Handmade candle holders? Only with handmade beeswax candles!
Not all candles are the same. Depending on the material and manufacturing process, candles differ quite considerably from one another. Handmade beeswax candles are characterised above all by the fact that they are an absolutely natural product. Whether as beeswax table candles, beeswax stick candles or beeswax tea lights: Handmade candles made of beeswax give every room a very special charm!
Many people spend most of their day indoors instead of out in the fresh air, which is why it is all the more important to bring a piece of nature home as a counterbalance. In the evening, after a long day on your feet, it is simply best to relax with a glass of wine and candlelight. Handmade beeswax candles are a small but important piece of the puzzle and have several advantages over industrially produced, conventional candles. For example, beeswax candles have a much longer burning time, burn without leaving residues and hardly drip at all when burning. Furthermore, beeswax candles burn absolutely CO2-neutral and clean the air!
Where does beeswax come from?
Beeswax is a metabolic product of bees. It consists of a whole range of different alcohols, esters, saturated fatty acids and other metabolic products specific to the bee colony. When freshly excreted, the wax is a white mass and somewhat resembles snowflakes. However, the pollen quickly turns the wax yellow and it takes on its typical odour.
Bees naturally build their combs with this wax. After some time of use, however, the wax turns darker and darker and is removed from the colony by beekeepers for hygienic reasons. A whole range of products are made from this wax, in purified form. Besides the popular beeswax candles, it is used in the industry as food additive E 901 or in creams as Cera alba (white wax).
By the way, for one kilogram of wax a colony has to work for a year!
How are candles made from beeswax?
There are four different methods for making handmade beeswax candles. The oldest technique, candle making, originated with the Romans in the 2nd century. This involved dipping a wick in liquid wax and placing it on candelabras. This technique disappeared in Europe for a long time and the first beeswax candles then reappeared in the 6th/7th century and were found in the Oberflacht burial ground. At that time, there was even a purity law for beeswax candles laid down by the church - altar candles must be made of 100 % beeswax, because only these candles are the cleanest, brightest and longest burning candles.
1.
The candles are kneaded
Kneading is one of the oldest methods of making beeswax candles and is no longer used today. The beeswax is kneaded around the wick with the fingers when it is warm and the candle is shaped by rolling it on a smooth surface.
2.
The candles are drawn
For the production of beeswax table candles and beeswax stick candles, candle drawing is the most suitable method. In this process, a wick is dipped into the liquid wax and then hung up to cool. This process is repeated several times in a row. Each time the wick is dipped into the wax, a new wafer-thin layer of wax is created and thus, piece by piece, a new candle.
3.
The candles are rolled
The special feature of making beeswax candles by winding wax plates is that this method also works with cold wax. Wax plates are needed for the production. A wick is also placed on the plate and rolled up piece by piece. The result is an even candle with a special pattern. Although this method is not suitable for tea lights, it is all the more suitable for stick candles and table candles.
4.
The candles are being poured
In candle casting, the wax is heated to about 65 degrees until it liquefies. The liquid wax is then poured into the moulds provided for this purpose and finally hardens as it cools. This process is particularly suitable for beeswax tea lights, but other shapes such as pine cones, Easter eggs or chicks are also possible.
Handmade beeswax candles require a whole series of steps, patience and a lot of care. In return, the handmade results are really something to behold. Combined with matching ceramic candle holders, the picture is completed.
Beeswax candles harmonise especially well with a handmade ceramic candlestick
Handmade beeswax candles are always eye-catching in and of themselves. However, they come into their own even more when they are placed in the right ambience. This hygge feeling can easily be created with the help of ceramic candle holders. Beeswax candles can be combined so well with ceramic candlesticks because this type of candlestick has a simple yet elegant look. This feature further emphasises the beauty of the beeswax candles and highlights them as the eye-catcher of the room.
In a way, the candlestick functions as a stylish accessory. By appearing rather plain and unobtrusive, but contributing to the perfect overall picture, it is the ideal complement for the candles. The ceramic candle holders can be combined with any style of furnishing and unfold their effect everywhere in the room. The simplicity of the ceramic candle holders also brings the special pattern of the beeswax candles to the fore. Handmade beeswax candles in matching ceramic stands thus embellish not only the dining table, but also a chest of drawers, a side table or other free spaces. The candles are also ideal as purely decorative elements.
