Description

Our bleached imported beeswax is very similar to our natural imported beeswax except that it is a beautiful ivory color instead of the typical golden color of beeswax. It is a blend of pure beeswax and up to 8% paraffin. Because it contains paraffin, it is considered a non-cosmetic grade beeswax. We sell it in convenient, one pound, filtered and ready-to-use blocks – no further processing is necessary. Not only does it have a beautiful off-white creamy tone, it also has a slight sweet honey aroma.  

We often get questions from our customers on how this beeswax is bleached. This is a natural process without the use of any harmful chemicals. Here is a description of the process it goes through:

1. After the golden yellow beeswax is melted and filtered, it is placed into an expeller press, which is a machine that spins products at a very high speed within a circular drum. The high speed acts a centrifuge which “presses out” oils and/or other impurities. The melted and spun beeswax lands against the wall of the circular drum and become flakes of slightly lighter colored beeswax (still yellow).
   
   
2. After the beeswax goes through the expeller process, the flakes are then aired out repeatedly under the sun for more than 7 days.  
   
   
3. After the sun drying process, the beeswax flakes are then re-melted and run through food grade activated carbon. This final step removes most of the golden yellow color and is what leaves the creamy ivory color of our bleached, imported beeswax. 

Projects

Our bleached imported beeswax works wonderfully to make a variety of different candles including molded pillars, hand-dipped tapers, votives and container candles. It also works great to make molded ornaments and hand-carved wax figurines. As mentioned above, we do not recommend using this type of beeswax as an ingredient in body care products. For a project on how to make beautiful ornate egg candles, click here.

How to Melt

Whether making candles or ornaments, you will first need to melt your beeswax. We recommend using the double boiler method for melting. You should never melt beeswax over direct heat, as it may cause scorching or fires. The double boiler method allows for the beeswax to melt at a lower, more consistent temperature. Here are the steps on how to use the double boiler method:

1. Fill an old large saucepan with 1-2 inches of water.  The saucepan should be large enough for a metal melting pot to fit inside.  

2. Place the saucepan container the water on the stovetop and heat on high until the water reaches a steady, rolling boil.  

3. Set the metal melting pot on the stand ring inside the larger saucepan containing the boiling water and lower the heat so that the water is at a gentle simmer. Make sure that the metal melting pot does not sit directly on the bottom of the lower saucepan.  If this happens, we recommend using a double boiler stand ring.

4. Break your beeswax into 1-2 inch chunks and gently place in the metal melting pot. Make sure no water splashes in from the bottom saucepan. The smaller pieces of beeswax will melt faster than a larger piece.

5. Allow the chunks of beeswax to melt slowly. This could take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on how small or large your chunks of beeswax are. Make sure to not leave the beeswax unattended while melting. We also recommend using a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the beeswax while it melts. Beeswax has a melting point of approximately 145° F. To prevent scorching of the beeswax, be sure that the temperature does not go above 170° F. Also be sure to monitor the water level in the bottom saucepan. It will evaporate over time and you may need to gradually add more water as the wax melts.

6. After the wax is completely melted, you can use as desired (to make candles, ornaments, figurines, etc.).

Sourcing

We import this beeswax from China. We have a long standing relationship with our supplier and believe in the quality of the beeswax they send us. Before each shipment, our supplier sends us a test sample to make sure the quality matches our specifications. Upon arrival of each shipment and before we ship to any of our customers, we inspect the batch for quality and test to make sure the batch meets our purity and quality requirements.

Bloom

100% pure beeswax will develop a naturally occurring white film on its surface over time. Commonly known as "bloom", this white film is an indicator of the purity of the beeswax. If you purchase a candle that is labeled as "pure beeswax", and it doesn’t develop bloom over a period of time, it may not be 100% pure. Bloom can be removed by buffing the surface of the candle with a soft cloth or by running a hair dryer on warm/low over the surface of the candle.

Why this Beeswax

This beeswax is less expensive per pound than our pure, filtered beeswax but maintains the same unique set of characteristics (harder wax, higher melting point, burns longer than 100% petroleum based candles). If making a large batch of candles or beeswax ornaments, this lower cost will definitely help out with the budget! Also, since it is off-white in color, it is easier to dye compared to the natural imported beeswax. We recommend using this beeswax if you want to make beeswax candles or ornaments in an array of colors.