Beeswax is an incredibly versatile material. It can be used in candles, lotion, lip balm and even used as an additive to harden Melt & Pour soap. Not only that, beeswax also has unique properties that make it a wonderful wax to work with. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and analgesic properties, which make it a great ingredient to use for DIY skincare recipes. If you’re wondering what all you can make with beeswax, check out these ideas below!
Candles & More
Beeswax is often used as an additive in other waxes. However, some candle makers like using pure beeswax for their candles. Here are a few ways to incorporate beeswax in your next candle project.
- Make beeswax tealight candles. One pound of beeswax can make approximately 24 tealights! Don’t forget tealight wicks.
- Make pillar candles for a romantic table setting. Unlike coconut or soy wax, beeswax is hard enough to be used for pillar candles. Make a fun geometric pillar candle or try this fun sphere mold or diamond mold.
- Use beeswax in your favorite wax blend. Because beeswax is harder than other types of wax, it works great as an additive. If you’re working with soft waxes and want to make them harder, experiment by adding beeswax to the mix.
- Make beeswax wax melts. Although C55 coconut tart wax is our favorite wax for making wax melts, you can use beeswax as well. To make wax melts with beeswax, you’ll need to combine the wax with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil. Most beeswax wax melt recipes call for 4 parts beeswax to 1 part oil. In other words, for one cup of beeswax pastilles, you’ll need about ¼ cup of oil. Simply melt your wax and oil in a double boiler, add fragrance and pour into a mold.
Décor and Crafts
Beeswax can also be used to create a huge variety of craft projects. Here are just a few ways to use beeswax for DIY projects.
- Make beeswax tree ornaments. Because beeswax is a hard wax, it works great in molds that have a lot of intricate details. If you want to make natural Christmas tree ornaments, simply melt some beeswax and pour it into your favorite mold. To avoid making the ornaments too heavy, pick a shallow mold or only fill the mold with a thin layer of wax. This will create flat ornaments that don’t weigh down your branches. You can also add fragrance for scented ornaments.
- Make wax-resist artwork. Wax repels water, which makes it a unique medium to use with watercolor paints. Hard beeswax can be applied to your paper (like drawing with a crayon) to cover any areas of a scene that you don’t want to be covered with paint. When your painting is complete, all of the areas covered with beeswax will remain white. This is a fun technique for kids and experienced artists to try.
- Make DIY crayons with beeswax. Coloring crayons are easier to make than you might think! All you need is beeswax, a mold and some pigments like mica powder. Simply melt the wax in a double boiler, stir in a few micro scoops of mica powder and pour into a mold. Make this project extra fun by using cute mold shapes, such as our Silicone Cupcake Mold, Cars & Trucks Mold or Dinosaur Mold. Kids will love coloring with the fun shapes!
Health and Beauty
Beeswax has numerous properties that make it ideal for salves, lotions and more. Here are a few ways to make DIY beauty products with beeswax.
- Make lip balm. Beeswax is a key ingredient in homemade lip balm recipes. Other common ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter and mango butter are softer, beeswax helps stiffen up lip balm recipes. Follow our simple lip balm recipe to make your own batch of beeswax lip balm.
- Make lotion bars. In the colder months, lotion bars are the perfect remedy for cracked, dry skin. Unlike most store-bought lotion, a lotion bar doesn’t contain any water, which can actually dry out your hands even more. To make lotion bars, melt together 1 part beeswax, 1 part coconut oil and 1 part cocoa butter or shea butter. Once melted, stir in a few drops of fragrance oil or essential oil. Then pour into a soap mold and let harden. Check the IFRA statement on the fragrance oil product page to see how much fragrance you can use for lotion bars.
- Solid perfume. Making your own perfume is incredibly easy. For on-the-go convenience, try making your own solid perfume bars. All you need is a few drops of fragrance oil as well as 1 part beeswax and 1 part oil such as sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil. Simply melt the beeswax, stir in the oil and add a few drops of fragrance. We carry a ton of perfume and cologne inspired fragrances, but any skin-safe fragrance will do. Refer to the IFRA statement on the fragrance oil product page to see how much fragrance you can use for solid perfume.
1 comment
can you tell me which wicks are best for beeswax candles? Thanks