Why I Switched to Cloud 13 Beeswax Candles (And Why I'll Never Go Back)

There's something special about lighting a candle.

It instantly makes a house feel warm, peaceful, and inviting. Whether you're reading a book after a long day, cooking dinner, or simply winding down before bed, candles have a way of creating comfort.

Similar to the owner, Hailey of Cloud 13’s story, I have always loved candles.

For years, I burned traditional scented candles without giving much thought to what they were actually made of. Like so many people, I picked candles based on how good they smelled. If they filled the room with a strong fragrance, I assumed they were doing exactly what they were supposed to do.

Then, a few years ago, I started learning more about what many conventional candles actually contain.

Many popular candles are made with paraffin wax, synthetic fragrances, and other chemical ingredients that release pollutants into the air as they burn. The more I researched, the more I realized that the cozy atmosphere I loved might not actually be the healthiest thing for my home.

That discovery sent me looking for a cleaner alternative.

That's when I found Cloud 13. Not only are their candles locally made and absolutely beautiful. But the more I learned about beeswax, the more I realized these weren't just candles. They were something entirely different.

Meet the Maker Behind Cloud 13

Cloud 13 wasn't created because someone wanted to jump into the candle business.

It was created because Hailey loved candles just as much as the rest of us.

Back in 2015, she discovered what many people still don't know, that burning chemically fragranced candles every day can negatively impact the air inside your home. Like me, she started paying closer attention to the products she was bringing into her space. Only she made this discovery 9 years before I had. 

She wanted to switch to beeswax candles, but they were incredibly expensive, difficult to find, and often unavailable.

So she decided to make her own.

What started as a personal project quickly became a passion. Through hours of learning, experimenting, and perfecting her craft, Cloud 13 was born.

Today, every Cloud 13 candle is handcrafted using 100% pure beeswax, creating a product that's beautiful, clean-burning, and intentionally made.

The name itself tells a story.

The number 13 has always been Hailey's lucky number. Whenever she's looking for reassurance that she's on the right path, the number somehow seems to appear. When it came time to name her business, she knew 13 had to be part of it.

The word "Cloud" came from another place entirely.

She says the smell of melting beeswax instantly brings her peace, a feeling of comfort, calm, and happiness. That peaceful feeling became Cloud 13.

One of my favorite things about Cloud 13 is that every candle begins with a purpose. They're not designed to overpower your home with artificial fragrance. They're designed to create a healthier environment.

Most of us don't think about indoor air quality when we light a candle. We think about creating ambiance. But what if your candle could actually improve the air instead of polluting it? That's exactly what makes beeswax so unique.

Unlike paraffin candles, which are petroleum-based, pure beeswax burns incredibly clean.

As it burns, beeswax releases negative ions into the air. These negative ions attach themselves to airborne pollutants—including dust, smoke particles, allergens, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), formaldehyde, and other airborne irritants.

Once attached, those particles become heavier and fall from the air instead of continuing to circulate throughout your home. Instead of adding pollutants to the air, beeswax helps remove them. It's one of nature's simplest air purifiers.

One of the first things I noticed after switching to Cloud 13 was something I wasn't expecting. Normally, after making fish for dinner, that smell seems to linger for hours—even into the next day.

With traditional scented candles, I'd simply be covering up the smell with another fragrance. But beeswax works differently. I'll ligh

t one of my Cloud 13 candles for an hour or two, and instead of masking the odor, it actually helps eliminate it.

Whether you live by yourself, have young children, entertain guests often, or share your home with pets, what you burn indoors matters.

Many conventional candles contain synthetic fragrances and unnecessary chemicals that become part of the air you're breathing.

Each candle is made from 100% pure beeswax, creating a clean-burning alternative free from petroleum waxes and many of the harmful ingredients commonly found in conventional candles.

Even the scented collections are thoughtfully crafted without forever chemicals, endocrine disruptors, or the harsh additives found in many mass-produced candles. You shouldn't have to choose between having a beautiful-smelling home and breathing cleaner air.

With beeswax, you don't have to. Another benefit I quickly noticed was how long these candles burn. Because beeswax has a naturally higher melting point, it burns slower than many other waxes.

That means more hours of enjoyment from every candle. Some of Cloud 13's pillar candles can burn anywhere from 60 to 120 hours, making them an investment that lasts significantly longer than many traditional candles.

They're also incredibly beautiful to watch burn. The flame gives off a soft, golden glow that's often compared to natural sunlight. It creates a peaceful atmosphere that's difficult to describe until you've experienced it yourself.

One of my favorite parts of Hailey's story is that Cloud 13 is built around everyday life.

She creates candles from home while raising her young son, who often helps with the process. Together, they burn the candles that aren't cosmetically perfect, filling their home with the comforting scent of warm beeswax.

It's a business built on intention—not mass production. You can feel that care in every candle.

And if you've ever visited her booth at the Kalispell Farmers Market, you've probably experienced the same thing I have. People walk in, pause for a moment, smile, and immediately comment on the natural scent of beeswax.

It's unlike anything else.

Today, you can find Cloud 13 throughout the Flathead Valley.

Hailey is a regular vendor at the Kalispell Farmers Market every Saturday and participates in local events like Market Beautiful's Mother's Day and Christmas Markets. Her candles are also available at Polebridge Mercantile, a milestone she's especially proud of, and she'll be showcasing Cloud 13 for the first time at the Bigfork Festival of the Arts, August 1&2.

If you can't make it to a market, you can also shop her Etsy store at cloud13beeswaxcandle.etsy.com or follow her on Instagram  @cloud_13_candles to see where she'll be next. 

Supporting Cloud 13 means supporting a local Montana business built on quality, craftsmanship, and a genuine passion for creating healthier homes.

 Shop Local, Burn Better.