candle care, clean candles, sustainable living, non-toxic candles, candle making, apiary, handmade, mindful products

There’s a reason I don’t order my wax from Amazon.

Over the years, I’ve had a lot of people tell me they tried beeswax candles before and didn’t love them. They burned unevenly. They were too smoky. They smelled weird. And I always want to ask: Where was that wax from?

The truth is, not all beeswax is created equal.

Just like honey, the quality of beeswax varies drastically depending on where it’s from, how it’s processed, and who’s doing the work. Some candles sold as “beeswax” are imported, heavily processed, or blended with cheaper waxes. Some are bleached or dyed to give them a uniform look. Some come from hives treated with chemicals or antibiotics.

At Slow Burn, I don’t take those shortcuts.

I work with a local family-run apiary that hand-harvests their wax just across the border in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. The wax I use is cappings wax: the freshest, cleanest layer the bees create to seal their honeycomb. It’s a byproduct of honey harvesting, and it’s about as pure as it gets.

When I bring it back to my studio in St. Paul, I melt it down and filter it myself, in small batches, with care. I use a two-step process to remove dirt and debris, without stripping the wax of its natural color, scent, or integrity. No additives. No bleaching. No masking.

You might notice a slight variation in color from batch to batch. That’s a sign of real beeswax. Sometimes it’s buttery yellow, sometimes it’s a bit deeper. It all depends on what the bees were foraging and what time of year it was harvested.

You’ll also notice the way it burns.

My candles burn slower, cleaner, and brighter than mass-market alternatives. There’s no soot or synthetic smell. Just the subtle, honeyed scent of beeswax and the warm glow of a real flame: one that comes from a real place, made by real hands.

So if you’ve ever tried a beeswax candle and thought meh, I’d encourage you to try again. But this time, try one that comes from a maker who knows exactly where her wax comes from.

Because yes, beeswax is beautiful. But only when it’s the real thing.