What is Wax?
Broadly speaking wax is a flammable, carbon-containing solid that becomes liquid when heated above room temperature. In other words it’s the candle’s fuel. When the scented candle is lit, the wax melts, is vaporised and combusted, which in turn produces the heat and light. Almost any kind of oil can be turned into a wax, making plenty of choices for use in candles.
What Is Candle Wax Made From?
There are many different types of wax that can be used to produce scented candles. Beeswax has been used in the production of candles for thousands of years, whereas waxes made from coconut and petroleum are modern inventions.
Each type of candle wax has different properties, making some better at holding and transmitting fragrance while others excel in burning slowly and producing a smoke-free flame.
Which Candle Wax Is Best?
Each type of candle wax has it’s positives and negatives making it hard to pick an all out winner. This is why there are so many different types of candle wax (and candle wax blends) on the market. In the sections below we discuss the benefits and disadvantages associated with each style of wax, allowing you to decide which wax is best for you.
Which Candle Wax Burns The Longest?
Soy wax is generally considered to have the longest burn time, however each year new improved candle wax formations are being created using new ingredients that allow for even slower burning candles.
The length of time your candle burns for is greatly effected by things like where you burn the candle, the temperature of the room, the fragrance oils, wick and container the candle uses among many other factors making it hard to say exactly how long your candle will last. All the burn times on this website are approximations and only meant as a guide.
Which Candle Wax Gives The Best Scent Throw?
Currently Paraffin waxes are considered the best for achieving a strong fragrance – this is why many high street brands still use paraffin wax in their candles. While paraffin may have reigned supreme for the past decade or so, newer natural waxes such as soy, coconut and rapeseed wax are improving year on year and look set to gain this title in the near future.
Is Candle Wax Toxic?
Well, let’s first off just say don’t eat your new scented candles – they don’t taste as good as they smell! While many candles are made using non-toxic food-grade paraffin wax, an ingredient often found in the production of cosmetics and food, we don’t recommend taking the chance.
There are certain waxes that do give off small amounts of chemicals when burning. Paraffin wax has been found to release some volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere when lit, and while these shouldn’t be a cause for concern there are plenty of other wax options for those who would prefer to avoid them.
Natural waxes such as soy, rapeseed, coconut and beeswax are the best choice for those wanting candles that burn cleanly without the worry of indoor air pollution. There are even some reports that beeswax can actually help clarify air.
Candle Wax Overview
Soy Wax
As America's #1 soy wax supplier, we know soy wax. All of our soy waxes are thoroughly tested by our in-house team of specialists. Expect a strong fragrance throw from each all-natural soy wax variety in our line when paired with one of our obsessively formulated, specialty fragrance oils.
Soy wax is a 100% all-natural wax made from hydrogenated soybean oil that is available in several forms, including soy wax flakes. It is ideal for use in making container candles, including jarred candles, tins, votives, tealights, and tarts.
Soy wax is a mid-range wax with a slow burn, making it a great value. The wax is made from—what else—soybeans, and is considered more eco-friendly than paraffin wax. That said, it is a byproduct of the soybean industry, and there are growing concerns over deforestation, fertilizers, and pesticides used in the process It can also be relatively difficult to work with: "It's very temperamental with temperature and can shrink, as well as 'frost' with white spots. The wax doesn't hold quite as much fragrance either, though this can be a pro or a con, depending on how heavy of a scent you like. For candle making, try American Soy Organics Wax ($16, amazon.com).
Paraffin Wax
Paraffin candle wax throws fragrance extremely well and offers lots of candle making possibilities. Unlike many cheap imported waxes, the waxes we offer are all fully refined and odorless - several are identical to FDA approved paraffin waxes. Whether you want the convenience of a pre-blended wax or prefer to custom formulate straight cuts, we have you covered. Paraffin wax—a very inexpensive wax—is most widely used across candle brands because it can hold a high amount of fragrance and color. It also comes in various melt points, making it suitable for making many different types of candles, from containers to pillars. That said, it's not considered the most eco-friendly type of candle wax, since it's made from a byproduct of the oil industry, she explains. Another downside: If not properly cared for, a paraffin wax candle will create soot. paraffin can be used to make many types of candles, including pillars, containers, votives, tealights, tapers and tarts.
Beeswax
Known throughout history for its wide variety of applications, our natural beeswax can easily be used for crafts, cosmetics and candle making. Our beeswax is packaged in pellet form for easy handling and use. Beeswax has a higher melt point compared to other natural waxes, creating long-lasting candles.
Beeswax is one of the oldest forms of candle wax and is another eco-friendly option since it's derived from bees during the honey-making process. Because of this, beeswax has a very subtle naturally sweet aroma that helps purify the air.
