Luminary made of beeswax
LUMINARIES
It all started when I wanted to make wax luminaries; the ones I saw online were made of paraffin, but I thought they would be much more beautiful with beeswax. So I purchased 5 pounds and it was love at first sight. Or perhaps I should say love at first smell. Since then, I’ve learned a little more about beeswax and have used it a number of ways.
I learned how to make the luminaries here. And I was right; they are absolutely gorgeous! Tip: Don’t use your husband’s favorite pot for making popcorn to melt the wax. He won’t be happy.
CANDLES
Shortly after making the luminaries, I read Empowered Sustenance’s post Beeswax Candles and Allergies: An Effective Solution. This was such an eye opener for me. I learned the dangers of burning paraffin and how beeswax candles actually clean the air.
If you don’t read another word in this post, promise me that you’ll read her article. It’s important. I immediately purchased 100% pure beeswax candles from the convent where the author worked making candles when she was in high school.
I did try making beeswax tea candles for the luminaries I made, but they just did not burn brightly enough to illuminate the luminary. I learned why when I read Empowered Sustenance’s article. I’ve since found a local source for beeswax candles.
Close your eyes if you are on my Christmas list because you may be finding these in your stocking.
SKIN CARE & SOAP
Beeswax is an amazing product which I’ve used in making natural skin care products.
And when I made my last batch of homemade soap, I used a new recipe which called for beeswax. The ingredients are 14 oz distilled water, 5 oz lye, 6 oz beeswax, 4 oz coconut oil, 2 oz palm oil and 28 oz olive oil. (These are ounces by weight).
You make the soap in the same way as I explained in my post for Basic Soap Making with one notable exception. Because beeswax has a higher melting point than the other oils, both the oil/beeswax mixture and the lye/water mixture must be at 150 degrees when you combine them, rather than the normal 100 degrees.
FURNITURE POLISH
Beeswax is not only good for our skin, it’s good for wood furniture. To make beeswax furniture polish melt 1 T. of grated beeswax in a small glass canning jar which is sitting in a pot of water over low heat. After the wax is melted, stir in 3 T. of coconut oil until melted.
When this cools and hardens, use a clean cloth to rub it onto your wood furniture. Leave it there while you go wrap some Christmas presents or pet the cat. Then using another cloth, buff the furniture until all residue is removed.
Remember, this is for occasional use in protecting or restoring the wood, not for weekly dusting since the wax can build up on the furniture.
Before using beeswax furniture polish…….
……and after!
PLASTIC WRAP ALTERNATIVE
Here’s another great use for beeswax – you can make an alternative to plastic wrap with cotton material on which you’ve melted the beeswax in the oven. I found the instructions for Reusable Beeswax Wraps at Attainable Sustainable.
The author used an old cookie sheet but since I didn’t have one to spare, I used a piece of 1/4″ plywood cut to fit into my oven. I covered it with parchment paper.
Since the oven is only heated to 225° and the wood/paper is only in the oven for 5 minutes or so, there is no fear of it burning. Remember the Ray Bradbury movie Fahrenheit 451? Yeah, me neither. But my husband tells me that the movie title refers to the temperature at which paper burns.
But I digress.
The waxed cloth does not stick to the bowl like plastic wrap does but it forms to the bowl and sticks somewhat to itself. When refrigerated it forms a firm cover to protect your precious home cooking.
…AND A FEW MORE
I haven’t tried this, but here’s a cute idea and recipe to make modeling clay for your children using beeswax.
And . . . you can use beeswax to grease cookie sheets instead of using butter!
I’ve also heard that coating your barbecue grill with beeswax makes clean up easier.
What’s with nuns and beeswax? Apparently they invented a phenomenal dessert called Canneles de Bordeaux. They line a copper mold with beeswax and fill the mold with a custardy mixture and bake. The result is like creme brulee with a crunchy caramelized crust. Will someone pulleessee make that for me?
One last tidbit – it seems that the earliest material used to fill cavities was – you guessed it – beeswax! We’re so much more advanced; we use mercury.
Recommended reading/viewing:
Bees Around the World: A friend from Australia recently sent this book to me. Photographer Eric Tourneret has traveled the world photographing beekeepers. What amazing lengths some of these beekeepers go to get their honey and beeswax! I couldn’t find a U.S. source for the book when I searched the internet but here is a link to some of Eric’s work: http://thebeephotographer.photoshelter.com/
Vanishing of the Bees DVD: This documentary follows beekeepers as they work to keep their bees healthy in the midst of an epidemic of colony collapse.
