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By Bev Weidner on March 8, 2016 in DIY, Life
“Be my little baby bumble bee (Buzz around. Buzz around. Keep a-buzzin’ ’round.” (<–name that song)
It’s heeeere! My mammoth post about beeswax is finally here. I can tell you’re all buzzing with excitement. (<–don’t hate)
Alrighty! I’m so excited. Let’s start with supplies. I broke this down into four sections, ranging from easiest to . . . not easiest. Not that any of this is even hard! But it’s just more detailed. More steps. More luxurious awesomeness.
This is what you’ll need:
- beeswax (you can by them in sheets, pellets, bars – all on Amazon!)
- carrier oils – sweet almond oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, vitamin e oil
- essential oils – lavender, peppermint, rosewater, frankincense, grapefruit, eucalyptus
- vanilla extract
- shea butter
- coconut oil
- distilled water
- mason jars
- perfume holders – like slide lip balm containers or an old pill box
1) Beeswax Stick Candles:
These candles are by far the easiest you’ll ever make in the history of your life here on earth. You buy the sheets in a box. They come with a loooong strand of wick. You’ll cut each long beeswax sheet in half. You measure and cut the wick to fit each sheet, leaving a little extra dangling out to burn. You might think the sheet will break easily, but once you get them in your hands, you’ll see how pliable they actually are.
Gently yet tightly wrap the end of the beeswax sheet around the wick, and keep rolling rolling rolling, until it’s a dang candle. Takes like 15 seconds. Make sure you keep the rolling even, so your candle isn’t wonky and twisted.
You’ll trim the wicks and boom – done.
I like to put mine in little leftover mousse jars from this French bakery down the street. Anchor it with rice to keep it in place. GAWGEOUS.
Plus – this mustard color is so easy on the eyes. It goes with anything.
They burn fast, so make a ton!
A TON.
2) Beeswax Solid Perfume:
Okay, I have to tell you about this book I was recently recommended and bought. It’s called The Green Beauty Guide, and it is changing my life. It’s all about how to pay attention to all of these horrible added ingredients in our beauty products. AND how to make your own. It’s incredible. Overwhelming, but incredible. This solid perfume is a version of what’s in the book! I changed the carrier oil and my scents, but the measurements are the same.
You’ll take an ounce of beeswax (the bar works best here) and melt it with 2 Tbs. sweet almond oil. (Jojoba works here as well.) When I say melt, I mean in a heat-safe glass bowl over simmering water. I’m basically mimicking a double boiler.
Melt the wax and oil until the wax is completely dissolved, then take it off the heat. Add 10 drops peppermint essential oil, 10 drops rosewater oil, and 10 drops lavender essential oil. Also add 2 tiny drops of vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
Then you’ll spoon the hot substance into little slide lip balm containers, an old pillbox, anything you want to use as your perfume holder! Cute, right?
Ignore that one janky pour right up there in the middle. ^^ This will harden pretty immediately, and you’re ready to use! Just rub rub rub, dab dab dab.
- My tip for next time: when it said solid, it meant SOLID. I think in my next go around I’ll use half an ounce of beeswax, and one more Tbs. of oil, just to make it slightly softer. If you try this, let me know how it turns out! Smells soooo good. Subtle! But super pleasant. And you can obviously switch out the scented essential oils for the ones you dig. (say “scented essential” three times fast)
3) Grapefruit Eucalyptus Body Butter:
This has been my FAVORITE recipe/project since early January. There is nothing – nothing like a homemade body butter. My girl gave me a Rosemary Citrus butter for Christmas (along with a basic rundown of the recipe). But since then I’ve been tweaking and playing, and I cannot get enough of how soft and silky and luxurious this butter feels. TRUST MEH.
In your heat-safe glass bowl over simmering water, you’ll melt 3/4 cup of shea butter, 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1 Tbs. beeswax pellets. Keep stirring and get it all good and melted together. Take it off the heat and pour it into little mason jars. (I used half-pint jars) Add 20 drops of grapefruit essential oil, and 20 drops eucalyptus oil. Gently stir, and put the lid on. Let it sit over night, until it’s cooled and solidified. It won’t be solid like the perfume! But a creamy, smooth, buttery goodness that you’ll want to forever live in.
