So you're candle shopping. You check the labels, and one says "100% soy wax" and another says "soy wax blend." What's the difference, and which should you choose?

Let's start at the beginning. How does wax impact a candle? Does it really matter if something uses soy, paraffin, coconut, or something else?

In short --

• YES, If you're the candle maker.
• YES, if you care about your candle's ingredients. 
• YES, if you want to know how well your candle will perform in your home.
• YES, if you want to know about safety of your candle.
• NO, if you're just looking for any old candle and don't really care what it looks like, burns like, or how it will perform.

With candles, the type of wax used can make all the difference in performance, scent throw, and environmental impact. Whether you're a candlemaker, enthusiast, or just looking to make an informed purchase, understanding the nuances of different waxes can enhance your candle experience and know what you’re getting before you hit the register.

Types of Candle Waxes

First off, what are the options on the board? Let's cover the key aspects of each of the most common types of container candle waxes that you'll come across, and their properties.

Paraffin Wax

• Properties:
• Versatile and Common: Paraffin wax is widely used due to its versatility. It holds color and fragrance well, making it ideal for various types of candles, including containers.
• Inexpensive: It is one of the least expensive wax options, which makes it popular for mass production.
• Environmental Impact: Derived from petroleum, it’s not eco-friendly and produces soot when burned.
• Best Uses:
• Suitable for container candles due to its ability to hold a strong fragrance and vibrant colors.

Soy Wax

• Properties
• Eco-Friendly: Made from soybean oil, soy wax is renewable and biodegradable.
• Burn Performance: It burns cleaner and slower than paraffin, producing less soot and offering a longer burn time.
• Appearance: Can be temperamental with frosting (white spots) on the surface.
• Best Uses:
• Ideal for container candles because of its clean-burning properties.

Beeswax

• Properties:
• Natural and Sustainable: Produced by bees, beeswax has a natural sweet fragrance and is considered one of the oldest waxes.
• Burn Performance: Burns longer and cleaner, emitting a bright flame.
• Cost: More expensive due to its natural production.
• Best Uses:
• Suitable for various candle types, including containers, and often used for unscented or lightly scented candles.

 

Palm Wax

• Properties:
• Eco-Friendly: Derived from palm oil, it’s sustainable and produces a clean burn. Make sure to source from a supplier that sources palm oil ethically
• Unique Appearance: Creates crystalline patterns, adding a decorative element
• Performance: Good scent retention and long burn time.
• Best Uses:
• Ideal for container and pillar candles, providing a balance of aesthetics and performance.

Gel Wax

• Properties:
• Transparency: Not actually a wax, but a combination of resin and mineral oil. Known for its clear, jelly-like appearance.
• Burn Performance: Burns slower and produces a bright light.
• Customization: Ideal for embedding objects and creating decorative candles.
• Best Uses:
• Mostly used for container candles due to its decorative potential.

Coconut Wax

• Properties:
• Eco-Friendly: Made from coconut oil, it’s sustainable and has a low melting point.
• Burn Performance: Known for a smooth, even burn and excellent scent throw.
• Cost and Handling: More expensive and can be difficult to handle due to its low melting point.
• Best Uses:
• Often blended with other waxes like soy or paraffin to improve handling and stability, making it suitable for container candles.

Apricot Wax: She's New Here

Apricot wax is still relatively new on the market but is making waves as the latest up-and-coming sustainable wax to one-up other sustainable waxes such as Soy and Coconut. However, Apricot wax doesn’t have the benefit of the stability and consistency of soy, and is generally used as an additive in blends rather than a standalone wax.

Properties

• Soft and Low Melting Point: Apricot wax on its own is often too soft and has a low melting point, which can make it less suitable for standalone use in candles.
• Stability Issues: Due to its softness, apricot wax lacks the structural integrity needed for durable candles. It can be too malleable, leading to issues in maintaining shape and consistency.
• Fragrance Holding Capacity: Apricot wax may not hold fragrances as effectively as when blended with other waxes. This can result in weaker scent throw and less aromatic intensity.
• Burn Quality: Pure apricot wax may burn inconsistently, leading to problems like tunneling and uneven melting, which can affect the candle's overall performance.
• Cost: Apricot wax can be more expensive compared to other waxes. Using it alone may not be cost-effective for candle production.
• Blending Benefits: Blending apricot wax with other waxes like coconut or soy enhances its performance by improving burn consistency, scent throw, and handling characteristics. Blends also make it more economically viable.

