Before the era of mass-produced paraffin wax candles, candlemakers throughout history got creative with their materials. While beeswax has always been prized for its clean burn and honey-like scent, not everyone can afford this luxury. Let's explore some of the most unusual ingredients that once illuminated homes around the world.

1. Bayberry Wax

Native Americans discovered that boiling bayberries produced a fragrant green wax that burned cleanly. Colonial Americans adopted this practice, though it was incredibly labor-intensive; about 15 pounds of berries were needed for just one pound of wax! These special candles became a Christmas tradition, believed to bring good luck when burned on New Year's Eve.

2. Spermaceti

Perhaps the most prized candle material of the 18th and 19th centuries came from sperm whales. The waxy substance found in the head cavities of these magnificent creatures produced what many considered the perfect candle—bright, smokeless, and odorless. This led to extensive whale hunting until petroleum alternatives were developed, saving these marine mammals from extinction.

3. Rush Lights

Not technically candles but serving the same purpose, rush lights were made by dipping the dried pith of rushes (marsh plants) into melted animal fat. These inexpensive lights were common in medieval peasant homes but burned quickly and provided minimal light, making the phrase "not worth a rush" a common expression for something of little value.

Check Fernweh’s Scented Candle.

4. Cinnamon

In ancient China, cinnamon wasn't just a spice for cooking but a luxury candle ingredient. Cinnamon sticks were sometimes rolled in wax or used as wicks, releasing their distinctive aroma when burned. These candles were expensive status symbols and used in religious ceremonies.

5. Crystallized Honey

In some Mediterranean cultures, crystallized honey was occasionally molded into candles. While incredibly sticky to work with, these candles produced a warm, golden glow and released a subtle, sweet scent. The high sugar content made them notoriously drippy but beautifully luminous.

6. Yak Butter

In Tibet and other Himalayan regions, monastery candles were traditionally made from yak butter. These butter lamps remain culturally significant in Buddhist practices. The butter's rancid smell might be off-putting to modern noses, but it represented an offering of light in a region where other waxes were scarce.

7. Tallow Mixed with Chestnuts

Medieval European candlemakers sometimes added crushed chestnuts to tallow (rendered animal fat) to improve texture and burning properties. This innovation helped combat tallow's typically soft consistency and tendency to smoke, creating a firmer candle that burned longer.

8. Beeswax with Embedded Herbs

Monastic communities crafted medicinal candles by embedding herbs like lavender, rosemary, and thyme into beeswax. When lit, these candles released aromatic compounds believed to purify air and ward off illness—an early form of aromatherapy during plague times.

9. Oolichan Fish Oil

Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest extracted oil from small "candlefish" (oolichan) that were so fatty they could literally be dried and burned with a wick inserted. The fish were also rendered down for their oil, which was formed into cakes that functioned as portable light sources.

10. Candleberry (Myrica)

Several species of Myrica shrubs (also known as wax myrtles or candleberries) produce a layer of waxy berries that are harvested and boiled to extract a fragrant blue-green wax. Native to different regions across the globe, these plants provided local candlemakers with a vegetable-based alternative that was particularly popular in colonial America. The wax had a distinctive spicy aroma and burned longer than tallow, though not as cleanly as beeswax.

Today's candle enthusiasts might appreciate their clean-burning soy and coconut wax alternatives all the more after learning about these historical innovations. While modern candle-making has certainly become more refined, we can admire the resourcefulness of our ancestors who used whatever materials were available to push back the darkness.

Also, Check:

• How to Reuse Empty Candle Jars in Creative Ways

• The Impact of Age on Fragrance Preferences

• How to Recognize an Original Perfume: A Guide for the Discerning Nose

• What Is a Smoky Perfume? Notes That Create Fire & Ash

• How to Read a Perfume Ingredient Label (INCI Decoded)