Best Essential Oils For Beeswax Candles


Essential oils are becoming a big deal in the cosmetic, beauty, and homecare niche. Also, they are an excellent combination for making homemade candles using beeswax because they are healthy and mildly scented. However, not all essential oils are suitable for beeswax candles, so it is crucial to know the best ones to use.

A blend of Frankincense and Jasmine, Sandalwood, and Lavender, make the best essential oils for beeswax candles. The reason is that combining a stronger scent with a milder scent creates excellent fragrance synergy for beeswax scented candles. As a result, single essential oils are not as compatible with beeswax candles.

Beeswax Candles

As you know, essential oils, because of their subtle characteristics, often get unnoticed when blended with beeswax due to their dominant nature. So in this article, you will find all you need to know about combining different essential oil blends and additives when making beeswax candles. Now, let’s get started!

How To Choose the Best Essential Oils for Beeswax Candles?

Beeswax is thicker, domineering, and burns slowly, unlike paraffin wax. As a result, getting the best essential oil for making beeswax candles rely on the types of essential oil combination you do.

These essential oil combos are vital to helping your beeswax candles produce better long-lasting fragrances. It is also important to note that you need a proper ratio of essential oils to beeswax to get the desired scented candle effect you want.

For instance, 60 drops of essential oil for every four ounces of beeswax is an impressive ratio.

Although, your choice of essential oils to combine is indeed personal. However, it is best to know the various types or classes of essential scents and aromas, to help you make the best choice for your beeswax candles. Below are the major groups of essential oil scents, their characteristics, examples, and benefits.

Essential Oil Scent Groups

Whether you want something earthy, floral, or citrus, essential oils scents are available in various groups. However, some essential oils share the same scent category or family.

Scent Group/AromaCharacteristic & DescriptionExamplesGeneral Benefits
CitrusHas a characteristic fruity scent and is described as tart or tangy.Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Lime, Lemongrass, Mandarin, etc.Energizing, uplifting, antibacterial, cleansing.
FloralThey remind you of the flowers from which they are extracted. Usually associated with the feminine gender or spirit. Generally softer to perceive. They are described as subtle, powdery, gentle, and are typically classic.Chamomile, Jasmine, Lavender, Rose, etc.Comforting & brings a state of restfulness and sleep, a mood stabilizer.
HerbaceousThey have a wild, grassy scent that reminds you of a new field in spring or a rainforest. They also have a mild floral scent underneath.Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Tea tree, Yarrow, Parsley, etc.Calming effect, emotional grounding, and balancing.
CamphoraceousPossess a powerful scent and are noted for their medicinal effect, especially on the respiratory tract.Camphor, Eucalyptus, Laurel leaf, etc.the stimulating effect enhances focus.
MintyThese oils generate a cooling effect when inhaled or applied topically.Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintergreen, etc.Cooling, refreshing, calming.
SpiceyThey possess a strong scent, generating warm feelings of home and food, with exotic aromas that remind you of the kitchen.Rosemary, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Ginger, Clov, etc.Nourishing, rousing, exciting.
Musky/ResinousThey possess a deep rich scent that is usually strong, earthy, and smokey, producing a long-lasting effect.Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood, etc.Are perfect for spiritual practices, grounding, and mental and emotional relaxation. Builds intimacy and casual feelings.
Woody/EarthyThey generate deep, lingering scents, evoking feelings of strength and reminding you of a damp forest floor. They are usually associated with the masculine gender.Sandalwood, Pine, Rosewood, Cedarwood, etc.Are considered to be aphrodisiacs, and promote feelings of grounding, security, and strength.

Now that you know the various scent groups of most essential oils, you can customize your beeswax candles by making seasonal candles. Seasonal beeswax candles are those you make bearing the seasons in mind.

The seasonal mindset helps you combine one or more essential oils that correspond to a particular season to evoke the appropriate seasonal feelings.

You can also combine stronger lingering scents with softer, more subtle scents for a unique blend.

Here is a small example to inspire you:

Essential Oil Combinations for Seasonal Beeswax Candles

SeasonsSample Essential Oil Combos
SpringPeppermint+Eucalyptus+Rosemary Lavender+Cedarwood Lemon+Orange+Spearmint
SummerLavender+Grapefruit+Peppermint Rosemary+Lavender+Spearmint Eucalyptus+Lemongrass+Lavender.
A FallOrange+Cedarwood Clove+Cinnamon+Nutmeg Peppermint+Eucalyptus+Lavender
WinterCinnamon+Clove+Orange Eucalyptus+Rosemary+Orange Pine+Cinnamon

Why Coconut Oil Makes a Critical Additive for Beeswax Candles Using Essential Oils.

If you are familiar with the beeswax candle-making procedure, no doubt you would have wondered why coconut oil seems to be an essential ingredient besides the essential oils. Here is why:

  • Coconut oil as an additive complements your essential oils and strengthens their scent since they are not high-temperature friendly.
  • It helps your beeswax burn more evenly and consistently, preventing candle burning issues like tunneling.
  • It helps your essential oils adapt to higher temperatures during a hot throw.

What Quantity of Essential Oils Do You Need When Making Beeswax Candles?

The ratio of essential oil to beeswax is critical when making beeswax candles. Therefore it is vital to recognize the physical properties of all your items and ingredients during the production process.

Since beeswax is thicker and tends to drown fragrance, you will ideally need at least 60 drops of essential oil for every four ounces of beeswax blend.

However, your choice of proportion is entirely up to you and your preference. You can also increase the number of essential oils for a stronger scented candle. For instance, you can choose two tablespoons full of essential oils per four ounces of beeswax bend to get a stronger scent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1. What Essential Oils Work Best With Beeswax for Candle Making, and How Much?

Most essential oils work well for making beeswax candles. However, you have to pay more attention to the combination of essential oil scents and their proportion to get the best out of them. For example, you can mix a stronger scent with a weaker aroma or increase the quantity of essential oil.

Q.2. Must You Use Only Essential Oils To Make Scented Beeswax Candles?

You must not use only essential oils to make scented beeswax candles. You can use any fragrance other than essential oils, including perfumes. People only prefer essential oils for their health benefits. Whatever fragrance you choose, ensure to test it to ensure that you like the scent before adding it to your scented candles.

Q.3. Can You Use Petroleum Jelly as an Additive for Making Beeswax Candles?

Petroleum jelly as an additive for making beeswax candles is inappropriate. Instead, coconut oil is the best option because it helps the beeswax adjust to higher temperatures and helps it burn evenly, slowly, and consistently, preventing tunneling. Petroleum jelly has a higher melting point and defeats the aim of adding it to beeswax candles.

Final Thoughts

The best essential oils for beeswax candles come from essential oil blends of different strengths, scents, and quantities. As a result, there is no particular essential oil labeled as the best for making beeswax candles. In other words, the essential oils you choose and in what proportion and aroma blends you combine them are entirely up to you.

Hopefully, this article gives you a basic understanding of the various types available, alongside ideas for combining them to get the best blend for your beeswax candles.

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