The various scented candle waxes
There are numerous types of scented candle available on the market today. The most common is a paraffin scented candle such as Yankee Candles or Price’s Candles. These use paraffin as their fuel and are made from a fast depleting resource, crude oil. Paraffin is a hydrocarbon similar to petrol, diesel and other crude oil derivatives and burns very well (as you would expect). In burning, paraffin releases all manner of toxic substances such as benzene and carbon monoxide. Not good from a health and environmental stand point. More on this later.
Greener waxes are available. Soy wax is natural plant based wax made by hydrogenating soy oil. The soy oil is obtained by crushing soy beans and the waste products from the process are fed to cattle. They in turn fertilise their pasture and so the cycle goes on. The manufacturing process is similar to that used in making margarine. The resultant soy wax is a clean burning creamy soft substance that is ideal for scented candle manufacture. The burning of soy wax has been shown to produce none of the toxic or carcinogenic substances found in burning paraffin wax.
Other natural waxes are available. These include palm wax and beeswax. Both of these do suffer from some disadvantages. Some carry their own scent such as beeswax, others are too unstable at room temperature and the remainder are just plain expensive. These problematic issues render these other natural waxes unsuitable for the vast majority of scented candle making.
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 reason that paraffin is used today as a fuel for scented candles is primarily its cost. It is far cheaper to manufacture a paraffin candle than one made from soy. The raw paraffin wax is approximately one third the cost of soy wax. Hey presto, large commercial organisations steer toward this as they can significantly increase profits on each unit manufactured.
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 is in the author’s view the most appropriate wax for manufacturing scented candles. Firstly it is a natural product and that has to be a prime consideration in today’s environmentally conscious world. It is from a renewable resource and is virtually carbon neutral. Plant to wax to candle, a similar concept to burning wood to heat our homes (admittedly with a little refining thrown in but not too different to resizing timber for consumer use). It is very pleasant to handle with a creamy texture and ideal burn characteristics. In container candles, soy wax creates a wide and deep melt pool that launches the fragrance into the air. That is very difficult to achieve with paraffin candles due to the higher melting point and wick size required to bring about this characteristic.
Other 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
If you would like to find out more about the health issues regarding paraffin and soy candles, go to the Author’s website to read the various articles.
The Author is the owner of Busy Bee Candles, a premium handmade scented candle manufacturer. He has extensive experience and expertise in the manufacture of scented candles, wholesale distribution and retail sales. Go to Busy Bee Candles or go to the On line Shop.
