Beeswax is one of the most versatile tools a homesteader can have, not to mention a craftsperson. It can be used to make candles, create bread wraps, and even make works of art. The problem is, trying to find an old-school ingredient in a new school world isn’t always easy. So, where can you find good beeswax these days?
While beeswax is a relatively rare thing to find in most locations, there are still several places that you can usually count on finding it. The most popular places include:
- Local Apiaries
- Farmer’s Markets
- Big Box Department Stores
- Specialty Craft Stores
- Organic Markets
- Online
There are so many uses for beeswax, it can be shocking how hard it can be to find pure beeswax. Thankfully we have the guide that will make sourcing it easier than ever before. Let’s take a look at the most likely places to get this classic craft tool.
Where Can You Buy Beeswax?
Beeswax is pretty hard to come by, especially if you live in the suburbs. However, all is not lost. We found the most likely places where you might be able to buy them.
1. Local Apiaries
If you’re not familiar with this term, an apiary is a bee farm. Most people might not realize this, but beekeeping is on the rise as both a hobby and a side gig. Most apiaries don’t just sell honey, either. The vast majority also sell honeycomb, and yes, beeswax, too. If you live in a suburban or rural area, take a look at some of the nearby apiaries. They’ll offer up quality beeswax, no problem.
In terms of quality, you can’t get much better than farm fresh. By the way, they also might sell wax paper made from beeswax they make. It’s an organic way to store that pastrami you’re making!
2. Farmer’s Markets
Farmer’s markets are a good way to make the apiaries come to you, or at least network with people who might be able to help you source locally-made beeswax. With that said, there’s no guarantee you will find any beeswax at a farmer’s market. Farmer’s markets are a bit of a gambit, primarily because you’re dealing with a lot of different vendors providing stuff they grew in gardens or cooked in farms.
3. Big Box Department Stores
When we say department stores, we don’t mean places like Macy’s or the (now-defunct) Lord & Taylor. Rather, we mean stores like Wal-Mart or Target.
These major consumer hotspots often have a crafts section that will occasionally feature beeswax as part of their wares. With that said, this can be a pretty unlikely place to find beeswax in person.
Both Target and Wal-Mart have online stores that feature a far larger selection than what you will find in brick and mortar stores. If you are running out of places to go, you might have better luck there. With that said, these options might ask you to drive to a store to pick up the wax or may charge a fee.
4. Specialty Craft Stores
Most people who are fans of home improvement have at least one craft store that they swear by. (It’s often a Jo-Ann Fabrics or a Michael’s, but it can be any craft store like it.) In most cases, these types of specialized craft stores are the best options for people who want to find access to beeswax year-round.
The easiest way to find beeswax at a craft store is to go to their candle making section. They usually will have beeswax there, in all shapes and sizes. If you are open to paying extra, you might also be able to get it dyed.
5. Organic Markets
Call them organic markets, or call them health food stores. Whatever you want to call them, they still remain pretty sweet on beeswax. Most health food stores will have honeycomb in stock. This stuff can be pressed into beeswax with the right tools, making it ideal for moments where you want to have food grade beeswax.
Some stores also will have a smaller selection of pressed beeswax sheets or beeswax cubes. These are mostly used for making bread wraps or for creating your own makeup. Knowing that, you might want to ask the shopkeeper where their natural beauty section is. If that doesn’t work, ask where you can find beeswax.
5. Online Stores
Considering that the age of the internet is upon us, it comes as no surprise that the most reliable purveyors of wax can be found online. A quick search for beeswax for sale on a site like Amazon, Etsy, or even Google will lead you to dozens of sellers that want to give you the wax you need. Moreover, many of those sellers might offer a discount.
With online stores, you will be able to get the beeswax delivered right to your front door. The biggest drawback of using online shopping is the fact that you may need to wait several days to get the wax in question. If you were hoping to get it ASAP, you are going to need to look for a brick-and-mortar store nearby.
Why Is It So Hard To Find Beeswax?
Beeswax, while extremely useful in crafts like candlemaking and lip balm making, is not exactly a high-demand product. Though this trend is starting to change, the truth is that most people do not have much use for beeswax in their day-to-day life. As a result, most grocery stores won’t stock it.
How Much Does A Pound Of Beeswax Cost?
This all depends on the vendor as well as the location of said vendor. However, prices are still fairly stable. Beeswax typically costs between $8 to $32 a pound. This does not include any shipping you may have to pay if you are ordering it from an online store.
You might be wondering why beeswax has such a large gap between prices. This all deals with the way that it’s obtained. Most groups will charge extra for beeswax that is certified organic, filtered, hand-poured, or otherwise processed with extra care. Moreover, some vendors also may charge extra to remove the classic yellow hue that people associate with beeswax.
Can You Use Beeswax If You Are Allergic To Bees?
In most cases, a bee allergy will not bar you from using beeswax. However, this isn’t something that you should take for granted or even assume is true for you. Everybody is different, so while this is the general trend, it’s always better to consult with a doctor before you try to play around with beeswax.
What Can You Use As A Beeswax Alternative?
Let’s say that you’ve been searching for beeswax all over your area and you haven’t been able to find a lick of it anywhere near you. For one reason or another, you do not want to wait for it to be shipped over to you. As unfortunate as your situation is, not all is lost. There are several alternatives you can use instead of beeswax for most projects. The most popular replacements include:
- Soy Wax. An ideal, clean-burning wax that makes for great candles, soy wax is easy to pour and easier to scent. You’ll love it. It’s cheap and can work well in most self-care recipes.
- Carnauba Wax. If you were hoping for a soft, buttery wax, this palm-derived option isn’t a good pick. It hardens very fast, which means that it’s generally best used for protecting fabric and other goods. You only need to use half as much carnauba wax as beeswax if you make self-care products.
- Candelilla Wax. Made from the candelilla plant, this is a wax that is notably tougher than beeswax but just as moisturizing. Since it has similar waterproofing abilities to the bee-derived original, this is one of the better options for people who want to make their own food wraps. This is pricier than beeswax, though.
Related Questions
What does it mean if beeswax is filtered?
If you have tried to buy beeswax only to hear it’s filtered, it’s normal to be curious about what it means. When bees are making their wax in the hive, there will always be a certain level of debris that comes with it. Sometimes, this may mean grains of dust, while other times it’s actually finding dead bees. Either way, that stuff needs to be removed.
Beeswax that is filtered has undergone a process that removes the impurities that are found in raw beeswax. This makes the wax safer for consumption.
What should you look for when buying beeswax?
If you are looking for the best quality, all-natural beeswax, you should look for wax that is advertised as 100 percent pure beeswax. High-quality beeswax will have a golden yellow tone to it, and will also have a sweet, almost honeylike scent. (The best way to describe it is that it smells almost identical to church candles.)
Is soy wax better than beeswax?
While soy wax is a fairly high-quality wax, it’s worth noting that it burns far faster than beeswax. This makes it a slightly less ideal choice for people who want to make long-lasting candles. It also happens to be slightly cheaper, and may also be less clean-burning than a typical beeswax candle is.
However, soy wax is still considered to be a high-quality wax overall. If you have to use it, you will not be disappointed by it or what it can offer in crafting.
My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.