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Where this comes from. The wax figures and the candle method are the FAO’s, and the safety advice for hot wax is the National Bee Unit’s. The rules for selling candles come from Business Companion, the Trading Standards guidance service, and from advice Trading Standards wrote with the British Candlemakers Federation. Sources at the foot of the page.
Start with clean wax
A mould does not clean wax. Whatever is in the wax ends up in the block or the candle, so render it and clean it first. Rendering and cleaning beeswax covers that.
A grey layer on the bottom of a block is mostly dirt. Scrape it off and melt it again with the next batch. 1
Melting it for the mould
Beeswax melts at 62 to 65 °C. 1 Melt it in a water bath, never in a dry pan over the heat, and never let it go above 85 °C. Above that it starts to darken. 1
Use stainless steel, glass or aluminium. Iron, steel, copper, brass and galvanised metal all discolour wax. 1
Hot wax is a fire hazard, and it burns skin. Never leave it, never let it boil, and wear heat resistant gloves and eye protection. 3
Three ways to make a candle
- Rolled. A sheet of patterned wax rolled round a wick that has been soaked in wax. 2
- Dipped. A weighted wick dipped again and again in wax at about 65 °C, one layer at a time. 2
- Moulded. Wax poured round a wick in a mould, as below.
The wick
Braided cotton, plaited from thin threads until it is thick enough. Soak it in hot wax, then hang it with a weight on the end so that it sets dead straight. 2
The wick decides how a candle burns. A wick that is too large makes a candle fire more likely, so use the smallest that gives a good burn. 5
Pouring and cooling
A mould can be any round tube of the right width: aluminium, plastic pipe, some kinds of rubber, even bamboo. Warm it first, as close to the temperature of the wax as you can. A thin coat of soap or of diluted honey helps the candle out. 2
With the wick held straight down the middle, pour slowly. Then let the candle cool as slowly as you can, in a warm room out of draughts and direct sun. A thin candle can come out after about two hours. 2
If it cools too fast, the top sinks round the wick. Fill the hollow with more melted wax as soon as the first pour starts to set. 2
Blocks are poured the same way, without the wick.
Selling candles
A candle sold to the public comes under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. 4
Before a new candle goes on sale, you are legally obliged to assess it for safety, and the standard asks for three samples to be tested. Much of the fire safety test can be done at home rather than in a laboratory. Keep the results: Trading Standards can ask to see them. 5
Three British standards cover candles: BS EN 15494 for the safety label, BS EN 15493 for fire safety and BS EN 15426 for sooting. A candle that meets them is presumed safe for the risks they cover. 4
What the label must say
Under BS EN 15494:2019 the label carries the general warning sign, a yellow triangle with a black exclamation mark, and three safety messages, in words or as their symbols: 5
- Never leave a burning candle unattended.
- Keep away from things that can catch fire.
- Keep away from children and pets.
Some kinds of candle must also say Use a heat resistant candle holder. Other messages, such as keeping candles apart or trimming the wick, are optional. Too many warnings work as badly as too few. 5
Scent, and what not to claim
Add a fragrance and the chemical labelling rules, known as CLP, can apply as well. 4
A fragrance also lowers the temperature at which the melted wax can catch fire. Wax alone is typically around 200 °C, and a little fragrance can bring that down a long way. 5
Do not call a candle an insect repellent, or put insects on the packaging. Only a product registered with the Health and Safety Executive may claim that. 5
Lip balm and hand cream are cosmetics in law, with rules of their own. Rendering and cleaning beeswax covers them.
The short version
- Clean the wax first. A mould does not.
- Melt it in a water bath, never above 85 °C, and never leave it.
- Stainless steel, glass or aluminium. Not iron, copper or brass.
- Warm the mould, coat it, pour slowly, and cool it slowly out of draughts.
- A braided cotton wick, soaked in wax and hung straight. The smallest that burns well.
- To sell a candle, assess it, test three samples, and label it with the warning sign and the three messages.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change - always check the current guidance on GOV.UK before relying on it.