Beeswax is another 100% all-natural wax. One of the best candle waxes on the market, beeswax can be used to make all types of candles, including pillars, tapers, votives, and containers. Beeswax is also a harder, more solid wax that's often used in blends for container candles or to make unscented pillars.
It is also available in beeswax sheets.
For candle making, try Sky Organics Organic White Beeswax Pellets ($14.95, amazon.com).
Coconut Wax
This newer type of wax is harvested from coconuts—a high-yield and sustainable crop. Coconut wax is popular for this reason, but also because it holds fragrance and color very well, plus has a clean burn that produces very little soot. Unfortunately, it tends to be the most expensive candle wax of the bunch. For candle making, try ArtMinds Simple Serenity Coconut Wax Block ($12.99, michaels.com).
Palm Wax
Another type of 100% all-natural wax, palm wax is produced by hydrogenating palm oils. Palm waxes allow you to create candles with unique textures, since, in most cases, there is a crystallizing pattern (on pillars or containers) or feathering pattern (available on pillars) that forms on the candle’s surface. Palm wax is excellent for use with pillars, votives, and tarts.
Candlewic Custom Blends
Using Candlewic’s Custom Blend Waxes eliminates the need to test blends and additives on your own and allows you to create better candles faster. All are Candlewic proprietary blends that are fully formulated to require no additional additives except for UV light stabilizers, which prevent fading. Various blends for the container, pillar, and mottling waxes are available on our website.
Granulated Wax
Granulated wax is often used for crafting, because of its ease of use. There’s no need to melt the wax! It’s made from 140⁰ melt-point paraffin that has been formed into little beads, so you can just pour granulated wax into a container and insert a wick!
Gel Candle Wax
Offering the translucent quality of gelatin, gel candle wax isn’t actually wax at all. Instead, it’s made from mineral oil and a polymer resin. With gel candle wax and a clear glass container, you can make container candles you can see through and into! For added interest, you can make embedded-object gel candles, where you insert decorative, nonflammable items into the gel.
Wax Blends
Don’t want to limit yourself to a single wax variety? Try a blend! Blended waxes offer the best of two (or more) worlds to help you create something truly unique.
Paraffin/Soy
IGI 6006: The fragrance throw of paraffin and the appealing look of soy.
Paraffin/Coconut
IGI 6046: The fragrance throw of paraffin and the vivid colors possible with coconut.
Broadly speaking wax is a flammable, carbon-containing solid that becomes liquid when heated above room temperature. In other words it’s the candle’s fuel. When the scented candle is lit, the wax melts, is vaporised and combusted, which in turn produces the heat and light. Almost any kind of oil can be turned into a wax, making plenty of choices for use in candles.
What Is Candle Wax Made From?
There are many different types of wax that can be used to produce scented candles. Beeswax has been used in the production of candles for thousands of years, whereas waxes made from coconut and petroleum are modern inventions.
Each type of candle wax has different properties, making some better at holding and transmitting fragrance while others excel in burning slowly and producing a smoke-free flame.
Which Candle Wax Is Best?
Each type of candle wax has it’s positives and negatives making it hard to pick an all out winner. This is why there are so many different types of candle wax (and candle wax blends) on the market. In the sections below we discuss the benefits and disadvantages associated with each style of wax, allowing you to decide which wax is best for you.
Which Candle Wax Burns The Longest?
Soy wax is generally considered to have the longest burn time, however each year new improved candle wax formations are being created using new ingredients that allow for even slower burning candles.
The length of time your candle burns for is greatly effected by things like where you burn the candle, the temperature of the room, the fragrance oils, wick and container the candle uses among many other factors making it hard to say exactly how long your candle will last. All the burn times on this website are approximations and only meant as a guide.
Which Candle Wax Gives The Best Scent Throw?
Currently Paraffin waxes are considered the best for achieving a strong fragrance – this is why many high street brands still use paraffin wax in their candles. While paraffin may have reigned supreme for the past decade or so, newer natural waxes such as soy, coconut and rapeseed wax are improving year on year and look set to gain this title in the near future.
Is Candle Wax Toxic?
Well, let’s first off just say don’t eat your new scented candles – they don’t taste as good as they smell! While many candles are made using non-toxic food-grade paraffin wax, an ingredient often found in the production of cosmetics and food, we don’t recommend taking the chance.
There are certain waxes that do give off small amounts of chemicals when burning. Paraffin wax has been found to release some volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere when lit, and while these shouldn’t be a cause for concern there are plenty of other wax options for those who would prefer to avoid them.
Natural waxes such as soy, rapeseed, coconut and beeswax are the best choice for those wanting candles that burn cleanly without the worry of indoor air pollution. There are even some reports that beeswax can actually help clarify air.
