Beeswax candles are the oldest type made, and the best for pysankarstvo.  Usually formed into thin tapers, these are the candles favored in churches throughout the world.  They do not drip much (unless disturbed), and burn cleanly.  Unlike paraffin candles, they also do not produce much smoke.

For the pysankarka they are ideal because they keep the air relatively free of smoke, and, when used for removing wax from a pysanka, produce much less soot. An added bonus is the lovely honeyed scent of natural beeswax.

Beeswax candles emit light that is similar to the light spectrum of sunlight, due to beeswax’s high melting point of approximately 149° Fahrenheit. This high melting point also means that the candles will keep their form even in hot temperatures, as can result in storage in the summer, and won’t bend and deform like paraffin candles do.

Because beeswax has a higher melting point than other waxes, it emits the brightest, most warm-toned flame. Beeswax candles also last longer than most other candles. Because it is so dense (0.958), beeswax burns slower and drips less, and many consider beeswax candles to be drip free.

And an added bonus is that these candles are a natural product, made by bees, and not a petroleum by-product.  This makes them the obvious green choice.

Although beeswax candles cost more than paraffin ones, they are generally worth it, at least to me.

Back to Main Candles page

Back to MAIN Pysanka home page.

Back to Pysanka Index.