WISH Beeswax Candles
Are your beeswax candles 100% beeswax?
Yes. Our beeswax candles use 100% beeswax gathered from the USA. We do not mix any other waxes or fillers with our beeswax.
What type of wick do you use in your beeswax candles?
All of our beeswax candles use 100% cotton wick.
Why is the wick so large in my beeswax pillar candle?
The melting point of beeswax is higher than paraffin and soy wax, making beeswax require a larger wick to burn efficiently. We choose our candle wick size for the best flame to burn ratio which allows the candle to burn brightly, avoid tunneling, and burn down almost entirely.
Can I leave the label on my candle?
As soon as you plan to burn your candle, please remove the label.
Why do cracks sometimes form on the top of my candles after burning?
Burning the candle for extended periods of time results in a large pool of melted wax. As beeswax cools, it shrinks slightly, which can sometimes cause cracking. This will not affect the quality or burn time of the candle. The larger the diameter of the candle, the more possible it is to crack on top after cooling.
Why does my beeswax candle sometimes seem hard to light?
In order for a candle to work properly it needs to pass melted wax through the wick. Beeswax melts at a higher temperature and requires thicker wicks, therefore it is necessary to hold the lighter next to the wick for a longer time than other candles.
Do you add chemicals to your beeswax candles?
No. We add no chemicals to our beeswax. All of our wax is 100% and natural. It’s common for candle manufactures to use a mold release compound to help remove the candle from the mold after the wax is cooled. We do not use any type of mold release.
Do you add scents to your beeswax candles?
No, we do not add scents to any of our candles. Scents are man made and are generally full of nasty things. We do add 100% essential oils to our Aromatherapy Beeswax Candles. The rest of our beeswax candles are naturally honey scented and we add nothing to them.
Can I use a hurricane glass around your pillar candles?
Our beeswax pillar candles are not recommended for use in a hurricane glass or other tall walled glass containers. Beeswax has a high melting point and burns at a hotter temperature than other waxes; using a hurricane glass creates a convection effect by both disturbing the air flow around the candle (causing smoking wicks that burn too fast) and retaining extra heat inside the glass (causes dripping and eventually the pillar walls to collapse).
Do you add colors to your beeswax candles?
No: Our naturally colored beeswax candles do not contain any dyes or additives. The natural raw beeswax we use ranges from a light cream to a darker amber color.
Why don’t my burn times match your listed burn times?
We’ve always clearly stated that burn time is not a guarantee, but rather a conservative estimate based on our testing of hundreds of beeswax candles. Results will vary somewhat based on your environment and burning preferences. Proper wick maintenance helps too.
Why doesn’t the size you list match perfectly with the candle I received?
We make all of our beeswax candles by hand. The dimensions listed are an approximation and will vary slightly for each candle. Please consider each candle a work of art. If you need super-fine measurements, let us know and we’ll put our calipers on the current batch of finished candles and give you a more precise measurement.
WISH Beeswax
Where do you get your beeswax?
Our source of beeswax comes from trusted beekeepers in Washington, Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota. The honey and wax is collected from July to September. Our wax comes from the pollination of canola, sweet clover, alfalfa, fireweed, and other types of wildflowers and plants. This generally results in a lighter scented and colored beeswax, which we think is the best combination for a perfect beeswax.
What type of filtering do you use for your beeswax?
We are extremely selective about our beeswax, so it’s already very clean when it arrives from our beekeepers. However, we do lightly filter our beeswax before we use it for our candles. This helps to remove smaller particles and other foreign materials that may clog the wick while burning. Our filters are simply a nylon / cotton / paper material that only filters out the large particles that could interfere with the flame.
Why are my beeswax candles different shades of yellow?
Our beeswax is always golden with a light honey scent, but because it is a natural product, variation in color and scent is normal. These characteristics are dependent upon the plants from which honeybees collect pollen and nectar. Flower blossoms and crops like canola result in light yellow colors and light honey scents. Plants such as avocado, sunflowers or buckwheat result in darker yellow or brown colors and strong heavy scents; this dark and heavily scented beeswax isn’t something we will ever use for our candles.
You mention how propolis affects the color and scent of beeswax. What is propolis?
Propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Tiny amounts of propolis remain in our filtered beeswax, along with small amounts of pollen and honey. Honey, pollen, and propolis are what create the beeswax candle’s pleasant honey aroma. Propolis and pollen also “stain” the beeswax, helping create it’s light golden color.
Bloom? What’s the white cloudy film on my beeswax candle?
This white film, called bloom, is normal and occurs to all beeswax. This is caused because some of the components of the beeswax migrate to the surface, and will appear a few weeks to a few months after the candle is made. Bloom can be easily removed by wiping the candle with a soft cloth, applying gentle heat with a hair dryer, or placing the candle in warm sunlight. Even though the bloom is easily removable, many people actually desire this effect as it tends to give the beeswax candle a unique and rustic look and feel.
Is it ok to ship my beeswax candles in hot/cold weather?
Yes, beeswax is very resilient. We’ve ship year-round all over the US without any issues. We’ve shipped our beeswax candles to hot summer states like California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas in the middle of summer and to cold winter states like Minnesota, Illinois, and South Dakota in the middle of winter. Rest assured your beeswax candles will be delivered perfectly intact regardless of the weather.
Candle Making
How do you make your beeswax candles?
We carefully craft all of our beeswax candles by hand and then add our finishing touches. For our solid candles we gently melt our beeswax to a sufficient temperature that allows the candle to come out of the mold easily and with very few defects. For our honeycomb candles, we tightly roll sheets of honeycomb wax to make tapers and pillars.
Do you make all of the beeswax candles that you sell?
Yes. Every single beeswax candle we sell is made by hand, by us, in our warehouse.
Do you sell your raw materials: beeswax, honeycomb sheets, molds, wick, etc?
We don’t sell candle making materials. We offer candle making workshops at the WISH retail store located in Pawleys Island.