Candle Wax Overview
Soy Wax
As America's #1 soy wax supplier, we know soy wax. All of our soy waxes are thoroughly tested by our in-house team of specialists. Expect a strong fragrance throw from each all-natural soy wax variety in our line when paired with one of our obsessively formulated, specialty fragrance oils.
Soy wax is a 100% all-natural wax made from hydrogenated soybean oil that is available in several forms, including soy wax flakes. It is ideal for use in making container candles, including jarred candles, tins, votives, tealights, and tarts.
Soy wax is a mid-range wax with a slow burn, making it a great value. The wax is made from—what else—soybeans, and is considered more eco-friendly than paraffin wax. That said, it is a byproduct of the soybean industry, and there are growing concerns over deforestation, fertilizers, and pesticides used in the process It can also be relatively difficult to work with: "It's very temperamental with temperature and can shrink, as well as 'frost' with white spots. The wax doesn't hold quite as much fragrance either, though this can be a pro or a con, depending on how heavy of a scent you like. For candle making, try American Soy Organics Wax ($16, amazon.com).
Paraffin Wax
Paraffin candle wax throws fragrance extremely well and offers lots of candle making possibilities. Unlike many cheap imported waxes, the waxes we offer are all fully refined and odorless - several are identical to FDA approved paraffin waxes. Whether you want the convenience of a pre-blended wax or prefer to custom formulate straight cuts, we have you covered. Paraffin wax—a very inexpensive wax—is most widely used across candle brands because it can hold a high amount of fragrance and color. It also comes in various melt points, making it suitable for making many different types of candles, from containers to pillars. That said, it's not considered the most eco-friendly type of candle wax, since it's made from a byproduct of the oil industry, she explains. Another downside: If not properly cared for, a paraffin wax candle will create soot. paraffin can be used to make many types of candles, including pillars, containers, votives, tealights, tapers and tarts.
Beeswax
Known throughout history for its wide variety of applications, our natural beeswax can easily be used for crafts, cosmetics and candle making. Our beeswax is packaged in pellet form for easy handling and use. Beeswax has a higher melt point compared to other natural waxes, creating long-lasting candles.
Beeswax is one of the oldest forms of candle wax and is another eco-friendly option since it's derived from bees during the honey-making process. Because of this, beeswax has a very subtle naturally sweet aroma that helps purify the air.
Beeswax is another 100% all-natural wax. One of the best candle waxes on the market, beeswax can be used to make all types of candles, including pillars, tapers, votives, and containers. Beeswax is also a harder, more solid wax that's often used in blends for container candles or to make unscented pillars.
It is also available in beeswax sheets.
For candle making, try Sky Organics Organic White Beeswax Pellets ($14.95, amazon.com).
Coconut Wax
This newer type of wax is harvested from coconuts—a high-yield and sustainable crop. Coconut wax is popular for this reason, but also because it holds fragrance and color very well, plus has a clean burn that produces very little soot. Unfortunately, it tends to be the most expensive candle wax of the bunch. For candle making, try ArtMinds Simple Serenity Coconut Wax Block ($12.99, michaels.com).
Palm Wax
Another type of 100% all-natural wax, palm wax is produced by hydrogenating palm oils. Palm waxes allow you to create candles with unique textures, since, in most cases, there is a crystallizing pattern (on pillars or containers) or feathering pattern (available on pillars) that forms on the candle’s surface. Palm wax is excellent for use with pillars, votives, and tarts.
Candlewic Custom Blends
Using Candlewic’s Custom Blend Waxes eliminates the need to test blends and additives on your own and allows you to create better candles faster. All are Candlewic proprietary blends that are fully formulated to require no additional additives except for UV light stabilizers, which prevent fading. Various blends for the container, pillar, and mottling waxes are available on our website.
Granulated Wax
Granulated wax is often used for crafting, because of its ease of use. There’s no need to melt the wax! It’s made from 140⁰ melt-point paraffin that has been formed into little beads, so you can just pour granulated wax into a container and insert a wick!
Gel Candle Wax
Offering the translucent quality of gelatin, gel candle wax isn’t actually wax at all. Instead, it’s made from mineral oil and a polymer resin. With gel candle wax and a clear glass container, you can make container candles you can see through and into! For added interest, you can make embedded-object gel candles, where you insert decorative, nonflammable items into the gel.
Wax Blends
Don’t want to limit yourself to a single wax variety? Try a blend! Blended waxes offer the best of two (or more) worlds to help you create something truly unique.
Paraffin/Soy
IGI 6006: The fragrance throw of paraffin and the appealing look of soy.
Paraffin/Coconut
IGI 6046: The fragrance throw of paraffin and the vivid colors possible with coconut.