Other versions I’ve made: peppermint and cedarwood (omg), lavender and patchouli (holy cow) and then this one (dear Lord). It’s so wonderful and perfect and I can’t talk about it a second longer or else I’ll bawl.
4) Insane Face Cream:
I MADE A FACE CREAM. A whipped, glorious, real-deal facial moisturizer and I am all but losing my mind.
I researched this one like crazy. There are 20347823425324 kazillion recipes and versions of how to make a DIY cream. And it’s like, everything was so different yet so similar. It gave me gas. So, I combined ideas from a handful, and created my own freaking face cream recipe. And it’s simple! And actually works!
You’ll take 1/2 cup of avocado oil + 2 Tbs. vitamin E oil + 1/4 cup shea butter + about 1/2 Tbs. beeswax pellets. Melt all of this together in your little glass bowl over simmering water. Once it’s all melted, take it off the heat and add 20 drops Frankincense essential oil. (I chose Frank because he’s ridiculously good for your skin, but any skin-loving essential oil will work!)
Now, this is where we take things up a notch. Start blending the hot oil with a hand mixer, until you see little bubbles start to form. Be patient, because this takes a good 5 or 6 minutes. THEN, stick the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.
After 15, grab the bowl and start mixing again. It will quickly become creamy, but not exactly whipped. And we want whipped. We want to whip it real good.
Add 1/2 Tbs. distilled water and mix for a few more minutes. Then, stick the bowl BACK in the freezer for five more minutes. After five, you’ll notice a huge difference. Stick the mixer back in and whip that baby up. You may even get teary. It happens.
And it’s done! You’ll simply transfer the cream into little amber glass jars, mason jars, whatever you dig. (use glass though – plastic makes me skeevy)
This recipe makes about a cup and a half, so store any leftovers in the fridge until you’ve run out of your first batch.
I still can’t believe HOW GOOD it feels on my face. Totally creamy, yet has a slight glossy after-tone. And it’s all healthy, real, natural ingredients, that you can feel good about. (<–in my worst announcer voice)
And there we have it! Candles, a solid perfume, body butters o’ glory, and a face cream that will have you seeing the THIRD DIMENSION. I really do hope you make one or all of these recipes! And you have to come back to tell me how they turned out, duh.
Okay, it’s your turn. If you have any beeswax recipes, whether it be beauty, household, whatevs, hook it up! Because obviously I need yet another obsession.
“Bring home all the honey, love, to me (Little bee, little bee, little bee)” (<–name that song)
beauty, beewax, body butter, candles, diy, essential oils, face cream, natural, perfume, shea butter
Friday Flotsam
Easy Shredded Chicken Curry
38 Responses to How I Use Beeswax Every Day (Four Recipes!)
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Sara @ Cake Over Steak March 8, 2016 at 10:29 am #
I love recipes like this!! Thanks so much for sharing :-D
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Brittany November 14, 2022 at 9:34 pm #
Bev! How many containers do these make?? Wanna do this for Christmas gifts but I’d really like to know how much each batch will make! Thanks and luuuv your blog!!! Xo
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Heather March 8, 2016 at 12:52 pm #
This weekend I decided it was time to get crunchy and make lotion for my babies. Then I saw you tease this post on snapchat and have since been eagerly waiting these recipes. I'm sensitive to smells so I'll probably leave out essential oils unless you think that'll change the recipe too much.
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Bev Weidner March 9, 2016 at 6:55 am #
Going fragrance free is just fine! Besides the perfume. It would defeat the purpose, but everything yes - yeah!
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Allie March 8, 2016 at 3:25 pm #
Love these! Totally going to have to try that face cream this weekend.. looks so luscious. and it's so wild that nearly all that stuff's been in my pantry for months and here I am slathering bottled chemicals on my face daily. So excited!
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Christa Threlfall March 8, 2016 at 8:19 pm #
These recipes sound amazing!! I want to try the face cream first because it sounds luxurious and the face lotion I'm using right now stinks. Like, literally stinks. As in my husband asks me if I really like it because it stinks. But I'm actually just trying to use it up so I can FINALLY throw it away. ?So yes. Face cream. On my list. Along with your chicken suiza. ?
