The Different Ear Candles And How They Perform
Here's a quick run down of the different ear candles on the market and how they perform. Some candle makers add herbs or scented oils to their candles. We can't find any scientific evidence to support this, so we simply don't bother with it.
The standard length for a ear candle is about 230mm long. There are a few candle makers who make longer ones, saying it does a better job. We have tested this theory and found it rubbish. With really long candles you have to trim the ash with scissors to stop the ash falling on the person. This is a bit dangerous.
With all ear candles, if someone has a lot of wax or really blocked sinuses, the candles burn down slower and if the person have cleaner ears, they burn down slightly quicker. Haven't quite figured out why.
Bee's Wax Ear Candles
Bee's wax is considered the best in the ear candling industry because it doesn't drip, it emits negative ions ( sets up a really good healing atmosphere ) has a clean burn and a delicious honey aroma.
Bee's wax is a natural renewable source, but is venable to sprays and disease. This has the potential of creating shortages and driving up the prices.
The only very slight disadvantage to bee's wax is it can sometimes drop a small amount of powdery residue from the bottom of the candle as you lift it out and landing on the outside of the ear. We just use a "wet wipe".
Burn time 15 - 20 min for a pair
Paraffin Ear Candles
Paraffin is made from petroleum oil. It burns clear like meths, but you see half of the flame and gives off a very small amount of petroleum fumes. It's probably the most popular because it is the cheapest and burns slightly longer.
The most reported disadvantage is wax dripping into the ear because of the amount of unburned wax that fills the tip of the candle. Wax dripping into the ear is very rare. Our bee's wax candles, the wax is on the outside of the candle which makes it safer. Also bee's wax doesn't drip.
Burn time 15 - 25 min for a pair
Soy Ear Candles
We started off with Soy ear candles. I brought 400 pairs off the internet from America. They work fine. Natural, renewable source derived from soy bean plants. Soy wax is too soft by itself so it has to be mixed with another harder wax to function as an ear candle. Because America grows so much soya bean, it's heaps cheaper than bee's wax.
The most common reported disadvantage is a small warmer temperature inside the ear. Soy wax has a lower melt point, so burns hotter. The soy ear candle has a slightly higher flame on top which can scare people. They burn slightly quicker, but do a good job.
Burn time 10 - 15 min for a pair
Newspaper Ear Candles
You've heard the warning "Don't try this one at home !
Newspaper rolled into a cone and lit is probably the most practised form of ear candling used in Mexico or South America. Well it's what the poor people do. The face and head is covered with a wet towel.
I have heard of the Dutch teaching the Maori this method during the 1960s. Another scary form of ear candling in New Zealand again mainly done by the Maori was to put hot oil into the ear, than rotate the head. The hot oil melts the ear wax.
Burn time 1 =2 min for a pair
History Of Ear Candles
At the markets we get asked all the time the origins of ear candles and because they have been around for thousands of years no one can pin point who had them first.
The Egptians were probably the most medically advanced culture and had ear candles about 3000 years ago. They used the hollow stork of the water reed, dipped in bee's wax, placed in the ear, packed a bit of mud around the base to hold it up right and lit it. The Greeks, Tibetian Monks and Chinese are just a few of many countries that had ear candles for thousands of years. So who knows who had them first ?
The Hopi Ear Candle Argument
I recently wrote to the "Hopi Cultural Preservation Office" in the "Grand Canon" of America ( Fire Clan ) and they said, ear candling is not part of the "Hopi Indian" cultural tradition or any ceremonial circle. It was introduced to "Hopi" in the 1960s and 70s.
They also said that Biosun and Revital Ltd who make straight ear candles and call them "Hopi Ear Candles" are misrepresenting the name "Hopi" with their products.
Their are other people on the internet who say the "Hopi Indians" designed the cone shape ear candles and not the straight ear candles that Biosun and Revital Ltd make. So Biosun and Revital Ltd have no right to call their ear candles "Hopi".
I'll leave it up to the reader to decide.
But let's put it this way. If ear candles weren't any good , they wouldn't have been around for thousands of years.
