We love Honeybees!

A Honeybee hard at work in Pat’s garden

Honeybees are interesting creatures who are vital link in our Eco-system, without them we wouldn’t enjoy many of the products we enjoy today such as honey, bee pollen, propolis and of course our favourite: beeswax! For the next couple weeks, I’d like to focus on Honeybees and what we’ve learned through researching them. They are busy little creatures and they deserve some attention. This week I’d like to introduce you to the three types of Honeybees. There are over 20,000 species of bees, Honeybees make up a very small fraction with about 44 species.
 

The Honeybees main purpose in life is to produce honey. They use the honey to feed their larvae and live on it during the winter months. Beeswax is a byproduct of honey production, the Honeybees create honeycomb in order to store the honey. When the honey is extracted from the honeycomb what’s left is a wax substance, called beeswax. It is then melted down and filtered. (Since we are by no means honey experts please click for more information on honey.

Within a hive there are up to 40,000 busy Honeybees. There are three types of Honeybees: The Worker Bee, Drone and Queen. Each has their own distinct job.

Queen: There is typically only one queen per hive. Every bee in the hive is her offspring. She can lay up to 2000 eggs/day and can live 2-5 years.

Drone: The drone’s only job is to mate with the queen. Their life span is 8 weeks or less.

Worker Bees: Workers bees have various tasks including: feeding the larvae, work with honey, pollen, propolis and wax within the hive and forage for pollen and nectar outside the hive. Their life span is around 40 days in the summer.

The domestic Honeybee looks different than other types of bees such as Bumble Bees. It’s body is more round and smaller than other bee species and it’s color is lighter and quite unique (see above photo). Next time you see a honeybee pollinating one of your flower beds, be glad! It is collecting the very substance that’s in your candles! Next week we’ll talk about pollination and nectar collection.

There are so many great resources for bee information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bee

http://www.gpnc.org/honeybee.htm

http://www.beeclass.com/dts/honey_bee.htm

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSk_ev1eZec

Does Citronella really work?

Botanical name: Cymbopogon nardus 

Citronella essential oil has long been used as an effective insect repellent. It is considered a natural choice for health conscious consumers who are concerned about the dangers of using products such as a Deet on their skin and who steer away from fragrance based candles. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency Citronella essential oil is not considered harmful to humans or animals and can be safely used as an insect repellent. Read more.

Citronella essential oil is most commonly used three ways:

1. As a plant – Citronella plants can be planted around your garden, deck or patio to keep insects away. The perennial plant is related to lemongrass (Cymbopogon) but is not edible. Cymbopogon nardus grows between 1 to 3 feet tall with very aromatic leaves. For instructions on planting click here
2. In a candle – Not to be confused with typical bright yellow fragrance based Citronella candles often found in drugstores, essential oil based candles contain Citronella extracted from the plants leaves.  Our Citronella Outdoor Candle is subtly scented and doesn’t overwhelm, the scent is both woodsy and lemony and smells similar to lemon grass.
3. Used topically in lotions, sprays and rubs – I find using a small drop of Citronella essential oil on my wrists is very effective in keeping mosquitoes away. When essential oils on your skin, be careful to use a very small amount or mix with olive oil or sweet almond oil. Citronella is very strong and can cause an allergic reaction to those with sensitive skin. The Canadian government warns against using large amounts topically as it can be harmful in large doses.

Government regulations prohibit companies with Citronella products to say “Insect repellent” or any terms that makes similar claims. When shopping for all-natural Citronella based products, make sure the product ingredient list says pure Citronella essential oil.

Andrea

Our Special Visitor

It’s been a busy few weeks here at Honey Candles®! At the end of June we had a special visitor come from Japan to see our shop and meet the folks who make 100% pure beeswax Honey Candles®. Momoko’s (pictured left, we put her to work!) family owns a store called M’s Collectibles in Akita and has carried our candles for 10 months. She describes her store as a gift, honey and collectibles store that carries a wide variety of products people can’t find anywhere else. Now that she’s seen where we live, she’ll share stories about the shop and people who make the candles with her customers. She hopes it will give the customers a feel for the unique handmade product they are buying. Momoko enjoyed Canada very much and said everyone she met has been friendly and helpful. We enjoyed meeting her too and showing her the Kootenays.  We hope she comes back again!

There is no such thing as cheap beeswax!

Beeswax candles are generally expensive compared to other candles.  If you come across a company claiming to sell cheap beeswax they may not be telling the truth about what’s in their candles. 

Chinese Beeswax – Chinese beeswax is typically very low quality. According to one of our beekeepers, some chinese Honeybees are not allowed to forage on plants. They are fed sugar water instead. The result is a wax that doesn’t have much natural scent, a lack of color and burns at a lower quality (often chinese beeswax has a green muddy appearance.)

Mixed or Blended Waxes – Some companies will call their product “beeswax” when it’s blended with other waxes such as soy or paraffin.  According to candle regulations, a company can call their candle a beeswax candle as long as it has 10% beeswax in it. When shopping for the real beeswax candles make sure the candle says “100% pure beeswax candles”.

