Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Products Of The Hive => Topic started by: riverbee on December 18, 2014, 10:46:13 pm
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i am looking for recipes from anyone who has a recipe for scented aromatic wax cubes. you know the type that you place in a warmer, like the 'scentsy' brand, but there are many out there. scented wax squares (or other shapes) that you place in a 'warming' unit of some type that you plug in to an outlet. you can buy the molds for these and the packaging, interested in doing this, have had some requests for these, so am researching a bit, but would like to know if anyone has experimented with these? i know blueblood did last year? anyone have a recipe?
yankee? bakers? perry? jen? anyone?
i found a candle mold, it's a tealight, very small, a really cool small skep that would double as a tealight votive and would work for the warmers.
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I know exactly what your talking about but I don't have a recipe. This is a neat idea by the way :)
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Good idea, but can't help with a recipe though. :)
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riverbee, I just read this post. Have you made any progress on this project? I have seen these before, but never used one. Does the wax totally evaporate in these melters?
My first thoughts about fragrances would be to enhance the natural beeswax fragrance. I could see a cinnamon/honey combination that would be very pleasant. Also many soap fragrance combinations sound really good. I would think essential oils would be used for the fragrance, but someone else might know more. It would also take a lot of essential oil too. I am just speculating.
No wicking involved, so making the wax melts should be easier. You could make wax chips as well. No mold needed.
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thank you bakers for asking and bringing this subject back up, and for me, a reminder. with christmas and a two floor office move life has been hectic the past few weeks. might be for another week or so until the dust settles (and the stress) around here to focus on something besides art work, furniture, boxing and unboxing crates and carts, loading and unloading and plugging in desktops......was also asked to saw a rather large conference table in half with a skil saw. i rolled my eyes......seriously?!.......... :D it sold, thank you very much. i told them to hire 'two men and a truck'........lol, why should they do that when they have free labor.......all the spouses...............well some........ :D
sorry i digress. ANYWAY, the cubes. i did some 'research', and found a number of recipes. seems those who use beeswax for the cubes find it works better to mix in a carrier oil into the beeswax; ie cocunut oil, etc, and essential oils because of the high melt temp for beeswax alone. most of the candle warmers are designed to heat cubes (wax) at a lower temp, and those cubes are not made from beeswax. usually soy or parafin, or a combination of soy and parafin. these have lower melt temps.
some folks mix in soy or parafin in beeswax, to achieve the melting temp, but i am not going to do this. i will probably experiment with a carrier oil mixed in the beeswax, and add essential oils for the fragrance, or just add essential oils and see what happens. also flavor extract oils are used.
fragrance.....
essential oils, from what i read, and depending on how many is used are often not enough to give a good 'throw' of the scent throughout the house. the lingo i learned, LOL. so to get a good 'throw' of the scent, the use of fragrance oils or flavor extract oils are much stronger. i do know that the 'scentsy' brand sure beats anything else on the market for this, but their recipe is a secret as to what they use. so would like to try and replicate the same 'throw' or strength of the scent throughout the house.
the wax does not evaporate in these candle warmers, but you can tell when the essential oil or fragrance oil has evaporated from the cube. much like adding essential oil to lip balm, if you add the essential oil when the beeswax is too hot, it will evaporate or reduce the essential oil you added. when the scent 'dies', i just empty the hot wax out, or let it cool, and peel it out. i also read where folks repurpose the wax, save it, remelt and add the oils, let it harden and re-use it again. not sure how well this works?
enhancing the natural smell of beeswax would be very cool, so i would think just adding a carrier oil one might achieve that sweet smell of the beeswax throughout the house!
cinnamon and honey.......... :yes:
i will post up some recipes i found and saved a little later, maybe this evening, for sure by tomorrow!
again, thanks bakers for asking!
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some recipes i did find and will be experimenting with.
just an addition/warning about fragrance oils; i neglected to mention, if one has allergies to fragrances or certain fragrances, might want to be careful with adding fragrance oils to the beeswax that you or customers might be allergic to. i think i am going to steer clear of using any fragrance oils to scent the cubes with and just stick with essential oils or flavor/extract oils.
recipe #1:
the mold this person was using is here on amazon: (unavailable)
Honeybee Wax Tart Mold (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BR10KHE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BR10KHE&linkCode=as2&tag=thedarbak-20)
Ingredients
• 2 oz Beeswax, grated
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 20 drops Essential Oils or
• 1 teaspoon Food Grade Extracts
• Other inclusions such as dried flowers, spices or coffee beans
Method
1. Place beeswax and coconut oil in a glass bowl or measuring cup inside a saucepan. The saucepan should have enough water in it that the water touches the bottom of your glass double boiler, but doesn’t spill out.