In addition, a ceramic candle holder convinces with its positive properties in terms of durability. Ceramic is a natural material that is highly resistant to heat, pressure, liquids and wear. These positive properties protect the furniture from wax drips, should a candle drip. The robustness of the material ensures that the holders still look like new even after a long time. Unattractive discolouration does not occur with ceramic candle holders, even if a drop of hot wax does fall on the holder. Whether decorated with additional decorations or as a stand-alone decoration, the ceramic candle holders in combination with beeswax candles are a wonderful way to make a room even more homely, more hygge.
Handmade beeswax candles as a statement for environmental awareness
Most candles are made from paraffin in combination with stearin, both of which are waste products of the petroleum industry! The industrial production of these candles results in considerable environmental pollution. In comparison, handmade beeswax candles are produced sustainably and are a natural product. Our beeswax candles are made by selected beekeepers who carefully look after their bee colonies and ensure that their bees always have the habitat they need. The beeswax is therefore a natural by-product of beekeeping, which is constantly renewed and causes no harm to the environment and above all no harm to the bee colony. The environment is also not affected by the production of the candles.
However, it is not only the production of paraffin candles that is questionable; in contrast to beeswax candles, your own four walls also suffer from paraffin candles. This is because they emit many substances that are harmful to health when they burn. The acrid odour, which is mainly produced when there is not enough fresh air, is anything but healthy. Further disadvantages are the rather short life span of paraffin candles as well as a frequently occurring soot formation and heavy wax dripping. As decorative elements, paraffin candles may be nice to look at, but in this day and age they are no longer appropriate and should be removed from our perception.
We buy our beeswax candles exclusively from DACH beekeepers (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). In this way, we keep the transport routes short. Likewise, beekeepers in German-speaking countries have reacted early and are increasingly using alternative control methods to eliminate the Varroa mite (bee and brood parasite). For example, formic acid or oxalic acid are used. Formic acid is also naturally present in some honeys, such as chestnut honey, and therefore does not adulterate the product. Oxalic acid occurs naturally in the metabolism of humans and animals and also in useful plants such as rhubarb. Similarly, formic and oxalic acids are not fat-soluble and therefore do not accumulate in beeswax, unlike chemical control methods.
The disadvantages mentioned do not exist in connection with beeswax candles, on the contrary: due to their density, they burn for a very long time and remain soot- and drip-free. The light emitted is also something special. It is most similar to sunlight in terms of wavelength and burns very brightly and clearly. The high melting point ensures that the light is a warmly tinted flame. Likewise, don't forget the uniquely pleasant, sweet scent they give off!
What not everyone knows is that beeswax candles produce negative ions during burning, which are able to bind harmful substances from the air in the room and thus filter the air to a certain extent. Harmful substances are not released when using beeswax candles.
Why beeswax candles are worth the money
1.
Beeswax candles provide a better indoor climate
A high-quality beeswax candle can help to improve the air in a room. For example, pollen, odours, bacteria, dust and mould particles are filtered out of the air by the negative ions. These are created when the candle burns and bind suspended particles from the air to themselves. Thus heavy, they sink to the ground and leave behind clearer air.
2.
Long life of beeswax candles
Due to the particularly high density of beeswax, beeswax candles burn significantly slower than normal industrial candles. Beeswax candles burn up to three times longer than paraffin candles! Likewise, beeswax candles do not soot or drip. The density of the wax is also the reason for one of their other great properties:
3.
A piece of nature in your own four walls
Beeswax candles are the most natural candles there are. No toxic substances are produced when they burn, the pattern of the candles is unique and visually embellishes the room. At the same time, they release the uniquely pleasant, sweet scent that is distantly reminiscent of honey!
Candles made from beeswax are kind to the environment, as they are produced from a natural source that is constantly regenerated. The beeswax is a by-product of beekeeping and can be usefully processed by making handmade beeswax candles. The bees do not suffer any disadvantage from this either, as the regular exchange reduces the germ load within the hive.
4.
The bright flame colour of beeswax candles
The light emitted by beeswax candles is special because it is most similar to sunlight in terms of the light spectrum. It burns very brightly and clearly. The high melting point of the natural wax ensures that the light is a warm-toned flame. It is even said that when used as a light source, it can help minimise eye strain and reduce headaches.
5.
They complete the room and give it that certain something
A beeswax candle beautifies the room, creates a cosy atmosphere and is a natural eye-catcher. In combination with a ceramic candle holder, a homely eye-catcher can be created here that helps the day to end on a relaxed note.
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