Fact or Fiction - Do Beeswax Candles Clean The Air?

If you're here you have probably heard the claim that "beeswax candles not only burn clean, but they clean the air you breathe". That's a pretty big deal if it's true, and one that would set beeswax candles apart from literally any other candle on the market.

But is it true?

Let's look into it a little...

The claim:

The most scientific claim I have seen is that, when burned, beeswax releases negative ions into the air which then bind themselves to positively charged particles (dust, allergens, mold spores, etc), causing them to fall from the air so you aren't breathing them in. Basically the idea is negative ions want to balance themselves and they do this by finding something with a positive charge. This makes those particles "heavier" so they drop.

Negative ions have been studied, and have been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, improve breath and breathing quality (yes the quality of your breathing is a thing unrelated to air quality, but that's a different discussion). You could accurately equate negative ions to "Zen ions", because that's essentially what they do. They help you feel at peace, calm, and very, well, zen. 

And these beauties are found all over in nature. Waterfalls are especially potent sources of negative ions, which is why standing at Niagara Falls is a favorite pass time for people visiting the landmark. It literally calms you down. The exact same thing happens to a lesser degree on a beach, which is why many people find the beach so relaxing. It has to do with the crashing of the waves creating and releasing negative ions, but I don't want to distract us from the issue at hand, here.

Other documented sources of negative ions are plants, forests, rain and thunder storms...

Now I am sure you're seeing a pattern here. All documented sources of negative ions are water based. That's because the water acts as a conduit for these negative ions. Logically I would guess even a shower produces a degree of negative ions which, again, contributes to why they're so relaxing. 

The only exception to this water based rule is that UV rays can ionize the air creating negative ions. That is to say that the sun can create them, but even so there is always some moisture in the air, especially in these places that have an abundance of negative ions, so even though there isn't data to support my hypothesis, I still think it's safe to say that water is necessary for these ions to exist and be used by our bodies.

Okay, but what about beeswax?

Beeswax is made by bees. Bees are outside in the sunshine, gathering water from the nectar in flowers, and they experience a lot of negative ions just in their day to day life. We have the recipe for condensed negative ions, but is that actually how it works?

Beeswax does have a bit of water in it, but not much if it has cured properly. Right after purifying it, beeswax can still be up to 20% water. However, once it dries down to the point of being used in candles all that water is basically gone. That's part of what makes beeswax so wonderful: it isn't porous at all and so it cures into a very dense wax with a high melting point. That means a slow burn and a gentle light.

Unfortunately, I suspect this lack of water is why there is no conclusive evidence that beeswax candles release negative ions. Or that any candles do, for that matter. There has been debate about this, and perhaps beeswax candles release some negative ions into the air, but we don't know how much, or if they also counteract themselves by releasing positive ions. We do know that combustion, IE burning, is a free radical process which has a neutral charge.

But beeswax candles make me feel calm! Explain that!

Believe it or not, I actually can! Sort of. 

If burning candles at night help you relax and feel calm, there is a reason for it that has absolutely nothing to do with negative ions. It actually is related to the light spectrum they emit.

Candle light, especially that of beeswax, is predominantly red light spectrum. Those of you in the crunchy community area already putting the pieces together, but for those of you who are new to red light, here's a crash course.

Different lights have different effects on our bodies and our brains.

Blue light, that of a high-noon sun or those horrible daylight bulbs they use at box stores, or the backlight on your screens (computer screens, TVs, phones, etc), is incredibly stimulating. It keeps your brain hyperactive and your hormonal profile in an "awake" state.

Red light is the antithesis of blue. This is the light we see during a sunset, in fire, and subsequently, in a candle flame. That's why a bonfire or a sunset are so calming and relaxing. This light spectrum, when observed by our eyes or "seen" by the photoreceptors on our skin, trigger our hormones to "get ready for bed". It slows down our brains, quiets our thoughts, and literally relaxes us to get us ready to have a restful sleep. This light is imperative for proper melatonin production, which as we all know is an important sleep hormone. So you feel relaxed when sitting in front of a fire, or lighting your home with candles, because they are perfect at providing both light and relaxation without stimulating our brains into "awake mode". 

Here's a neat graph showing what I mean.

There's also something to be said for the gentle flicker of the candle's flame. Similar to how reading can trigger sleepiness in the brain by simulating rapid eye movement (REM), which is the movement of our eyes while we dream, the flickering flame can put us in a relaxed state. 

These two aspects together can result in a much more effective sleep cycle. When our hormones are working correctly and our bodies are already primed for sleep, we will experience a much deeper, more restful sleep. Since our bodies decompress our stresses and detox our cells in sleep, this means we wake feeling much more refreshed and ready for the day, and we have a greater tolerance for the day's challenges. 

Think of your stress tolerances as a cup full of water. Each night, depending on your sleep quality, some or all of that cup is emptied and then it is filled throughout the day as stress accumulates. If your rest is poor, your cup never empties and just keeps filling and filling until it overflows. However, if your sleep is restful, then your cup empties and the day's challenges aren't overwhelming, and you never reach that state of overflow.

This is a long winded way of saying that candles are relaxing because they prime our bodies for rest and detoxing our stress, and our bodies know this and crave it in our fast-paced, artificially lit world, especially after a long and stressful day.

In summary...

Beeswax candles do not emit negative ions, or at least not enough to be measurable and dramatically improve your air quality.

However, they absolutely can provide many of the other benefits of negative ions, like improved mood and mental health, by helping us reach a deeper state of rest and reset. Especially when paired with other habits which support our circadian rhythm (blue light blockers, melatonin supporting foods, etc), using beeswax candles at night can improve our sleep, which can improve our stress tolerance, which will help us feel more at ease.