2. Over medium heat, stir the oil and wax together until they are melted and combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in essential oils or extracts.
4. Pour mixture into molds.
5. Add inclusions if desired.
6. When melts are cooled and hardened, break apart and melt as many as you like in a warmer.
2nd set of recipes:
the mold this user was using is here, although she stated anything can be used for molds, even ice cube trays: just make sure your wax isn't too hot to melt them, also beeswax in one ounce sizes or the chips/pastilles:
Wax Melt Clamshells, 10 pc (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092RKJ6M/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0092RKJ6M&linkCode=as2&tag=thehiphom05-20&linkId=32HLB56M3PM7TYOH)
her supplies used.............
flavor oils from here:
Medicine Flower Aromatic Apothecary (http://www.medicineflower.com/flavorextracts.html)
Essential oils and extracts from here:
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/)
what these recipes fill:
"I designed these recipes for filling 1 of the 2.75 oz. clamshells, so these recipes makes one wax bar with 6 tarts, from those clamshells." (above link).
"BEESWAX/COCONUT OIL WAX TARTS BASE INGREDIENTS
Beeswax has an extremely long melting time, but I found that the scent throw wasn’t that great and more essential oils/flavors added to it to have as potent of a scent as the other wax options. (soy and parafin).
• .8 oz. unrefined coconut oil
• 1.8 oz. beeswax pastilles
• (1) 2.75 oz. wax melt clamshell (optional – you can also use silicon molds instead, for cute shapes, or ice cube trays if that’s what you have on hand!)
• essential oil blend
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a double boiler (I actually used this candlemaking pitcher for the easiest pouring into my clamshells, and put it in a pan with water boiling in it), melt the wax blend of choice.
2. Once melted, remove from heat and add essential oil blend, stirring well to combine.
3. Pour wax blend into your clamshell or other molds of choice, and allow to cool and harden fully before storing in a cool dark place, when not in use."
Essential Oil/Flavor Blends
To get a decent scent throw, I used roughly 75-85 drops total of essential oil/flavor per one wax bar.
75 -85 drops of essential oil/flavor? wow! might have to experiment with less!
Winter Candy Apple
• 30 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 24 drops red apple flavor
• 15 drops pineapple flavor
• 8 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
Dreamcatcher
• 30 drops coconut flavor
• 24 drops lavender essential oil
• 24 drops sweet marjoram essential oil
Peppermint Bark
• 45 drops peppermint essential oil
• 15 drops vanilla absolute > vanilla absolute is an extract from mountain rose herbs
• 15 drops white chocolate flavor
Oranges & Clove
• 35 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 25 drops tangerine essential oil
• 15 drops clove essential oil
Pumpkin Spice
• 10 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
• 10 drops ginger essential oil
• 12 drops nutmeg essential oil
• 10 drops clove essential oil
• 30 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 10 drops vanilla absolute
Twilight Gypsy
• 40 drops lavender essential oil
• 12 drops nutmeg essential oil
• 20 drops clove essential oil
• 4 drops ylang ylang > ylang ylang is an essential oil from mountain rose herbs
• 10 drops vanilla absolute
Harvest Moon
• 30 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 24 drops red apple flavor
• 15 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
• 15 drops clove essential oil
Hot Apple Pie
• 30 drops red apple flavor
• 15 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
• 5 drops ginger essential oil
• 5 drops nutmeg essential oil
• 10 drops clove essential oil
• 10 drops vanilla absolute
Cinnamon Vanilla Late’
• 25 drops vanilla absolute
• 20 drops coffee flavor
• 15 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
Sugar Plum
• 30 drops plum flavor
• 15 drops vanilla absolute
• 20 drops tangerine essential oil
• 10 drops nutmeg essential oil
Winter Woods
• 25 drops peppermint essential oil
• 15 drops pine essential oil
• 15 drops Virginia cedarwood essential oil
• 25 drops fir needle essential oil
Woods & Spice & Everything Nice
• 15 drops pine essential oil
• 15 drops cypress essential oil
• 25 drops Virginia cedarwood essential oil
• 15 drops nutmeg essential oil
• 15 drops clove essential oil
hope this helps someone else besides me get started on these and experiment a little........ :)
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Thanks riverbee for posting all that valuable information. I don't think anyone around here is making anything like this. Hhmmm... Potpourri is about as smelly as I get, but this might be worth experimenting with.