Rolled Honeycomb – Rolled honeycomb candles are very different than poured, solid beeswax candles. They don’t burn for very long compared to solid beeswax candles and don’t burn as well.

When shopping for beeswax candles here are some tips to make sure you get the real deal:

• 100% pure beeswax is very hard and heavier than blended candles. When you pick it up you can feel the weight in your hands.
• 100% pure beeswax candles typically develop “bloom.” The whitish film is an indicator of purity and is cherished by candle connoisseurs. Bloom is defined in the Merriam Webster’s Dictionary as a “state or time of beauty, freshness and vigor.” Candles mixed with other waxes will not develop bloom.
• 100% pure beeswax candles have a richer looking color (see photo on the right) than chinese wax and blended wax.
• 100% pure beeswax candles have a subtle honey scent. Some companies will use artificial scent in their blended candles to mimic the natural honey scent.
• If you are unsure about your candles call the company and ask them where they source their wax and if it’s blended with other waxes.

Certified Organic vs. Organically Managed

We understand buying Certified Organic Beeswax is important to many customers. They want to make sure their candles come from organic sources and the bees are treated ethically. It’s hard to discern what is truly Certified Organic and what is simply labeled “organic” since many companies mislead customers.

When it comes to beeswax very stringent guidelines must be followed before a company can call their product Certified Organic. Beeswax falls under the umbrella of Apiculture (also known as beekeeping), which is defined as the maintenance of honeybees for the production of honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and other bee related products. Canadian and US regulations for Apiculture are very similar. In Canada everything within 1.86 square Miles of the apiary must be non-treated organically produced plants or wild vegetation. In the US the radius is 4 square miles.

The regulations also state:

• Apiarists must use natural materials such as wood and metal for the hives
• Apiarists cannot use synthetic materials for pest management or treat the bees with any antibiotics to prevent diseases
• Apiarists must not clip the queens wings or destroy the colony annually
• The bees must be left with an adequate supply of their own honey and pollen for them to survive the dormancy period

For a full list of regulations please visit one of the below sites

Our beeswax comes from Organically Managed hives. This means our beekeepers do not spray their crops with pesticides and herbicides but use natural techniques such as crop rotation to reduce the bee’s exposure to these chemicals during pollination. Our beekeepers assure us they love their bees and treat them ethically! Read more

Sources:

Central Beekeepers Alliance

Quality Assurance International

NSOB Organic Apiculture Standards

Companies:

Certified Organic Honey: Golden Acres Honey

Essential Oil Candles are a hit!

We are so excited about the positive comments we’ve been hearing about the new Honey Candles® 100% pure beeswax essential oil candles we decided to share what our customers are saying so far:

“I absolutely love my essential oil candles, they burn evenly and the smell is so nice and calming. I really liked the way you packaged them. I gave one to a girlfriend and one to my boyfriend, and they loved them too. I will put in another order soon to try out the scents.”  (Sylvie, Castlegar, BC)

“I love your lavender tin. I love how it has more than just lavender. The other scents make it more interesting but still soothing.” (Dawn, Victoria, BC)

In response to the wonderful feedback, we are thinking about expanding this line and need your help! Do you think the essentials would be better in Pillars, Votives, T-Lites or in a glass jar? Are there any other scents you’d like to see? Please leave a comment below or post your idea on our Facebook Page. If you are not familiar with the essentials here’s a list of our current scents:

Citronella: This is a great candle for summer with the benefits of citronella. Unlike synthetic fragrance candles, this candle has a soft subtle scent that doesn’t overwhelm and is a popular choice for health conscious customers. Pure Citronella Oil has a delightful grassy lemony scent similar to lemon grass.
Essential Oils: Pure Citronella Oil (Cymbopogon nardus)

Country Lavander: The combination of lavender and sweet orange is both citrusy and flowery. A dash of Black Pepper gives Country Lavender a subtle spiced finish. Essential Oils: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolium), Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) and Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Mulled Spice: A winter favorite! Mulled Spice invokes feelings of sipping a hot apple cider in front of a fireplace with snow falling outside. A great way to add warmth to any room. Essential Oils: Cinnamon (Cinnamonum zeylancium), Clove (Eugenia caryophylatta), Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) and Ginger (Zingiber officianalis)

Kootenay Forest: Transport yourself to the pristine alpine wilderness of the Kootenay Mountains with this nature inspired blend. Essential Oils: Pine (Pinus pnaster), Fir (Abies siberica) and Cedarwood (Cedrus deodorata)

Rosemary Mint: For those who enjoy a simple, clean blend, refreshing peppermint combined with herbaceous rosemary is absolute bliss. Makes a great air freshener. Essential Oils: Peppermint (Mentha arvensis) and Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)

Evening Bloom: The scent of this candle is inspired by a floral breeze on a warm summer evening – this candle is sure to delight your senses. Essential Oils: Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) and Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora)

How to make your own Lip Balm, Lotion and Perfume

We are selling beeswax blocks and medallions like crazy! It seems more and more people are opting to make their own lip balms, lotions, soaps and more at home. A good reason to create your own personal care products is to make sure the ingredients are free from the dangerous chemicals so prevalent in mainstream beauty products. Below are some of the best recipes we’ve come across. If you don’t have time to create your own products we recommend Rocky Mountain Soap, All Things Jill and Mountain Sky Soaps. They are great companies who make sure each ingredient is clean, pure and natural.

