The Beginning
It Happened on a Stormy Night
Hi! My name is Megan, and I’m the founder and owner of Big Bee Candle Company!
Like all good stories in my life, this one began with a storm. It was 2021, and we had just lost power (yet again) and our entire area got hit with what they call a 500-Year Flood Event. We were trapped without any electricity, no way of leaving our home (not the beach front property I had always dreamed of), and all I had to light my home was artificially scented paraffin candles given to me over the years as gifts.
So, what else could I do? I lit every single one of them trying to get some light in my home to navigate the darkness.
What I didn’t expect was my son’s asthma. Then came my migraine.
He couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t figure out what was going on, until I walked outside and filled my lungs with fresh air and had one of those cartoonish “lightbulb” moments.
These candles were killing us.
My husband got the generator up and running (my hero!) and those candles hit the trash! A quick Google search taught me the basics of why beeswax candles are the best option and how toxic all other candles truly are. That turned into a passion project of learning and perfecting the art of candle making over the next few years, with the goal of creating the most elegant, non-toxic, and healthiest option for candle burning on the market.
So, thank you for being part of this journey! I’m so glad you took the time to check out my candles, and I hope they bring you as much joy as they do me.
Cheers, and burn bright!
WHY BEESWAX
We believe that the air we breathe should be clean, free from harmful toxins and chemicals. And we believe in the partnership between us as candle makers and the beekeepers for a lasting, sustainable relationship where the bees are our #1 priority.
Our candles are made with 100% pure, PNW sourced beeswax — free from paraffin, synthetic fragrances, and chemical additives, they offer a clean, toxin-free burn that elevates both atmosphere and wellbeing. Their steady, luminous flame casts a warm, golden light reminiscent of late afternoon sun, creating a serene and sophisticated ambiance. With a naturally higher melting point, beeswax burns slower and longer than conventional waxes, delivering exceptional performance and lasting presence. Subtly infused with delicate notes of honey and wildflowers, each candle carries its own understated fragrance — never artificial, never overpowering. Responsibly sourced and renewable, beeswax is a conscious choice that supports skilled beekeepers and the ecosystems pollinators sustain. For those who value craftsmanship, purity, and quiet elegance, beeswax is not simply a candle — it is the standard of light.
WHY HEMP
When choosing a wick, we looked into all the options available on the market that would match our pledge for a non-toxic candle and pair with well with the way beeswax naturally behaves. Hemp stood out as the most sustainable, and cleanest option because it offers a clean, steady burn combined with strength and sustainability. Made from durable plant fibers, hemp wicks absorb wax and oils efficiently, allowing fuel to flow evenly to the flame for consistent performance. This results in a smooth, controlled burn that is less likely to sputter, collapse, or burn too quickly. Hemp is also a fast-growing, renewable crop that requires minimal water, no pesticides or herbicides, making it the wick of choice for the lowest environmental impact compared to other conventional materials.
Our Process
We get our beeswax directly from local apiaries, and it comes in large blocks of partially filtered wax. Partially filtered simply means that the beekeeper cleans the wax to remove any large chunks of course honeycomb, propolis, etc. Smaller debris (such as dirt, pollen, etc.) are left that need to be cleaned out with a much finer filter.
The first step is to clean it up so you don’t get debris in your candles! This involves chopping up the blocks into smaller, more manageable chunks, melting it down in one of our large commercial wax melters, and then filtering it again through a triple layer of cheesecloth. This gives us the golden bricks of pure, filtered wax for candles. Once those bricks are cooled, we put them into our second commercial wax melter (aptly named the “clean” pot) and then we can pour that beautiful liquid gold into the molds fitted with our hemp wicks! It’s a messy, labor of love with an end result that is immensely gratifying as a candle maker.