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Tori March 9, 2016 at 2:08 am #
This is such a cool post! You're so resourceful and I'm amazed how you use beeswax in so many different ways!
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Sarah March 9, 2016 at 9:51 am #
Oh my... Great post! But I'm not so handy... Not sure if I'll make it right :(
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Elizabeth March 9, 2016 at 6:51 pm #
I am sensitive to heavy fragrance and perfumes so will have to the body products! Great post! Any suggestions on where to buy the carrier and essential oils?
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Bev Weidner March 10, 2016 at 9:13 am #
You can buy the carrier oils and essential oils at most health stores! Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, etc. You can eeeven order everything on Amazon, if you're lazy like me. :)
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Enriqueta June 15, 2020 at 11:04 am #
Love this face moisturizer! Would you recommend using emulsifying wax with this recipe?
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Amy March 9, 2016 at 9:30 pm #
So, the Insane Face Cream is, indeed, insanely good! Just made it and used it today. Two questions for you ... 1. should it be stored in the fridge or at room temperature? And also, 2. how do you keep your littles from wanting to "lick the beaters"? My kids were this close to ingesting the "icing" that Mama was making! Here's a good beeswax recipe for a lotion bar. I use this in the winter a lot. It's pretty solid but will warm up quickly once it hits your skin. 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 shea butter, 1/4 cup beeswax + 1 tsp vitamin E oil. Melt and pour into an empty deodorant container. Also, it's like an enormous lip balm!
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Bev Weidner March 10, 2016 at 9:12 am #
Ooooo I've GOT to make that lotion bar! And you know, I'm not storing my current jar in the fridge, since I use it twice a day. But the next batch is in the fridge until I need it! I'm not sure why exactly, but I read online that it's a good idea. And as far as the kids eating the lotion - eh, it's all healthy stuff, right? ;)
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Brittany | Words Like Honeycomb March 10, 2016 at 11:06 am #
i know NOOOTHING about making face cream...however my current face cream [I THINK] is making me break out...do you have sensitive skin?? I am sensitive to like all things on my skin it seems...not natural stuff tho...so I think this is probably okay, but just curious :) I may just try it either way since you set all these lovely recipes up for us and im obsessed with bee-things.
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Megan March 10, 2016 at 3:53 pm #
any chance you can attach the links you used on amazon. I have never bought any essential oils or beeswax and there seem to be soooooo many choices, I am a bit overwhelmed by all the choices and afraid I am will buy the wrong things. I know you are busy and it might be a bit of a pain. If you could, that would be great!
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Bev Weidner March 11, 2016 at 7:46 am #
I'm more than happy to! The brand I mostly use is NOW, and I buy it in a hippie store here in KC. But here are the links to the exact oils I use! http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Lavender-Oil-1-Ounce/dp/B0009RSP38/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1457703792&sr=8-1&keywords=now+essential+oilshttp://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Peppermint-Oil-ounce/dp/B00028MKRQ/ref=pd_sim_121_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41FSbP4M7eL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0RVTFPDAGPM9QQW1BEX6http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Pure-Frankincense-Ounce/dp/B0014UEQQY/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1457703903&sr=1-1&keywords=now+frankincense+essential+oilhttp://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Grapefruit-Oil-1-Ounce/dp/B0019LWW9Q/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1457703925&sr=1-1&keywords=now+grapefruit+essential+oilhttp://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Rosewater-Concentrate-Ounce/dp/B0009SNWH6/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1457703950&sr=1-1&keywords=rosewater+essential+oil
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Megan March 12, 2016 at 7:51 am #
thanks so much. will get investigating!!!
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Jenn March 29, 2020 at 12:38 pm #
The minute you add water, you're inviting bacteria, no? So, why the water in the face cream? Can it be left out?
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Dana April 23, 2020 at 8:13 am #
I was wondering if you could use colloidal silver instead of the water for the same reason??
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Carole Upper April 12, 2016 at 7:25 pm #
What brand of Shea butter do you purchase? Is it un-refined? Really want to try the body butter!