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Riverbee, I have been studying these directions and have a few questions. I'm not trying to put you on the spot, I just think you have thought about this longer than me.
Nothing in the directions was said about adding coloring. Any thoughts on that and what to use?
The clamshells from Amazon. Do you sell the product in the clam shell? I think you do, and so those run .88 cents each. How much would you sell that product for? I think I would try an ice cub tray first. I will have to look for a candle warmer at the thrift store so I know what I am doing.
Could inclusions also include a sprig of cedar in say the Winter Woods fragrance?
I know of some candle and soap makers that use Mountain Rose and highly recommend them.
Thanks, river.
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bakers,
not putting me on the spot, and thanks for your questions and input! put me on the spot!....... :D
to be honest, i haven't even started experimenting with these, let alone sell them, but sure have put some effort and thought into making them. lots of folks i know buy and use these cubes for candle warmers year round, mostly through fall and winter months and during thanksgiving, christmas, etc. i like these cubes in a candle warmer myself over candles, especially when we have guests over for dinner, etc.... in the fall/winter months, puts a nice scent in the house.
the clamshell cases from amazon, when i figure out what i am doing......(lol) is probably what i would buy and pour the mix into. your idea about the mini ice cube trays is right on, sort of my plan to try it out first. mann lake and other bee supply companies sell floating tea light molds that would work, but a little pricey for this. these cubes melt so a shape is.......it melts, right? :P
i did read up a little on the coloring.........the trick is to figure out how to color your wax.......is it white, is it yellow, or darker? sort of made my head spin.
i thought, well, FIRST, i need to experiment with a simple scent and go from there before i start figuring out how to color the wax......... :D
yes, inclusions! anything is what i have read!
that winter woods recipe was what i wanted to try and experiment with first! can smell it already!!!......... :D
thanks for the info on mountain rose, me too, all highly recommend them as a supplier!
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i need to experiment with a simple scent and go from there before i start figuring out how to color the wax......... :D
yes, inclusions! anything is what i have read!
After thinking about the color, I suppose one would use the same colors they would for candles? That's secondary though, to me. Especially if I were to do something like cinnamon and honey. I would be happy with the color of beeswax!
Just to get you thinking... my Mom has got a candle melt that looks like pie slices. Together it looks like a whole pie. One slice goes into the warmer at a time. I think the fragrance is hot apple pie. Cute, but not for someone interested in learning.
Inclusions: I think something to bear in mind is what is it going to look like when it's laying in a pool of melted wax? Flower petals, evergreen sprigs, coffee beans, cinnamon sticks will hold their shape and not look gross.
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Here's my first attempt:
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs9.postimg.cc%2Fpkj5szy6j%2F20150105_124324_resized.jpg&hash=dc32eec44ced0bac4d4f93bcd43d2899f416eda5) (http://postimg.cc/image/pkj5szy6j/)
I used 2 oz. of beeswax flakes, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and then the recipe for Winter Woods. I scaled back the essential oils to equal the reduction of beeswax and oil. 6 drops peppermint essential oil, 4 drops pine essential oil, 4 drops Virginia cedarwood, and 6 drops fir essential oil. I added sprigs off of a cedar tree and didn't worry about color. The color is natural.
I purchased a small wax melter at a thrift shop for $1.99. I can't wait to see how the house smells.
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thank you bakers!
interested in how your cubes do in a candle warmer!!!
question, you said you didn't worry about color, so what gave the color to the wax?
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(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs18.postimg.cc%2F94be7tayd%2F20150105_211115_resized.jpg&hash=191d6ab3a18f6bccb7b722ecd6052163f31eedcd) (http://postimg.cc/image/94be7tayd/)
This is a picture of the hardened product. The color is natural. I used some beeswax flakes that I had bought for another project at a woodworking store. Those flakes were probably not intended for looking beautifully golden.
I am disappointed in the "throw" and I haven't even put one in the melting pot yet. I will melt again and then add more essential oils.
