Candle Waxes for Scented Candles

The majority of scented candles today are made using paraffin wax. These include products by some of the biggest names in the industry such as Yankee Candles and Price’s Candles. Paraffin is made from crude oil and as a resource is finite and dwindling. A hydrocarbon and similar to petrol and diesel, paraffin burns very well (so it should). Paraffin releases toxic substances when burning such as toluene, benzine and carbon monoxide. As a scented candle is made to be burnt, these toxic substances are bad news.

There are however alternative candles that are made from greener fuel materials. The most common of these is soy wax. This is a natural plant extract made from soy beans. In making this wax, soy beans are crushed and the resulting oil extract is hydrogenated to form a solid mass (at room temperature). The remaining crushed matter is not wasted and is fed to cattle that in turn redistribute the organic matter as nature intended. The process of making soy wax is similar to that used in making margarine in that hydrogen, an abundant element in our atmosphere, is used to solidify (or hydrogenate) a liquid substance. The resulting wax is creamy in texture, burns very well and provides a clean non toxic fuel for your favourite scented candle. The emissions from soy candles have been tested and found to be non toxic.

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.

Crude Oil Derived Waxes

Easy ignition and a good quality flame are evident from paraffin candles. After all they are close relatives to petrol and other crude oil derivatives. The major downside to paraffin waxes are the sustainability issue of its source and the toxicity of the combustion. Scientists advise that we do not burn paraffin candles regularly and that we only use them in a well ventilated place. That must defeat the object of such a product and it seems odd to pay good money for a product that is essentially unfit for its intended purpose.

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.

The toxic and carcinogenic emissions from burning paraffin candles were recently put forward by numerous UK newspaper articles. The same articles indicated that burning soy wax candles did not emit unsafe substances. This is a clear reason for the use of soy wax in scented candles and discontinuing the use of paraffin.

Soy wax

The most appropriate wax for use in scented candle wax manufacture is in the author’s view, soy wax. This sustainable and natural product is environmentally sound and is carbon neutral. The analogy is similar to the use of wood to heat our homes. Plant to wax to candles as tree to wood to heat. Aside from the environmental aspect, soy wax is a soft and creamy product offering fabulous burn characteristics, great scent throw properties and is very pleasant and safe to handle in manufacturing scented candles.

Remaining Waxes

Other waxes such as palm wax and beeswax suffer some problems. The stability of the wax at normal room temperature and the intrinsic scent of the wax can be overcome by costly additives. When these factors are combined with the elevated cost of these waxes and the lack of consistent quality, it no longer becomes viable to consider these waxes in scented candle manufacture.

In Summary

Based on the authors experience and the articles mentioned in the review, soy wax has been clearly found to be the most suitable scented candle base wax. The green credentials, burn characteristics and safety in use all contribute to and support this conclusion.

Learn More

The background information upon which this review is based is available on the Author’s web site.

The Author is the owner of Busy Bee Candles, a premium handmade fragranced candle manufacturer. He has extensive experience and expertise in the manufacture of fragranced candles, wholesale distribution and retail sales. Go to Busy Bee Candles or go to the On line Shop.