My favorite thing about the holiday season is all the smells — and nothing’s cozier around Christmastime than the smell of pine.

That’s why I’ve always loved pine-scented candles. But no matter how cozy they make my apartment, part of me is always wondering about the paraffin wax or synthetic perfumes I’m breathing in.

So this year, I decided to ditch the store-bought candles and make my own — using nothing but all-natural, non-toxic ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Organic Beeswax,
  preferably in pastille form
• Essential Oil
  (Pine, or whatever floats your boat)
• Tabbed Wicks
• Mason Jar,
  or any heat-tolerant container

First, melt your beeswax.

This is where beeswax in pastille form is really convenient; beeswax is notoriously sluggish to melt. If you bought bars of beeswax, don’t sweat it. Just grate it with a cheese grater.

You’ll want to melt everything in a double-boiler — which roughly means you’ll plop your mason jar in a saucepan of simmering water until your wax has completely melted. Smaller amounts melt faster, so fill your jar incrementally. Be sure to leave room for your essential oil as you reach the top!

All in all, expect the melting process to take about an hour. (I know, right?)

Next, add your essential oil.

Once your wax is completely melted, but still in the double-boiler, add your essential oil and mix thoroughly. Every candle-making tutorial will tell you a different ratio of essential oil to beeswax, but I’m here to tell you that if you’re going for the all-natural equivalent of a conventional scented candle, the rule is 1 ounce of essential oil (30 mL) to every 5.5 ounces of beeswax (155 grams). Now, carefully remove your mason jar from the bath and set aside to cool.

Add your wick.

Before your beeswax has a chance to solidify, drop in your wick and center it. (Tabbed wicks are easier to manoeuvre, and the tabs double as an anchor.) You can make sure your wick stays in place by laying a pencil or something similar across the mouth of your mason jar to tether the top to.

Because beeswax is so sluggish to melt, beeswax candles typically need a slightly thicker wick than other candles. Look for a #4. Smaller beeswax candles should be fine, but if your wick’s too thin, it’ll burn away before the beeswax has a chance to keep up.

Voilà.

Your candle should be completely solid in under two hours. Once it’s finished cooling, just trim the wick and enjoy!

Now, when I smell the cozy smell of pine-scented candles in my apartment, I can breathe easy. Not only did I make it myself — it’s nothing but the good stuff.