Candles are a great way to brighten up a room or create a warm mood for entertaining. Votive candles work well for this as they are small enough to fit in with most other decorations and won’t overpower the rest of the room. Even though candles are a nice addition, some people with allergies are unable to stand the smell and odor that some candles give off. Typically this is an issue with cheaper, paraffin based candles as paraffin is a byproduct of the petroleum refining process. This problem can be avoided by purchasing candles made from a natural based wax. Some of the highest quality natural waxes are made from beeswax.

Beeswax comes from the bee hive and was one of the earliest waxes used to make candles. All natural beeswax makes a candle nearly clear in color and it is the addition of pollen into the wax that gives the wax its typical golden or honey color. These candles are non-allergenic and do not give off smoke or soot when they burn. They also burn cleanly and have very little smell, with some having a light honey scent. Since they are non-allergenic and burn cleanly they are a great choice for candle lovers who suffer from allergies or who have other breathing problems.

Be careful when purchasing beeswax votive candles and make sure you read the label as not all candles called beeswax are 100% beeswax candles. Only 51% of the wax needs to be beeswax for the candle to be labeled as a bees wax candle and if you have breathing issues you may have an unpleasant surprise by not paying close attention to the label.

A 100% pure beeswax votive candle should burn with a warmer flame, which is slightly more yellow in color than paraffin based candles will. Take this into account when choosing holders for your votives and pick put colors to accent the warmer flame.