How to Make Beeswax Wax Melts
Maybe you love the cozy glow of candles but want something a bit different – if so, homemade beeswax wax melts may be the perfect solution. This easy beeswax melts recipe combines natural beeswax with coconut oil and your favorite fragrance to create wonderfully scented melts with only a few ingredients.
I’m a beekeeper and always have a bit of beeswax on hand. This is only one example of the many wonderful uses for beeswax. Scented beeswax melts will freshen your home and they make sweet handmade gifts for special friends.
Why Use Beeswax Melts?
With so many crafty options to consider, why use beeswax for wax melts? First, we need to understand that not all waxes are created equal.
Most store-bought wax melts are made with paraffin (less expensive) a petroleum by-product. Beeswax is a natural gift from honey bees that is renewable and eco-friendly.
Here are a few reasons beeswax makes the perfect base for your wax melts:
- Naturally Clean and Safe – beeswax is produced by honey bees and has a naturally pleasant aroma
- Gentle Honey Scent – natural beeswax has a subtle scent that blends nicely with added fragrance.
- Firm Texture – beeswax has a relatively high melting point, – helps the finished melts hold their shape
This post may contain affiliate links. Carolina Honeybees earns a tiny commission when you shop from our links. See our privacy policy for terms.
What You’ll Need
For this recipe, I use a 2:1 ratio of beeswax to coconut oil — 2 parts beeswax to 1 part coconut oil. My basic recipe uses 4 ounces of beeswax and 2 ounces of coconut oil, plus fragrance if desired.
- beeswax
- coconut oil
- essential oil – your choice of scent (optional)
- kitchen scale
- some type of mold
Beeswax
Of course, you need some beeswax. You can purchase beeswax that is ready to use or use raw wax from a local beekeeper.
Commercial beeswax is usually sold in pellets, pastilles or blocks and is convenient because it is already clean and ready for crafting.
If you are using raw beeswax from your own hives or a local beekeeper, it should be cleaned before beginning.
Small bits of debris left in the wax may settle into your finished melts. If needed, see my instructions for how to clean beeswax before starting this project.
If you are a beekeeper with your own wax – you can even make your own solar wax melter for a few bucks.
Coconut Oil
Beeswax alone is quite firm and needs to be blended with a softer oil for this project. My favorite addition is – coconut oil.
Coconut oil is easy to find, easy to work with and something you may already have in the pantry.
For these wax melts, I use 1 part coconut oil for every 2 parts beeswax. This gives the finished melts a softer consistency than using beeswax alone..
In addition to this project, I use it in my beeswax lotion recipe and when making some of my natural beeswax lip balm recipes too!
Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils
Natural beeswax has a light, sweet scent of its own. However, if you want strongly scented wax melts, you will need to add some type of fragrance.
Essential oils are an easy option and come in many wonderful scents. Keep in mind that scent strength can vary depending on the oil you choose.
You can also use fragrance oils. If you do, choose one that is labeled for use in wax melts or home fragrance and follow the manufacturer’s recommended usage rate.
Don’t feel that you have to add fragrance. If you enjoy the natural aroma of beeswax, you can leave your melts without added scent.
Kitchen Scale
For my beeswax crafting projects, I measure ingredients by net weight (ounces or grams). A small kitchen scale makes measuring the beeswax and coconut oil much easier.
We are not making “rocket fuel,” so you don’t have to stress over tiny differences in weight. But using a scale helps you keep your ratios consistent from batch to batch. Easy peasy.
Molds for Wax Melts
You need some type of mold to hold the beeswax/oil combo while it cools and hardens. You will find many fancy molds to use for making wax melts.
I often use silicone cupcake liners to make large melts. But, there are many cute ideas to consider. Whatever mold you choose, make sure the finished pieces are small enough to fit comfortably in the dish of your wax warmer.
How to Make Beeswax Melts Step by Step
Making your own beeswax melts is really quite simple. Once you have your ingredients measured and supplies ready, the process only takes a few steps.
