Scented Candle Deals

The most important ingredient in the whole process of candle making is, of course, the wax. Most candle makers new to the craft will most probably start their adventures into candle making with the most common of waxes – the paraffin based wax. This is the wax that most people use initially owing to its easy availability, low cost and versatility. However, as your skills and experience grow together with your desire to expand your candle making horizons, you will find that there are plenty of different types of wax for you to experiment with.

Paraffin wax is a petroleum based wax used to make the standard white household candles that you will find for sale in any hardware store. It is also used as the base wax for many types of decorative candle where the wax will be enhanced with dyes and fragrances to make more attractive and specialised candles. In its unadulterated form it is a colorless wax with very little odour and as such is ideal if you want to experiment with colors and scents in your home made candles. You will find that paraffin wax is a available in a variety of blends with different melting points which are suitable for making different types of candle.

At the other end of the candle wax scale is beeswax. This is a natural wax produced by bees as a byproduct of the honey making process. Through the ages it has always been a popular wax for candle making but availability and expense has always limited its use. Beeswax has never been used for making utility candles. Even today it is one of the more expensive wax options but it has unique qualities such as its unique honey-like fragrance which endears it to a large band of candle makers. Sheets of honey-comb textured beeswax, often called foundation beeswax, can be used to make rolled candles. These attractive candles are particularly easy to make as there is no need for any melting of wax and a wick can simply be rolled up in a sheet of beeswax. Beeswax can also be used in its melted state to make a variety of different types of candles including taper and dipped candles. Beeswax can also be used to make molded candles but special care needs to be taken in this area as it is a very sticky wax when melted and notorious for not releasing easily from molds.

Soy wax is a very distinctive type of candle wax and a relative new comer to the world of candle making. It was introduced in the 1990s as a natural and more environmentally friendly alternative to paraffin wax and a cheaper alternative to beeswax. Although, like the paraffin wax, it is available in different blends with different melting points, in its natural state it has a very low melting point which really makes it only suitable for making container candles.

Gel wax is a different type of wax altogether. It is made from mineral oil to which a small quantity of resin has been added to make a stiff clear gel. Gel wax is available in three different densities. The higher the density the higher the temperature needed to melt the wax. Even the lowest density gel needs a much fiercer heat than paraffin wax to get it into a pouring state and that’s why multi-cookers are usually used to heat this type of wax rather than the double boiler approach.

Julie Sinclair is a candle making enthusiast who enjoys helping others to get started in this amazing hobby. For more great information on candle making wax, visit http://www.candlemakingtoptips.com

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