Understanding Waxes

Hand poured soy wax scented candle

 

First, let's establish what wax is. Wax is essentially the fuel for a candle. It is the flammable solid that becomes liquid when it is heated. The fragrance oil is infused within the wax during the candle making process. When the scented candle is lit, the wax melts and the scent is released into the air. There are many different wax choices on the market, so let's explore the most common and dive into the advantages and disadvantages.

SOY WAX

Soy wax is our choice of wax for our scented candles. Soy wax is made from the vegetable soybean, which makes soy wax a renewable and sustainable wax option.

Advantages:

  • Natural, vegan and environmentally friendly.
  • Non-toxic due to soy wax being made from a natural ingredient.
  • Provides a slower and cleaner burn so you’ll get a longer lasting scented candle.
  • Emits less soot (the black smoke that is released from the candle).

Disadvantages:

  • More expensive than paraffin wax.
  • Is prone to frosting which is the natural process of the wax hardening.
  • Difficult to work with.

PARAFFIN WAX

Paraffin wax is probably the most common and frequently used type of wax for scented candles. Paraffin wax is a byproduct of the petroleum industry and is considered to be one of the least eco friendly types of wax. Many high street brands use paraffin wax as it is cheaper to produce and holds the fragrance of the candle very well. 

Advantages:

  • Relatively cheap compared to other waxes.
  • Can hold a high amount of fragrance.
  • Readily available. 

Disadvantages:

  • Not eco-friendly and derived from a non-renewable source.
  • Made from leftovers from the oil industry, so may contain harmful chemicals.
  • Tends to burn a lot quicker.

COCONUT WAX

Coconut wax is derived from, you guessed it! Coconuts. It is a very sustainable wax choice for scented candles but tends to be the most expensive option.

Advantages:

  • Produces a soft and creamy wax which is aesthetically pleasing.
  • Has a great cold and hot throw.
  • Provides a slower and cleaner burn.

Disadvantages:

  • Expensive.
  • Low melting point means it is prone to melting (without it being lit) in warmer environments.
  • It’s soft texture means it cannot hold a lot of fragrance oil. As a result, you will often find coconut wax blended with another wax to increase its performance. 

BEESWAX

Beeswax is created naturally from bees as a byproduct from their honey making-process. The wax has a naturally sweet scent because of this.

Advantages:

  • Non-hazardous.
  • Natural.
  • Produces very little soot when burning.

Disadvantages:

  • Very expensive because of its rarity.
  • The slight sweet (honey) scent of the wax means it doesn't blend well with fragrance oils.

 

As you can see, there are many different types of wax to choose from (these are the most common waxes). The type of wax you choose will depend on a number of factors unique to you, but we hope this guide helps to bring you a bit more clarity.

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