1. Melt the beeswax – The double boiler method is the safest way – a pot with water containing a smaller pot with the wax. Take your time, it will melt slowly. ( I always melt beeswax first because it takes so much longer than the oils.)
Beeswax is flammable. Never leave melting wax unattended and do not heat it directly on the stove.
This is my favorite wax melting pot – I have 3 or 4 of different sizes. Then I use a regular sauce pan to hold the hot water.
Stainless Steel Double Boiler Pot
2. Add the coconut oil – Once the wax is liquid, add your coconut oil. Coconut oil is funny stuff. It is liquid when warm and can be rather solid when cold. Stir the wax and oil together. Until blended.
3. Add Fragrance – Now, it is time to remove the pot from heat and add your essential oils. Let your mixture start to cool just a bit before adding the oils – otherwise you may lose some fragrance strength.
In most cases, I use 4 oz of beeswax, 2 oz of coconut oil and about 40-50 drops of essential oil. (Full instruction at bottom of post).
Of course, fragrance is optional. You can leave it out if you prefer the natural, light scent of beeswax.
4. Pour into molds – pour the mixture into the molds of your choice. Keep in mind that wax melts are often small so they will fit in the burners. Let cool completely.
Clean Up
Spreading newspaper or freezer paper on the counter before you begin – creates an easy to clean work space.
If you make a mess – you can remove beeswax from surfaces with some elbow grease (hard work).
Cleaning up after any beeswax project is much easier while your equipment is still warm.
I wipe any residue out of my little boiler pot while it is still warm. Paper towels work well for wiping away the remaining wax before it hardens.
And whatever you do, do not wash warm beeswax down your sink — you will be sorry. 😉 As the wax cools, it hardens and can cause problems in your pipes.
Storing Homemade Wax Melts
Once your beeswax wax melts are completely cool, store them in an airtight container or bag in a cool, dry location.
If you make several different scents, store them separately. This helps keep the fragrances from mingling and makes it easy to grab the scent you want.
For gift giving, small jars, tins or decorative bags are a cute way to package your finished melts.
Expert Tips
This is an easy beeswax project, but a few tips will help you get the best results.
- Use gentle heat. Beeswax takes a little time to melt. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat to speed things along.
- Measure by weight. A kitchen scale makes it easy to maintain the 2:1 ratio of beeswax to coconut oil.
- Use clean beeswax. Bits of debris in raw wax can end up in your finished melts, so clean and filter raw beeswax before using it.
- Don’t overfill your molds. Smaller pieces are easier to use in most wax warmers.
- Let them cool completely. Wait until the melts are firm and cool before removing them from the molds.
- Keep notes. If you like experimenting with scents, write down what you used. Trust me, you may think you’ll remember that perfect combination — but you probably won’t. 😉
How Much Fragrance Should You Use?
The amount of fragrance needed depends on the type of oil you use and how strong you want your finished melts to smell.
For my basic recipe of 4 ounces of beeswax and 2 ounces of coconut oil, I generally use about 40–50 drops of essential oil. This is a good starting point.
If you are using a fragrance oil made for wax melts, follow the manufacturer’s recommended usage rate. More is not always better, and different fragrance oils can have different recommendations.
I prefer to start with a modest amount of fragrance. After using the finished melts, you can decide whether you want to use a little more or less in your next batch.
Scent and Shape Ideas
One of the fun things about making your own wax melts is experimenting with different scents and shapes.
For winter, try scents such as Wintergreen, Balsam Fir or Pine Needle. Floral scents like lavender are lovely for spring and summer. You can also combine fragrances to create your own favorites.
Silicone molds make it easy to create hearts, flowers or seasonal shapes. Just be sure the finished pieces are small enough to fit comfortably in your wax warmer.
Homemade wax melts also make sweet little gifts. Package a few in a pretty bag, jar or tin and add a label with the scent.
Using Your Homemade Melts
Place one or two wax melts in a warmer designed for this purpose and follow the manufacturer’s directions. As the wax melts, the fragrance is released into the room.
You can reuse the wax several times until the scent begins to fade. Allow it to cool before removing it from the warmer.
