What types of candles does the Bee Man Candle Company make?

We only produce 100% Pure Beeswax Candles and True Bayberry Wax Candles.  These are the highest quality of waxes available.

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Aren't all candle waxes the same?

The simple answer is no.  There are many types and grades of wax. Here are some of the most common waxes used in candle making.

     

     Beeswax is produced by glands in the honeybee.  Bees use this wax to store honey and raise their young.  Most wax is

     obtained by beekeepers during harvest by cutting the caps off of the hexagon shaped cells where the honey is stored.  This is

     called "cappings wax."  This wax is then melted and refined to remove impurities.  Beeswax candles are clean burning, with

     virtually no smoke or soot.  Beeswax actually pulls toxins and odors out of the air, rather than pollute like paraffin. When

     burned correctly, beeswax is dripless and burns 2-3 times longer and brighter.

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     Bayberry Wax is the one of the rarest waxes in the world and it is often very difficult to find true bayberry wax candles.  It is

     prized for its unique scent and color and its long and clean burning properties.  It comes from harvesting the fruit of the

     bayberry bush.  The berries are boiled and the wax rises to the surface where it is skimmed and then filtered.  It is a very

     labor intensive process.  It takes approximately 1 ton of bayberries to produce 8 pounds of wax.  It is extremely brittle and

     can shatter like glass if dropped or forced in anyway.  Almost all true bayberry candles contain at least some beeswax to

     make it easier to work with and more stable.  We use less than 20% beeswax in our bayberry candles. 

 

     The Bayberry Tradition

 

"A Bayberry Candle Burned to the Socket, Brings Food to the Larder and Gold to the Pocket." 

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     Paraffin Wax candles make up 95% of the world's candle production. Paraffin is a petroleum by-product that requires

     additional chemicals to harden and scent it. Paraffin releases toxins as it burns, evidenced by the black soot paraffin candles

     produce.

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     Soy Wax is produced by refining wax form soy beans.  While it tends to be a more natural alternative to pure paraffin candles,

     most soy candles use petroleum based fragrance oils to scent them or stabilizers to harden the wax.  This is why you still

     often see soot lining your jar as you burn them.  Soy agricultural production has also been a driving force in monocrop

     agriculture and land use change.  In South America, its expansion has come at devastating costs to the rain forest.  

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     Palm Wax is produced by refining wax from palm trees.  A few years ago, it was thought that this wax would overtake the soy

     market as the dominant natural alternative to paraffin.  The production of palm wax has decreased substantially as the

     processing of palm oil was found to be environmentally destructive.  

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What are the benefits of beeswax candles?

Beeswax is a clean burning and long lasting product. They are a natural air purifier that produces a brighter flame and drip less candle. Specifically, our candles are smokeless, drip less, and scentless.

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What are bayberry candles?

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"A bayberry candle burned to the socket, brings food to the larder and gold to the pocket."  Traditional New England Verse

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While there are many scented bayberry candles available on the market, true bayberry wax candles are very special.  Bayberry wax is derived from the bayberry bush. There is a tradition that if you burn a bayberry candle to its base on New Year's Eve, it will bring health and prosperity through the coming year.  Many have extended this tradition to Christmas as well while some of our clients, due to the beautiful color, natural, clean scent, and exceptional burn quality, have begun making this a tradition year round. 

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Do you grow you grow your own bayberries?

We do not grow our own bayberry plants.  It takes approximately 1 ton of bayberries to produce only a few pounds of wax. The United States no longer produces bayberry wax and all bayberry wax in the world comes from Colombia, South America.    

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Do you make all of your own candles?

Our candles are handmade by hand dipping or hand pouring into our personalized molds.

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Are your candles scented? 

We do not use artificial scents in any of our candles. Our beeswax candles have the natural scent of honey and our bayberry candles have the ever slight natural scent of the bayberry plant.  True bayberry wax has very little natural scent.  Being natural products, the scent and color will vary from batch to batch and is heavily dependent upon the foraging patterns of the honeybees and the growing conditions of the bayberry plants.  Please note that almost all bayberry candles on the market, including those that claim to be made with pure bayberry wax add artificial scent to enhance the smell.  We do not do this. 

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What kind of dyes do you use in your candles?

We do not use any dye in our natural or ivory beeswax candles nor do we use any in our bayberry wax candles.  For all of our colored candles, we use aniline candle dyes.  They are safe, effective and give clear and bright tones and provide a clean burn with no sediment. Due to the varying nature of beeswax, our colors will vary slightly from batch to batch.  

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What kind of wicks do you use in your candles?

We use cotton core wicks in all of our candles.  Tealight and votive candles require a paper core wick to stabilize the center while burning.  We do not use metal wicks of any kind.  Lead core wicking has been band in the U.S. since 1972.  

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Do beeswax candles really burn longer?

Yes. Beeswax is a long burning, natural wax. However, keep in mind, the burn time of a beeswax candle can be affected by the environment where it is burned.  Breezes, fans, and vents will cause any candle to burn more quickly and drip.

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I have noticed my candles develop a white film on them over time.  What is this? 

The white film on the candle is called Bloom. Bloom is the dull “finish” that appears on the surface of beeswax. It is caused by the softer oils in the wax coming to the surface. It is not harmful and can easily be removed with warm air of a dryer or buffing with your hand. When using a blow dryer, keep the dryer at a distance to prevent the melting of the wax. Some clients prefer the bloom on their beeswax candles.  To expedite the process, you can place the candles in a freezer or cold environment. 

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My beeswax pillar burned a tunnel down the middle of the candle. What happened?

Beeswax pillars need to be burned for at least 3 hours to form a pool of wax the width of the candle. Many customers ask if they should fold the outer wax into the melted wax when a pillar burns straight in the center. We suggest you fold a little bit of wax at a time, since the candle will burner brighter and the wax will burn faster. Be conscience that a large flame may indicate the candle wick needs to be trimmed. 

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What is the correct way to put out a candle?

The proper way to extinguish a candle flame is to use a candle snuffer. This will minimize the risk of getting wax all over and the amount of smoke that the candle will give off after it is extinguished. You place the snuffer on top of the flame without pushing the wick into the wax. If you do not own a candle snuffer, place your hand behind the flame and blow. Your hand will minimize the sparks from traveling in the air.

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I am interested in selling your product in my store. How do I go about doing this? 

We can register you as a wholesale client and provide you with more information by contacting us at (978) 969-1380 or emailing sales@beemancandles.com. 

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What can I use beeswax blocks for?

Beeswax blocks are commonly used to polish or fill a scratch on furniture, waterproof shoes, leather, or wooden products or a lubricant on sleds, skis, and snowboards. It can also be used for crafts, like making candles or soaps.

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Do you have your own beehives?

No, the Bee Man Candle Company no longer has its own hives. However, we work very closely with small shareholders farms and beekeepers to source our honey.

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What is raw honey?

Raw honey is the most original sweet liquid that honeybees produce from the concentrated nectar of flowers. Collected straight from the extractor; it is totally unheated, unpasteurized, unprocessed honey. Raw honey is the most natural form you can get without going straight into the hive.

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What is the difference between store honey and local honey?

Store honey is artificial processed and stripped of the nutritional benefits. For the most natural form, raw and unprocessed honey is the way to go. Raw honey can be found at many bee farms in your local area or The Bee Man Candle Company.

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What is varietal honey?

Varietal honey is honey made predominantly from the nectar of a single type of flower. Beekeepers pull the honey from the hive when a specific flower is in bloom, for an unusual, unique taste and color compared to store bought honey.

  

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