 

 

How Wax Type Impacts Candle Performance

Burn Quality

A quick summary of how each wax will impact how evenly your candle burns and how much soot it produces.

• Paraffin Wax: Known for its excellent burn quality and ability to hold vibrant colors and strong scents. However, it can produce soot and is not as environmentally friendly as natural waxes, as it is made from petroleum byproducts.
• Soy Wax: Burns slower and cleaner than paraffin, producing less soot. It has a lower melting point, which can make it more challenging to work with, but it results in a longer burn time.
• Beeswax: Burns brightly and for a long time. It is naturally scented and can purify the air by emitting negative ions. Beeswax is more expensive and harder to scent with additional fragrances】.
• Coconut Apricot Wax: Known for its smooth, even burn and excellent scent throw. It is often used in luxury candles due to its high performance and eco-friendly nature.
• Gel Wax: Burns slowly with a bright flame but requires careful handling to avoid overheating and potential safety issues.

Scent Throw

The type of wax is a key factor in how strongly your candle will smell while cold and while burning.

• Paraffin Wax: Offers a strong scent throw both hot and cold due to its ability to hold a high fragrance load.
• Soy Wax: Provides a good scent throw but typically requires a higher percentage of fragrance oil compared to paraffin.
• Coconut Apricot Wax: Superior scent throw due to its ability to hold a high fragrance load, making it ideal for luxury candles.
• Beeswax: Naturally sweet scent, but additional fragrances might not be as strong.
• Palm Wax: Good scent retention and unique crystalline texture, but not as commonly used for high-end scented candles.

Glass Adhesion

Wax consistency is the key factor of whether you'll end up with "wet spots"-- or poor glass adhesion -- in your candles. While this is purely an aesthetic factor and doesn't impact the candle burn, many candlemakers and purchasers want their candles to have an even look for a more luxurious and detailed appearance.

• Paraffin Wax: Generally good adhesion but may pull away from glass as it cools​ 
• Soy Wax: Can have poor adhesion, often leading to frosting and shrinkage. Preheating glass can improve this​ 
• Beeswax: Strong glass adhesion, leaving a smooth surface against the glass​ 
• Palm Wax: Good adhesion but can pull away as it cools. Proper pouring techniques help​ 
• Gel Wax: Excellent adhesion due to its jelly-like texture​
• Coconut Wax: Generally very good adhesion, providing a smooth finish​ 
• Coconut Apricot Wax: Known for excellent adhesion, ideal for luxury candles​

Blending Waxes for Enhanced Performance

Now that we know about the basics and performance for each type of wax, we can get into the good stuff with wax blends.

Why Blend Waxes?

Blending different types of waxes allows candle makers to combine the benefits of each wax type, resulting in superior performance, improved aesthetics, and cost efficiency. Here’s a detailed look at how various waxes can be blended together to create superior candles:

Soy-Paraffin Blends

• Benefits:
• Enhanced Scent Throw: Paraffin wax has a strong scent throw, while soy wax provides a cleaner burn. Blending the two can enhance the fragrance release while maintaining a cleaner burn.
• Improved Burn Quality: Soy wax helps reduce soot production from paraffin, resulting in a more stable and consistent burn.
• Usage:
• Ideal for container candles where both fragrance and burn quality are important.

Coconut-Soy Blends

• Benefits:
• Clean Burning: Both coconut and soy waxes burn cleanly with minimal soot.
• Excellent Scent Throw: Coconut wax enhances the fragrance load, while soy wax helps in retaining the scent for a longer period.
• Smooth Finish: The combination often results in a smooth, creamy finish ideal for luxury candles.
• Usage: 
• Best for high-end container candles that require a strong scent throw and elegant appearance.