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Jenny park September 6, 2016 at 10:19 pm #
I would love to make these as gifts for the ladies in my family and I was wondering/hoping you could tell me where you got your cute jars and lip balm tins from? Thanks!?
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Bev Weidner September 7, 2016 at 9:22 am #
Hey, Jenny! The mason jars are from my local hardware store. The amber jars and lip balm tins are both Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Glass-Straight-Sided-Jar/dp/B00O2C4VOI/ref=pd_nav_hcs_bia_t_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1MC336S6Z3B71RBWYFTAhttps://www.amazon.com/Empty-Slide-Containers-Crafts-Storage/dp/B00RNG22PU/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1473258132&sr=8-1&keywords=lip+balm+tin
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Ruthie January 27, 2017 at 12:26 pm #
Sort of off-topic, but I mix perfume and face serum together in little rollerball bottles and use that in my purse for a quick scent refresher. I do it on the cheap, too, by using those little sample vials of perfume and samples of serum. I never used those things, just threw them away until I thought of doing this. The serum makes the scent stick better than just a spritz on your skin. Just a little roll, like over and inch of skin, and you have a nice mild but long-lasting scent.
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Sandy October 24, 2020 at 3:16 am #
Can you omit the water? Once you add water you need a preservative as it can grow bacteria really quickly and it goes straight to your face
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Jaunyce Priester April 13, 2017 at 8:32 pm #
Does this work well with oily skin? My face is oily so I usually don't use face moisturizer often because to keep it from being overly oily.
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Jamie December 21, 2019 at 1:17 pm #
My lotion was green ?
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Hotmail login account June 19, 2020 at 3:01 am #
Wow! Love all these ideas and I will definitely try the solid perfume recipe! Thank you so much!
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vex 3 June 20, 2020 at 2:18 am #
The recipes you share are very good. I have learned the ways you share..mapquest driving directions
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Liz September 5, 2020 at 10:45 am #
Thanks for sharing the recipes and where you bought the ingredients. I would love to try the face cream. I didn't notice what kind of vitamin E do you use? And where did you get it? Thanks for all your help. Liz
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Barnaby Draper September 27, 2020 at 12:59 pm #
Great tips and you are f*cking funny! Unnecessarily crude of me but placed for emphasis : )
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Katia October 3, 2020 at 9:07 pm #
Hi Jenny! Thanks for the recipes! I wonder where did you get those containers for solid perfumes from?
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Cynthia Martino December 24, 2020 at 10:13 am #
I used an immersion blender for the first few steps before realizing this called for a hand mixer, and I wrapped the bowl in a pot holder when I placed it in the freezer so I'm not sure it got as cold as it should have for the first few times in the freezer, ugh. Saw bubbles/foam right awa\y with immersion blender and it never got "creamy" per se on the second step. So, I switched to a hand mixer and put it back in the freezer 2x10 minutes to get it to whip. Might not be as whippy as it could be but I'm hoping it works well just the same. Will try again. Thanks for the recipe.
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Elizabeth July 9, 2021 at 1:39 am #
Beeswax is a unique remedy because it contains a huge amount of useful substances. Unfortunately, bees are getting smaller now, so we need to try to prevent their extinction.
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Vicki S February 18, 2022 at 2:34 pm #
For those that asked regarding the water in the ingredients, and bacteria? That is why you have to use DISTILLED water. Otherwise yes, it would bring bacteria. Hope that helps! :-)
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Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Crushing On - Chez Us -April 3, 2016[…] Beeswax Candles – totally dig them but never buy as they are so expensive. Now I am going to make them! […]
- Crushing On - Chez Us -April 17, 2016[…] these candles and LOVE them – you will be seeing more of them around our […]
- Friday Flotsam | Bev Cooks -May 19, 2017[…] I’m out of my normal handmade beeswax lotion (I know I should just make more), and I’ve LOST ALL OF MY STUPID LIP BALMS. Where do they […]
- Friday Flotsam | Bev Cooks -November 10, 2017[…] cohesive. I would even go a step further and say that with SHINE, add MUTED TONES. Like eucalyptus, homemade beeswax candles, anything pale and faded is just beautiful next to […]