Here's a quick run down of the different ear candles on the market and how they perform. Some candle makers add herbs or scented oils to their candles. We can't find any scientific evidence to support this, so we simply don't bother with it.
The standard length for a ear candle is about 230mm long. There are a few candle makers who make longer ones, saying it does a better job. We have tested this theory and found it rubbish. With really long candles you have to trim the ash with scissors to stop the ash falling on the person. This is a bit dangerous.
With all ear candles, if someone has a lot of wax or really blocked sinuses, the candles burn down slower and if the person have cleaner ears, they burn down slightly quicker. Haven't quite figured out why.
Bee's Wax Ear Candles
Bee's wax is considered the best in the ear candling industry because it doesn't drip, it emits negative ions ( sets up a really good healing atmosphere ) has a clean burn and a delicious honey aroma.
Bee's wax is a natural renewable source, but is venable to sprays and disease. This has the potential of creating shortages and driving up the prices.
The only very slight disadvantage to bee's wax is it can sometimes drop a small amount of powdery residue from the bottom of the candle as you lift it out and landing on the outside of the ear. We just use a "wet wipe".
Burn time 15 - 20 min for a pair
Paraffin Ear Candles
Paraffin is made from petroleum oil. It burns clear like meths, but you see half of the flame and gives off a very small amount of petroleum fumes. It's probably the most popular because it is the cheapest and burns slightly longer.
The most reported disadvantage is wax dripping into the ear because of the amount of unburned wax that fills the tip of the candle. Wax dripping into the ear is very rare. Our bee's wax candles, the wax is on the outside of the candle which makes it safer. Also bee's wax doesn't drip.
Burn time 15 - 25 min for a pair
Soy Ear Candles
We started off with Soy ear candles. I brought 400 pairs off the internet from America. They work fine. Natural, renewable source derived from soy bean plants. Soy wax is too soft by itself so it has to be mixed with another harder wax to function as an ear candle. Because America grows so much soya bean, it's heaps cheaper than bee's wax.
The most common reported disadvantage is a small warmer temperature inside the ear. Soy wax has a lower melt point, so burns hotter. The soy ear candle has a slightly higher flame on top which can scare people. They burn slightly quicker, but do a good job.
Burn time 10 - 15 min for a pair
Newspaper Ear Candles
You've heard the warning "Don't try this one at home !
Newspaper rolled into a cone and lit is probably the most practised form of ear candling used in Mexico or South America. Well it's what the poor people do. The face and head is covered with a wet towel.
I have heard of the Dutch teaching the Maori this method during the 1960s. Another scary form of ear candling in New Zealand again mainly done by the Maori was to put hot oil into the ear, than rotate the head. The hot oil melts the ear wax.
Burn time 1 =2 min for a pair
History Of Ear Candles
At the markets we get asked all the time the origins of ear candles and because they have been around for thousands of years no one can pin point who had them first.
The Egptians were probably the most medically advanced culture and had ear candles about 3000 years ago. They used the hollow stork of the water reed, dipped in bee's wax, placed in the ear, packed a bit of mud around the base to hold it up right and lit it. The Greeks, Tibetian Monks and Chinese are just a few of many countries that had ear candles for thousands of years. So who knows who had them first ?
The Hopi Ear Candle Argument
I recently wrote to the "Hopi Cultural Preservation Office" in the "Grand Canon" of America ( Fire Clan ) and they said, ear candling is not part of the "Hopi Indian" cultural tradition or any ceremonial circle. It was introduced to "Hopi" in the 1960s and 70s.
They also said that Biosun and Revital Ltd who make straight ear candles and call them "Hopi Ear Candles" are misrepresenting the name "Hopi" with their products.
Their are other people on the internet who say the "Hopi Indians" designed the cone shape ear candles and not the straight ear candles that Biosun and Revital Ltd make. So Biosun and Revital Ltd have no right to call their ear candles "Hopi".
I'll leave it up to the reader to decide.
But let's put it this way. If ear candles weren't any good , they wouldn't have been around for thousands of years.