Honeybee_ Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper - C. Marina Marchese [51]
When you make pure beeswax candles from your own beeswax, there are endless types of molds to choose from. They can be found in any craft store or beekeeping-supply catalog. Don’t forget to get some wicks and those little metal bases that hold the candles down as they hang from a crossbar. There are silicone molds, with amazing details, that can be peeled from the wax with little fuss.
After you clean and filter your wax, it is ready to be made into candles. First, simply remelt your clean beeswax. Using the support pin that comes with the candle mold, hang your wick in the center of the mold. Next, pour the melted wax into the candle mold, being careful not to make any air bubbles.
Ear Candling
Ear candling is a procedure that gently removes wax buildup inside your ears. Using only specifically designed candles made of pure beeswax and unbleached cotton cloth, you can do ear candling in the privacy of your own home. Many who practice this technique claim it relieves sinus pressure, improving the clarity of all their senses and giving them better balance. The process takes about ten minutes and should not be used by those who have recently had sinus surgery, have perforated eardrums, or have signs of bleeding or draining from their ears.
Instead of using molds, some beekeepers dip their wicks into cans of hot beeswax to create hand-dipped candles. Making this type of candle takes more patience, and it was how tapered candles were made during colonial times. As the first layer of wax dries on the wick, you dip it again until the layers build up, creating a tall dinner candle.
MAKING PERSONAL-CARE PRODUCTS
When you have all your beeswax clean and filtered, you are ready to try your hand at mixing up some lip balm and salves. The first time I made lip balm, I used a simple recipe similar to my own recipe included here. The whole process took me no more than twenty minutes, and I was amazed at how easy it was. My recipe requires very few special skills or pieces of equipment, and most of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen or local health-food shop.
When I mix up my beeswax recipes in my kitchen, I use glass bowls, stirring spoons, and other tools that are reserved only for making skin-care products, and I do not use those same bowls for mixing up a batch of my grandmother’s favorite pasta sauce later that day. So pick up some supplies at a yard sale or secondhand shop and keep them specially for mixing your beeswax recipes. Containers for your creations can be purchased from most beekeeping-supply companies.
I was impressed and amazed at how lip balm could be made so easily and in one sitting. I gave my lemon lip balm a try and discovered it to be the creamiest product I’ve ever used. Knowing its ingredients were pure and came from my honeybees made it even more terrific.
Beekeepers everywhere make their own lip balms and salves using the fine beeswax of the harvest. Once you have mastered this simple recipe, you can begin to experiment with other oils and add different essential oils or fragrances to personalize your products. I could not resist any of the choices of oils on the market, and each one offered a different and healthy benefit for my finished products.
Every Beekeeper’s Simple Lip Balm Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 ounce beeswax
5 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
5 drops Red bee® wildflower honey
2–3 drops essential oil such as
lemon, strawberry, or peppermint
TOOLS:
Double boiler or crockpot
Stainless steel whisk or mixing spoon
Glass jars or metal tins with lids for storing final products
Scale or measuring spoons
Slowly melt the beeswax and oil in a double boiler over a low flame. Add honey; mix well with a wire whisk. Never allow your mixture to boil. Do not cover the beeswax with a lid while heating, because doing so could create condensation that will fall into your mixture and ruin it. You may also melt your ingredients inside a crockpot or a microwave. If you use a microwave