More Beeswax Projects to Try
If you enjoy making wax melts, try my soy wax tarts for another easy way to add fragrance to your home.
Of course, beeswax can be used for much more than wax melts.
Try making beeswax ornaments for something decorative, or put your wax to work in homemade body butter or beeswax foot balm.
There are so many useful things you can make with just a little beeswax.
FAQs
Yes, but pure beeswax is quite firm. I add coconut oil to soften the mixture and make it better suited for use as wax melts.
Coconut oil softens the beeswax and is easy to blend with melted wax. For my recipe, I use a ratio of 2 parts beeswax to 1 part coconut oil.
Yes. Essential oils can be used to add fragrance, though some scents are stronger than others. I generally use about 40–50 drops in my basic recipe.
You can remelt and reuse them until you no longer notice much fragrance. How long the scent lasts depends on the fragrance used, the amount added and how long you run your warmer.wax melts last?
Final Thoughts
Making beeswax wax melts is an easy way to enjoy the natural beauty of beeswax at home. And this is just one of the many useful products from honey bees you can enjoy.
DIY Beeswax Melts Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Read my Disclosure.Supplies
- 4 oz beeswax (net wt)
- 2 oz coconut oil (net wt)
- 50 drops Balsam Fir Essential Oil (optional)
Instructions
- Melting beeswax: While you can use the microwave, the best and safest way to melt beeswax is by using a double-boiler.I am loving this small double-boiler. It is easy to clean and is large enough for most of my projects. When paired with a pot to hold water, it makes a great tool for melting beeswax.
- Add coconut oil: Measure 4 oz. (net wt.) of beeswax and 2 oz. (net wt.) of coconut oil. Place these in your double boiler and turn the heat to medium.As the water in the bottom pot heats up, your wax will begin to melt. It will take longer for the beeswax to melt than the coconut oil. Gently stir occasionally until everything is melted and combined.
- Add fragrance oil or essential oil: Remove the melting pot from the hot water bath. Now, it is time to add our fragrance. Adding fragrance to hot oils can affect its aroma. Your beeswax melt recipe mixture should not be above 185° F when oils are added.I added 50 drops of Balsam Fir Essential Oil to this recipe because I wanted a strong scent. You may need to experiment a bit to choose the best one for you.
- Molding: This is the fun part. As soon as the fragrance oil is added – give the recipe a quick stir. Then pour the hot ingredients into any type of mold or form that you wish.There are many types of molds to choose from but silicone cupcake wrappers work well too. If not using silicone, you may need a mold release spray.
- Cool and remove from mold: Allow the mixture to cool for a couple of hours. As it cools, the mixture will harden and take the form of the mold.Once the mixture is set, you can easily remove your wax melts from the mold.They are ready to use! Add a cute bee bag and ribbon for a quick homemade gift.
Notes
- beeswax is flammable (as are most other oils)- avoid overheating
- pots and pans exposed to wax are hard to clean – used dedicated craft pots
- take every precaution to prevent burns – use pot holders, safety glasses and gloves where needed
I love and live by all your beekeeping tips, so am now ready to try some crafting with my extra wax I’ve been collecting the last couple of years! One question (and it might be silly…) I’m committing some equipment just for the purpose of making things like these melts—what is best way to clean the pot you’re mixing the fragrances into—mainly for when you want to do a different scent? So excited to try but also don’t want to have sooooo much extra kitchen equipment like a pot for every scent…already have a ton of bee equipment, got to keep hubby happy and supportive of my fav hobby!☺️ Thx!!
Oh my, technically you can…. get wax off any pan with alot of hot water and rubbing with a paper towel.It is not always easy !! But, I’ve have the best luck keeping a few of those little candy pots on hand. And I’ve never had problems when changing fragrances between them and they can be dedicated to wax projects.
Thankyou Very clear guidance
Thanks – have fun.
Hi! Why add coconut oil? Can these be made without it? Thanks!
In my experience, you need to add something that has a lower melting point – plain beeswax ones did not get hot enough in my melters to work.