About Us
the beeswax candle co
Welcome to our store! We are passionate about providing our customers with high-quality candles that are made with 100% pure beeswax.
Our candles are made with only the finest USA-made materials, ensuring that you get the best possible product. We believe that our customers deserve the very best, which is why we go to great lengths to ensure that our candles are made with the highest-quality ingredients available.
At The Beeswax Candle Company, we take pride in the fact that all of our candles are made right here in the USA. We believe that by supporting American-made products, we are not only helping to strengthen the economy, but we are also helping to support local communities and businesses.
We are committed to using only sustainable and eco-friendly materials in our candles. Beeswax is a completely renewable resource that is produced by honeybees, making it a great choice for those who are environmentally conscious.
In addition to our commitment to quality and sustainability, we are also committed to providing our customers with exceptional customer service. We believe that our customers are the heart of our business, and we strive to provide them with the best possible experience from start to finish. Please keep in mind however; we are a small local business and we do not have a large staff if you call and we don't answer we are probably pouring candles and will call you back as soon as possible. You can also send me an email at emily @ beeswaxcandleco.com and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you for considering our all-natural beeswax candles for your home. We look forward to serving you and providing you with a candle that not only looks and smells great but is also good for the environment.
A Story from our Founder
Pure. Natural. Distinct.
As a young mom with five active children, founder Kathy Shaw started hand-pouring beeswax candles in her kitchen. Several like-minded friends joined her in hand-pouring candles, carpooling kids, and creating a one-of-a-kind candle-making studio.
“I loved the relaxing process of working with molten wax, and sharing my candles with family & friends.”
- Kathy Shaw, founder of The Beeswax Candle Co.
As Beeswax Candle Co. became more successful, Kathy left her position as the Director of Development at a non-profit. Most of the original staff are still working together, even though their children have grown into adulthood.
That small business grew into a full-time passion — selling 100% pure beeswax candles from Beeswax Candle Co. in Downtown Lynchburg, Virginia.
Today, all of our candles are cotton-wicked, 100% pure, and crafted from highly filtered beeswax that has been "filter polished" (never bleached) to its natural, creamy white color. You can see the difference from the first light.
Inspired Surroundings
Our studio was located in a historic building on the edge of downtown Lynchburg, Virginia. We were two blocks from the banks of the James River, and if we were a little higher on the hill, would have a fantastic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
In the upper level of our building, we hand-pour our candles. The walls are exposed brick from the original foundation built in the late 1890s. The scent of warm wax fills the air up to the 15 ft. high ceilings.
On the main level, we have a small gallery. This inviting space encourages our friends and customers to linger during their visits. We hope the atmosphere inspires you to bring the same warm energy into your own home.
Moving to NC
In the first weeks of April 2022, founder Kathy Shaw decided to sell the beeswax candle co to Beelite Inc and close down the studio in Lynchburg, Virginia. I'm delighted to say Beelite Inc has been supplying the highly filtered beeswax for the beeswax candle co for many years, so the quality of beeswax you have come to know and love here at the beeswax candle co will stay exactly as it has always been.
Grand Opening
Beelite Inc. will soon be opening its own gift shop in Morganton, Nc. Offering all the products you know and love as well as well many other unique crafts!
Different From First Light
Our customers appreciate the distinct handmade qualities of our candles. Each one is unique, sustainable, and clean-burning. Below are some additional questions that often answer for our customers.
Q. What’s wrong with paraffin?
A. Paraffin wax candles make up 95% of the world's candle production. However, paraffin is a petroleum by-product that requires additional chemicals to harden and scent it. Paraffin releases toxins as it burns, evidenced by the black soot paraffin candles produce. Beeswax candles burn cleanly, with virtually no smoke or soot.
Q. What about aromatherapy candles that use pure essential oils?
A. Don't be misled by "aromatherapy" candles. Despite the fact that wonderful essential oils are used, paraffin wax is still the foundation.
Q. What is the melting point of beeswax?
A. About 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
Q. Why does beeswax smell like honey?
A. When beeswax is created by the honeybee, it is white and odorless. During storage in the honeycomb, the wax absorbs its fragrance and color from pollen, honey, and propolis (a brownish resinous material of waxy consistency collected by bees from the buds of trees and used as a cement). Each batch of wax collected has a unique honey-like fragrance and color.
Q. Why do some honeycomb sheet colors smell differently?
A. The type of plant from which the honeybee harvests pollen determines the fragrance of the beeswax. A lighter color of beeswax indicates the bees are collecting materials from blossoms. A darker shade of beeswax is produced when bees collect from plants such as eucalyptus and avocado.
Q. What is bloom?
A. Bloom is the dull "finish" or sometimes frosty-like "film" that appears on the surface of beeswax, usually when the wax is cold and exposed to air. Bloom is caused by the softer oils in the wax coming to the surface. It is not harmful and may be removed by blowing warm air from a hairdryer over the wax (not so close you melt the wax) or by buffing the candle with a nylon stocking (although this does not work well with hand-rolled honeycomb candles).
Q. What kind of caution do I need to use when burning the candles?
A. When using wooden candlestick holders please do not let the candle burn down to the wooden base. Also, beware of glass candleholders—they can crack and "explode" when the candle burns down to the glass cup. The standard warnings also apply: never leave a burning candle unattended, or alone with children.
Q. Do beeswax candles really burn longer?
A. Yes. Beeswax is a long-burning wax; however, a hand-rolled candle has less wax than a solid candle. Other factors that affect burn time are: the ambient temperature of the room the candle is burning in (colder air means longer burn time); for hand-rolled candles - how tightly the wax was rolled around the wick (it's important for the wick to have good contact with the wax; less air--tighter roll--the better); and drafts.