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Agi says
Great information, thank you. I love the idea of the alternative plastic wrap, going to get some beeswax!
Kristel from Healthy Frugalista says
The bees wax luminary is beautiful! My niece made me a luminary for Christmas last year but she used paraffin. I’ll be looking for beeswax votives. I’ll read the link to dangers of paraffin. Through out high school and college I worked at a candle shop where we had many candles burning all day long. It was a fun job, but it probably wasn’t the healthiest environment. My daughter wanted to work there last summer, but I discouraged her because of the artificial scents used in the candles. I didn’t even know about the pariffin. Double whammy.
Kathy @ Mind Body and Sole says
Wonderful! I hope you’ll share this on Wildcrafting Wednesday! LOVE it! 🙂
Lauren @ Empowered Sustenance says
These are great tips! I’m going to try the plastic wrap alternative and furniture polish… so creative! And thanks so much for linking my article about the beeswax candles 🙂 I hope you are enjoying the Sisters’ candles.
Jenny says
Great ideas for me to use my beeswax supply. Those luminaries will make great gifts!
Jen says
Wow, Susan. You are full of ideas! I am going to have to stock up on the beeswax. I especially love the plastic wrap alternative. 🙂
bev says
hi. i’m new to the blog hop. my husband and i have a cattle farm in alberta. i also own and operate a small paper shop from the farm. the shop like my blog is call Black Ink Paperie. my blog features stories about the farm and growing up in small fishing village in nova scotia. i would love for you to visit my blog and follow if you like it. i did a guest post last week called “a cow’s tale” which tells the story about one of our cows and her exciting life.
http://www.blackinkpaperie.blogspot.com
thanks and i can’t wait to visit all the other blogs
new follower bev
Jo-Anne Day says
Please offer resources for beeswax. I live in Noblesville In.but have family inAustin Tx.Area.Thankyou.
susanv says
Hi Jo-Anne, I don’t have a specific source for beeswax. I purchased 5 pounds from a girl on etsy, but she does not always have it. Here is a link to the sources on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=beeswax&linkCode=ur2&tag=learningandye-20&url=search-alias%3Daps.
Robin @ Thank Your Body says
This is awesome! I have some beeswax left over and now I can’t wait to try it on some of these. Shared this!
gina marie says
Thank you for sharing your story and resources. I ordered some candles in bulk. I am hopeful that it will help with my 3yr. old son’s allergy induced asthma. I have tried dozens of alternative approaches and even one prescription.
Susan says
Gina Marie, I hope the candles are helpful. Have you looked into the GAPS diet?
guide anxiety says
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Allyson says
My boyfriend and I have that same coffee table in our bedroom! Thank you for sharing, I plan on using the beeswax and coconut oil mixture for our furniture. 🙂
Susan says
Nice!
Margo says
Love this article and am now inspired to get beeswax! I wonder, though… do you get pellets? blocks? , organic?, yellow or white? or… is beeswax, beeswax? LOL, thanks so much!
Margo
Susan says
Thanks, Margo! I purchased mine in a large 5# block, which will last me forever. Pellets would work just as well – actually, they’d probably be easier to work with. I did look for organic, but I’m not sure about color. I think that’s a personal preference.
teddy says
Awesome, and that comment is usually reserved for God.
jessica says
Hi there, would beeswax candle leftover be okay to use for your suggestions above?? Thanks!
Susan Vinskofski says
Yes, that would work just fine!
SEVIDZEM ERNESTINE LEIKEKI says
beeswax is one of the many products of bees that we can use daily in our homes. Beeswax wax production is easy and cost effective.
Wirsiy Emmanuel Binyuy says
Bee wax holds the future because it is natural and can replace many petroleum products as alternative. It is the hand work of bees and it is used in cosmetic industries, production of candles, shoe polish, and many others. Our organisation CAMGEW-Oku can supply this bees wax in the quantity needed by a buyer. We do training on honey production, bees wax extraction, we own a honey shop that sale Oku White Honey, Brown honey, bumble bee (ground) honey, beesuits, smokers, local beehives, bees wax, Contact us for more information.
CBD gummies says
Thanks for your wax ideas and tips. my grandfather keeps an apiary and wax is always in abundance, my grandmother and I broke our heads where to use it and I did not expect that you can make a night light! this is awesome, I’ll definitely try it.