Julie Finn
Beeswax tealight candles are expensive, petroleum-based tealight candles are polluting and unhealthy, and yet my lovely little essential oil warmer won’t work with anything larger.
In the mornings, I MUST waft the scent of peppermint and rosemary essential oils through the air, lest I never escape the desire to just go back to bed, and so I’ve gotten into the habit of making my own rolled beeswax tealight candles. They’re quick and easy to make, inexpensive, and you can do them in any colors that you fancy. Read on to see how it’s done:
Unless you’re a bigger DIY rock star than I am, you’ll need to first purchase beeswax sheets to roll. I’ve been unable to source beeswax sheets locally, so I purchase mine online (check out my beginner’s rolled beeswax candle tutorial for sourcing information). I’ve also had good luck finding beeswax sheets at garage sales, so a query through Craigslist or Freecycle wouldn’t be a bad idea. One full-sized 8″x16″ beeswax sheet will make eight tealights, but if you have a variety of colors, you can mix and match, even within a single tealight.
Cut a piece of beeswax that measures 1″x16″. To make a multi-colored tealight, play with that second number as you cut–two 1″x8″ pieces, for instance, or four 1″x4″ pieces (which is what I’m using for these particular candles).
Cut a length of cotton candle wicking (this is easier to find anywhere that sells candlemaking supplies) to about 1.25″–cotton wicks have a top and a bottom, so don’t mix them up!
Press the wicking into the beeswax at one short end, lining the bottom of the wick up with one side of the piece (this will be the bottom of the candle), and letting the top of the wick stick out from the other side.
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After they finish burning, does t leave a pool of wax that may be difficult to clean out?
No, I’ve never had that happen with one of my beeswax candles. Maybe you’re using the wrong wick for the diameter of your candles?