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I put one of my homemade beeswax cubes in the warmer tonight. I thought I would see if the aroma intensified when it was warmed. My husband walked through and said, "I smell something!" He was looking around like he smelled something burning. I asked him what it smelled like. "Burnt wiring." I explained that I was melting one of my homemade wax melts. He said I ought to call the fragrance Voltage. :D
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" I asked him what it smelled like. "Burnt wiring." I explained that I was melting one of my homemade wax melts. He said I ought to call the fragrance Voltage. :D"
LOL! ......totally funny!..... :D
okay bakers (thanks for the pic)...........hmmm don't want wax cubes to smell like VOLTAGE...............what do you think?
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bakers, have you redesigned your 'voltage' recipe for the cubes yet?............. :D
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LOL!!!
I did that once.. My wife mixed some scents to produce something different.. I walked in the house and said.. what the heck stinks? The smell was strong, I think it was apple, cinnamon, and cheescake? , it actually smelled GOOD but it was STRONG.. the HURT look on her face had me backpedaling as fast as I could...
I honestly, would not use beeswax for this.. My wife has used both soy and paraffin wax to hold scents.. Scents cost her like 230 dollars for a can.. not sure how much a can is.. a couple gallons? I think you would be better off selling the beeswax and buying the paraffin or soy to make the cubes.. She buys the plastic trays, pours the wax in and lets it harden.. Close the lid, slap the label on and people go crazy to get more of it... Adding the scent to BEESWAX is destroying the BEST scent available!
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Has anyone tried melting bees wax coated plastic foundation for scented cubes? Ummm i bet that would smell different ;D. You could call it Honey Bees Revenge. :laugh:. Jack
PS. sorry Squirt and Perry, i couldn't help myself.
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" I honestly, would not use beeswax for this.. My wife has used both soy and paraffin wax to hold scents.."
scott, thanks for your input. if it came down to it, i would use soy wax mixed with the bees wax rather than paraffin, or just a carrier oil to get the natural scent of the beeswax honey smell in the house with no added essential oils to it. because of the high heat temp of beeswax, the candle warmers are not going to melt a cube of straight beeswax, but if you add the soy wax or a carrier oil to it, it would.......
think of this in terms of unscented beeswax candles.........you really don't get a scent of that candle until the candle/votive is blown out and then you really smell that sweet aroma of the beeswax and honey. i think beeswax mixed with soy or a carrier oil (lower heat temp for a candle warmer) together and poured in a cube mold (plastic trays) meant for a candle warmer would bring that wonderful sweet smell of natural beeswax out as soon as the candle warmer heated it up. yes? no?
many beeks make candles, and many beeks go to the trouble of coloring the wax and adding a scent/essential oils to them. i make votives, and soon larger votive candles, not going to mess with this, adding any color or any scent BUT i think the cubes are something to experiment with. i would not go to the trouble of adding coloring, but would experiment with the essential oils. blueblood, i think it was last winter, melted beeswax and essential oils.......wish he would stumble across this thread. not sure he made cubes but remember him saying he had added essential oils to beeswax for a nice aroma in the house........ohhh blue!!! where are you!?
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Now your talkin! THAT would get my blood running and ready for spring time!
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LOL!, okay scott, you mean the "scent of pure beeswax"............?........... :D
thinkin of a movie here for an example but never mind i am working on scented beeswax cubes and plastic molds for the cubes............ :D :D :D
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bakers, have you redesigned your 'voltage' recipe for the cubes yet?............. :D
Apologies for being slow to respond. I remelted the remaining wax and duplicated the essential oils and amounts that I put in the first time. I did get a better "throw". You can at least smell it when you walk into the room. If I do this again, I think I will experiment with some brighter scents, like orange or citrus or just cinnamon. The evergreen forest combination I did is kind of dark, for lack of a better word.
I noticed my winter coat had picked up the scent. I had left it near by during a melting session. ;D
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Because it is a typical Kansas winter day( grey, cold, and everything brown) I thought I would try a little more experimentation on this subject.
I bought a pillar candle at the thrift store and melted it down. I then added some essential oils to see what I come up with. The paraffin is cooling in ice cube trays now.
I think those darned thrift stores know that people just buy those used candles to melt down and reuse. It probably would have been cheaper to go buy paraffin.