and it also helps the candle burn more consistently and evenly, avoiding the tunnelling phenomenon. Coconut oil also boosts the fragrance of the candle, as beeswax is difficult to scent.
Tunnelling occurs when only a narrow central part of the candle melts, causing the wick to "dig into" the centre of the candle. This can cause the candle to go out prematurely or burn out without using all the wax.
The ideal ratio depends on the quality of the beeswax and coconut oil, which can vary from batch to batch. Most hobby candle makers recommend a 50-50% mixing ratio, but it's a good idea to start with more beeswax and less coconut oil to avoid the finished candle being too soft.
