The natural aroma of beeswax

Are you looking to add more natural products to your home? Beeswax candles can be the perfect solution for this but how do they smell in comparison to man-made candles? Here are some tips about the natural aroma of beeswax candles and how they can vary

What do beeswax candles smell like?

Beeswax is a natural material made by bees themselves and used by the bees in the hive to store honey. It is secreted by wax making bees and is moulded, chewed and built into the honeycomb. Throughout this process, the wax takes on the colour and scent from the particles, nectar and pollen within the hive.

Additionally, the wax is initially secreted white and the particles it takes on gives it colour as well as the subtle scent of the pollen, nectar and resins. The purpose of the beeswax also contributes to its aroma. Allowing it to take on the subtle scent of the honey it is in contact with.

How does the scent change between candles?

Both the scent and colour of beeswax candles can vary between batches and hives due to the pollen, resins, nectar and honey that the wax comes into contact with. These particles are gathered by the bees on the flora and fauna in their surrounding area.

Bees will forage on any plant in bloom which will vary according to the season and the area. Although the honey will contain a mixture of pollens, nectars and resins, each hive will vary in its contents. Just like the taste of honey can change depending on the pollen collected by the bees, the same effect happens to the beeswax.

Some honey producers place hives in areas dense in one kind of plants such as lavender, blueberries or linden. Only harvesting the honey once the season is over to ensure the maximum content of that type of pollen. This results in different tasting honey and different smelling honey according to these seasonal plants.

Therefore, each beeswax candle can smell different according to the area where the honey was made, the types of plants harvested, and the time of year. Some beeswax can have strong floral scents whereas others can smell more strongly of honey. The natural variation of beeswax aromas makes it one of the best and most unique candle materials.

This also means that every beeswax candle you purchase could be a different scent! 

How does the scent compare to man-made candles?

The cheaper, paraffin wax candles maintain their popularity by the vast range of smells available and their low cost. However, beeswax candles focus on the natural scent of the honey rather than artificial smells, letting the pure materials do all the talking!

As paraffin is an unscented material, manufacturers must add scents and colourants to transform them into attractive products. These are, usually added in the form of artificial concentrates which provide a prominent smell. However, these artificial additives lead to toxins and dangerous particles being released into the air that negatively impact your health.

The scent of beeswax candles is not as strong as paraffin candles. However, the benefits of beeswax greatly outweigh the cons of artificial candles, including burning much more brightly, cleanly and helping to protect your health.

The natural aromas of beeswax candles

Beeswax is a beautiful and unique material with some interesting aromas. Each hive and colony harvesting different pollens and plants to make their honey. The wax takes on the scent of the area so that each batch is unique and different. There is something special about this material that makes is the best choice for making naturally scented candles.