Beeswax-Paraffin Blends

• Benefits:
• Longer Burn Time: Beeswax extends the burn time of paraffin candles.
• Improved Stability: Paraffin helps to lower the melting point of beeswax, making it easier to work with and more consistent in performance.
• Natural Fragrance: Beeswax adds a natural honey scent, while paraffin can carry additional fragrances effectively.
• Usage: 
• Suitable for various candle types, including pillars and containers, where durability and fragrance are key.

Palm-Soy Blends

• Benefits:
• Sustainable Choice: Both palm and soy waxes are renewable resources.
• Unique Texture: Palm wax provides a crystalline texture, while soy wax ensures a smooth finish and good scent retention.
• Good Burn Performance: The blend offers a clean burn with minimal soot.
• Usage: 
• Ideal for container and pillar candles, providing a balance of aesthetics and performance.

Coconut-Apricot Blends

• Benefits:
• Luxury Finish: The combination of coconut and apricot wax results in a creamy texture and excellent glass adhesion, enhancing the visual appeal of container candles.
• High Fragrance Load: Both waxes support a high fragrance load, ensuring strong scent throw.
• Consistent Burn: The blend provides a stable and consistent burn with minimal frosting and smooth tops.
• Usage: 
• Perfect for luxury container candles that require both aesthetic appeal and strong performance.

Choosing the Right Wax

Why Some People Choose One Type Over Another

What people care about in their candles varies widely and often comes down to values and priorities. Some of those are:

• Cost: Paraffin wax is cheaper and thus favored for mass production. In contrast, beeswax and coconut apricot wax are more expensive, making them suitable for luxury candles.
• Eco-Friendliness: Soy wax, coconut wax, and beeswax are renewable and biodegradable, making them popular among eco-conscious consumers.
• Performance Needs: Depending on whether the goal is a strong scent throw, a clean burn, or a specific aesthetic, different waxes may be chosen. For instance, luxury candle makers might prefer coconut apricot wax for its superior performance and eco-friendliness.
• Appearance: If aesthetic is something important to you, wax makes critical differences in how the candle looks in its container, before it burns, and after it burns. Elements such as UV sensitivity and browning, smooth drying, glass adhesion, soot remnants, and more will be dependent on the wax used and impact how your candle looks at all life stages.

Keys to Eco-Friendly Candle Choices

• Wax Type:
• Choose candles made from soy, beeswax, or coconut wax for a more environmentally friendly option. These waxes are renewable and biodegradabe
• Additives:
• Look for candles without harmful additives like phthalates, parabens, or petrochemicals. They may not be labeled directly, but you can look for phrases like "phthalate free, paraben free" if you want to ensure that candles don't contain these if you live in areas where it's legal to sell candles with those ingredients at all. 
• Packaging:
• Eco-friendly packaging, such as recycled or recyclable materials, also indicates a more sustainable choice.

Identifying Paraffin or Blended Waxes At the Store

Labeling:

Check the candle label for specific mentions of the wax type. High-quality candles will often list whether they use soy, beeswax, coconut wax, or a blend.

Appearance and Burn:

Paraffin candles tend to have a smooth, glossy finish and may produce more soot. Soy and coconut waxes have a more matte finish and produce less soot.

Fragrance Intensity:

Paraffin wax candles often have a stronger scent throw compared to soy or beeswax. If a candle has a very intense fragrance, it might contain paraffin or a paraffin blend.

Conclusion

Choosing the right wax for your container candles depends on the desired burn performance, appearance, and environmental impact. Blending waxes can provide the best of both worlds, offering enhanced performance, eco-friendliness, and superior fragrance throw. Understanding these nuances can help you make informed choices whether crafting your candles or purchasing them.

At Second Life Candles, we care specifically about the sustainability of our goods and ensure that we source responsibly. We use only natural waxes and oils, mostly 100% soy, in the candles we make to give you the best products for your home, health, and environmental footprint. Check out our products to see for yourself!