How to Make Beeswax Crayons

Learn how to make beeswax crayons for your favorite kids. Crayons are sticks of colored wax that have been a part of childhood as far back as many of us can remember.  A new box of crayons was always a reason for celebration in my world. Now, you can make your own crayons for the little hands in your life.

DIY Natural Beeswax Crayons

As wonderful as crayons are, they can contain some gnarly substances. With a growing concern over exposure to chemicals, many folks have opted to create their own homemade crayons. 

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While the end product of these more natural crayons is a bit different than commercial crayons, you do know the materials that are used in each one. 

Why are Beeswax Crayons Better?

Unlike most commercial crayons that are made with petroleum-based paraffin wax, beeswax is made by honey bees.

This natural wax is used by the bees to construct the honeycombs inside their hive.  In fact, bees do such a good job of making wax that they make more than they need.

Excess wax can be harvested without damaging the honey bee colony. Also, the process of honey harvesting results in extra wax.

A renewable resource, beeswax is used for many things in and around the home.  One thing that makes it a great ingredient for crayon making, is the pliable strength. This makes it a durable stick suitable for small hands.

Beeswax & Carnauba Wax – A Homemade Crayon Duo

In spite of the many wonderful properties of beeswax, for the best crayons it needs a helper. Carnauba wax is made from the leaves of Brazilian Palm Trees.  It is one of the hardest natural waxes you can get.

Using only carnauba wax in your homemade crayons would not work as it is too hard to use for coloring. 

By adding some beeswax and cocoa butter to the recipe, we get a natural crayon that is strong – yet soft enough to create masterpieces of color.

Pigments for Making Crayons

There are many ways to add pigment to your crayons.  Some are natural pigments from plant materials or minerals that are ground into fine powders.

You will also find a wide range of mica mineral pigments that are easy to use for your crayon making projects.  Use what you have on hand or let your creative muse go wild and try some new ideas.

Natural Materials for Coloring Crayons

• Red – alkanet root powder, Australian Red Clay
• Pink – beet root powder
• Yellow – turmeric powder
• Black – activated charcoal
• Brown – black walnut hulls, cocoa powder

DIY Crayon Molds

There are many different types of molds that can be used to make homemade beeswax crayons. Special molds can be purchased to create shaped crayons.

However, may items that you already have a home work well. My project uses an old plastic star mold used for Christmas ornaments and a silicone mold for ice cubes. Other options include using muffin tins or silicone cup cake wrappers.

Expert Tips

For small children with less dexterity, large easy to hold shapes are a good choice for crayon mold selection.  

The long slimmer crayons are great for slightly older kids.  I chose to cut mine in half.  This mold is actually a silicone mold to make ice cubes for water bottles.

My recipe made enough mixture to make 3 star crayons and 4 sticks – about 230 grams with little waste.

If you wish to add a bit of a special scent, a few drops of essential oils can be added to the recipe. Likewise, some crafters use liquid food coloring for the crayons but I find it to be extra messy.

Natural Products – Fun to Create

This is really a fun project and another example of how beeswax can be used for so many things.  You can experiment with the ratios to find the perfect crayon recipe for your kids – or yourself.

I have a confession to make – I always loved the smell of a box of Crayola.  I know, it was probably toxic chemicals but they smelled so good.

Now, I can happily report that these homemade beeswax crayons smell good too! Another generation of children can experience the creative joy of creating a colorful rainbow.

Also, if you have a little wax left over from your project.. consider these homemade beeswax wax melts for yourself – they are great in small rooms. For other small spaces where a heat source is not allowed – scented wax sachets work perfectly.