Waxes for Scented Candles
Candle Waxes for Scented Candles
A great variety of scented candle waxes are currently available. Of these, paraffin is the most widely used. Big brands such as Yankee Candles and Price’s Candles use paraffin in the majority of their products. Paraffin, however is bad news for your health. It is made as a by product of refining crude oil and belongs to the same family as petrol & Diesel. As a hydrocarbon, it is from a limited resource which is fast dwindling. It also releases toxic and carcinogenic substances when burnt. Not good for a scented candle which is meant to be burned!
Other more natural waxes are available. Soy wax is one such product. It is a natural plant based wax made by crushing soy beans and hydrogenating the soy oil by passing hydrogen through it. This forms a solid wax (at regular temperatures). The remains of the crushed soy beans are not wasted. They are fed to cattle who in turn return the goodness to their pasture. The process of making Soy wax is similar to that of making margarine. The finished product is not too dissimilar either. Soy wax is creamy and soft, burns very well and makes for a clean, non toxic fuel for a scented candle. The resultant gases from burning soy wax based waxes are clean in that they have been tested and found not to contain the toxins and carcinogens associated with paraffin.
Palm wax and other vegetable based natural waxes are available. These waxes are similar but do tend to have drawbacks. One of these is that these waxes are usually self scented (they emit their own fragrance). This is not a great quality for making scented candles as the candle maker must overcome this scent in reaching their desired fragrance. These other vegetable waxes also usually suffer from being too soft at room temperature. Other additives are sometimes required to stabilise them in order that they remain solid at room temperature. Beeswax is also a natural wax which can be used for making scented candles. However, beeswax is also self scented and is therefore unsuitable for the majority of uses. It is also expensive in comparison to the other waxes available.
Waxes From Crude Oil
Hydrocarbons such as paraffin of course burn very well and produce a strong flame. This is hardly surprising given their origins. They are however unsustainable and produce toxins and carcinogens when burning. It is generally recommended that paraffin waxes are not burnt regularly and that if used indoors, the room should be well ventilated. Surely this defeats the purpose of the scented candle.
The primary reason that the large candle manufacturers continue to use paraffin waxes is cost. Paraffin is typically one third the cost of a good quality soy wax. The increased profits on each candle made sees the large companies continuing to use this product irrespective of its drawbacks.
A recent article published in numerous UK national newspapers highlighted the toxicity of the burn emissions from paraffin. The conclusions were that a good many of the chemicals emitted were carcinogenic or harmful to health (in sufficient quantity). The same articles gave soy and other vegetable based waxes a clean bill of heath. A very good reason to steer clear of paraffin candles.
Natural Soy Wax
Soy wax creates a wide and deep melt pool in scented container candles. This launches the fragrance into the air. Besides these excellent burn qualities, soy wax is from a sustainable resource, is safe and clean to handle and is carbon neutral. The obvious comparison is wood to heat our homes. As tree is to wood is to heat, so soy wax can be described as plant to wax to candle.
Other Natural Waxes
In the Authors experience, other waxes have intrinsic problems in manufacturing scented candles. This includes the self scent of the wax, cost, burn characteristics and stability at normal room temperature. For this reason, further descriptions etc have been curtailed in this fact sheet.
In Summary
The forgoing assessment of the various waxes and their suitability for scented candle manufacture leads to a single conclusion. Soy wax is clearly the single best product in creating container scented candles, in the opinion of the Author. This is based on the environmental credentials of soy waxes, their burn characteristics and their safety when compared to the alternatives
Background Information
For further information regarding soy wax scented candles and the articles mentioned in connection to paraffin and scientific studies, please go to the Author’ website.
Haitham Al-Ubaidi is the owner and operator of Busy Bee Candles, a premium scented soy candle manufacturer and distributor, Busy Bee Candles. To find out more about soy candles go to News and Articles
Stop paying high prices for scented candles. Learn how to make your own gourmet scented candles with palm wax. There is no other candle wax on the face of the planet capable of producing beautiful Jack Frost-like crystals or billowy feathers, making them especially appropriate during the holidays. Glass jar candles seem to glow from within. Finally, make scented candles in the fragrances that you like. FREE BONUS: Learn how to make clamshell soy wax tart chunks.
Stop paying high prices for scented candles. Learn how to make your own gourmet scented candles with palm wax. There is no other candle wax on the face of the planet capable of producing beautiful Jack Frost-like crystals or billowy feathers, making them especially appropriate during the holidays. Glass jar candles seem to glow from within. Finally, make scented candles in the fragrances that you like. FREE BONUS: Learn how to make clamshell soy wax tart chunks.
