Beeswax is produced by honeybees in their wax glands at a certain age of their life.  It takes 8 lbs of honey to produce 1 lb of beeswax.  As one honeybee exudes wax flakes, another collects them off her and after chewing the flake awhile to shape it, she constructs their homes in their self-developed, highly efficient shape, honeycomb, a shape that is the strongest, with the most space, with the least amount of materials and is unsurpassed even by computer generated models. Beeswax was used as one of the original forms of light.  The light produced by beeswax is the full spectrum of light.  Burning beeswax produces negative ions that circulate the room and attract pollutants, in much the same way as a magnet attract iron filings. Dust, odours, moulds, bacteria, viruses and other toxins are captured and neutralized. Burning paraffin candles, which are what every other candle that is not beeswax is, produces toxic combustion by-products, many of which are carcinogens.  Paraffin is a petroleum waste product, leftover from the oil refining process. Paraffin produces no negative ions and therefore pollutes the air. The lead in candles is found in the wick for the purpose of making the wick stand up straight.  People with respiratory problems should not use paraffin candles, nor should those who do not want to develop such problems.

Beeswax Candles Burning Instructions

As Beeswax is not like any other wax, burning beeswax candles requires certain techniques.  As you will have noticed, there is a great difference in the size of wick necessary to burn beeswax compared to paraffin as beeswax is the hottest burning wax, natural or synthetic, and a large wick in used to create enough heat to allow the candle to burn properly, depending on the shape of the candle and the desired burn.
Before you light your beeswax candle, trim the wick to ¼ inch or where the beeswax coats the wick.  Also, be sure to trim the wick as the burn goes along especially if it is over a long period of time.  Carbon builds on the end of the wick, and prevents the wicking action.  Cut it to the ¼ inch again if it has produced a large stem of wick.  When the candle is about to be lit again after it has solidified, trim the wick before lighting or you may be able to simply break the wick off where the carbon and wick meet and that will allow the wicking action to begin immediately as the beeswax will
not travel through the carbon.  If you have a beeswax candle that is not burning, or continues to go out, trim the wick shorter.  Because oxygen is also required, pour off wax if the wick is too short for oxygen to get to the wick and the candle will burn better. Always use a dish under your candle to allow for any "waxfalls" that may occur on certain styles of candles.  To prevent "waxfalls", allow the beeswax to solidify after the melted wax gets too close to the edge.  This method will get the longest burning time overall for the candle as you arrest the flow of the molten wax from breaking through the outer edge and escaping, hence it will burn down more evenly.  "Hugging" the candle is a useful technique to bring the outer edge of the candle closer to the flame which will also prevent "waxfalls".  When extinguishing the candle, simply bend the wick over into the melted wax and there will be no smoke and the wick will be primed with wax for the next time you light the candle. Acquire a good pair of steel scissors for trimming wick, as trimming the wick is a necessary part of burning beeswax candles.  Do not throw out leftover beeswax.  It is still useful if you melt it into a vessel that would perform as container candle.  All you need is some wick on hand and you can create your own candle from leftovers.  Or easier than that, return
it to Purple Gold Apiaries for a wax credit!