Note: We cannot guarantee these recipes will turn out perfectly. It takes lots of testing to find the right recipe and mixture that works for you. Make sure you sterilize all your equipment and containers and lids before you begin. Store your products in glass containers, not plastic. When using essential oils, use top-quality oils and organic when possible. Check out Saje for wonderful essential oils and useful information on each oil.

Lip Balm
1 tablespoon beeswax (shredded with a cheese grater or cut into smaller pieces.)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large vitamin E capsule
1-2 teaspoon of honey
4 drops essential oil (your choice – peppermint, orange etc.)

Heat beeswax and coconut oil to 160F. Add the vitamin E and stir until ingredients are melted and well mixed. Remove from heat. Add honey slowly and stir until the mixture starts to cool and thicken, at around 140F. Once thickened add the essential oils and continue stirring. Pour into jars and let cool.

Moisturizing Day Cream
4 oz. sweet almond oil
1 oz. beeswax
2 oz. water (sterilized or rose water)
10 drops vitamin E oil
10 drops essential oil (your choice – lavender, ylang ylang etc.)

When using water make sure the water is sterilized first (bring to a boil and cool). You can also use rose water, purchased from a health food store.

Melt the beeswax and add almond oil. Remove from heat, add water and stir. Add vitamin E and essential oils and stir continuously until cool.

Easy Natural Perfume
This recipe makes a large 9 oz. batch – a perfect size for gift making! If you are making the perfume for yourself use a smaller amount as the olive oil will go rancid over a longer period of time.

2 oz. beeswax
3 oz. shea Butter
4 oz. olive oil
.5 to 1 oz essential oil of choice (lavender, vanilla, patchouli, neroli, etc.,)

Melt beeswax and shea oils, add olive oil together and stir. Add essential oils when the mixture has cooled slightly. Pour mixture jars.

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Essential Oils: http://www.saje.ca/ is a great resource and tells you what each oil is good for.
Containers: http://www.specialtybottle.com They have lots of nice glass containers.

Beeswax has many other uses:
-To line baking pans to prevent certain pastries from sticking and to create a crispy crust
-To create textile designs in the art of Batiking
-As an ingredient for making natural tree grafting wax
-To rub on garden tools to prevent rusting
-To wax thread for sewing, beading and leatherwork
-As an important component in the beautiful Ukrainian art of decorating eggs
-To coat nails and screws to prevent the wood from splitting
-As a lubricant on drawers, hinges and oven racks
-To make children’s toys and crayons
-As part of a blend with other oils for furniture polish
-As weather and water proofing on hats, jackets and boots
-To polish shoes
-As an ingredient in moustache and dreadlock wax

Inspired by the Kootenays

Honey Candles is featured in Kootenay Business online!  Check it out

Not So Sexy – Study

Leah and I just returned from a trip to Vancouver and Seattle. We met with many of our stores in Vancouver and had a booth at the Whole Foods Pacific Northwest Holiday Show. We had a great time and learned a lot about the natural products industry. Because we live somewhere so isolated we sometimes feel a tad “out of the loop”, visiting our west coast stores helps us feel more connected to our stores and the industry.  While away, a fascinating study came out by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) about misguided ingredient labeling on colognes and perfumes.

I wrote about this issue in the past, but the study proves that toxic petrochemical fragrances are being secretly used in mainstream products. On our trip, we were very disappointed to see a candle company call the scents in their candles “essential oils.” I believe this misrepresentation is unfair to the consumer.  Just because a candle says scented with essential oils does not mean it is not blended with dangerous fragrance oils. This company should be required to fully disclose if they use any synthetic scents. The EWG study points out that some of the secret chemicals are known to cause hormone disruption and allergic reactions.

As consumers, we have to be very careful when purchasing products that say essential oils.  You can usually tell by the strength of the scent as most essential oils are subtle and smell purer than fragrances. If you’re not sure call the company and ask.  As good consumers we need to be discerning when purchasing products – it is our responsibility – as you’ll see in the study below,  manufacturers don’t always tell the truth.

Read the Report

Andrea

Wedding season is upon us once again!

During wedding season we get many inquiries about our 100% pure beeswax candles. It seems more and more customers are looking for a way to make their wedding day more eco-friendly by choosing natural alternatives to paraffin. Beeswax candles are a great choice because they are non-toxic, burn for a long time and have a subtle honey scent.

In the past two years, Leah and Roy’s daughters have both had their weddings here in Kaslo. In one wedding, White Pillar candles looked beautiful surrounding the cake. White beeswax is especially popular for its clean look and elegance. In the other wedding, Colored Votives were used as wedding favours. Not only can you use beeswax candles to offer a warm amber light to your centerpiece, smaller candles such as Votives or T-Lites make great wedding favours!

For more about beeswax visit our website

For more on how to Green your wedding visit:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4948179_plan-green-wedding.html
http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/10-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-wedding/