What are soy wax candles?
Soy wax, a 100% natural wax made from vegetable soybeans. After beans have been harvested, they are cleaned, cracked and de-hulled before being rolled into flakes. The flakes are then used to extract soybean oil and the rest is used as animal feed.
Soy wax is made of renewable and environmentally friendly resources, whereas traditional paraffin wax is made with petroleum and is not renewable. Soy wax is a more sustainable choice than other types of candle wax. It also burns slower than paraffin wax which means that your soy wax candle will last longer.
Soy wax candles burn cleaner and produce less soot than candles made from other materials. Also, we find that Soy wax is an excellent carrier of scent and so we do not need to add any kind of chemical additives or amplifiers to enhance the scent. This also means that the soy wax candle will exhibit a ‘true scent’!
Soy wax is made of renewable and environmentally friendly resources, whereas traditional paraffin wax is made with petroleum and is not renewable. Soy wax is a more sustainable choice than other types of candle wax. It also burns slower than paraffin wax which means that your soy wax candle will last longer.
Soy wax candles burn cleaner and produce less soot than candles made from other materials. Also, we find that Soy wax is an excellent carrier of scent and so we do not need to add any kind of chemical additives or amplifiers to enhance the scent. This also means that the soy wax candle will exhibit a ‘true scent’!
So, to sum up the main reasons... i.e. the many benefits of choosing soy wax candles are:
- They are 100% natural, as they are made from soybean wax. Soy candles have no intrinsic toxins, carcinogens, or pollutants so they are less likely trigger allergies.
- They burn cleaner and longer. Paraffin wax melts at a lower temperature than soy wax. Soy wax will burn cooler and last longer than paraffin candles. Candles with a longer life span allow you to enjoy delicious scents for longer.
- Soy wax is healthier for the environment and also us. This eco-friendly substance isn't harmful to the environment.
- The wax pool surrounding the wick is what emits a candle's fragrance into the air. Soy wax has a lower melting point than paraffin wax, which means there is more wax around the wick of soy wax candles, which results in stronger scents.
- Soybean wax, which is made from soybeans-a vegetable, is biodegradable. This makes it easier to clean up accidental spillages while making the candles and is also very environmentally friendly.
Simple way to make your own soy wax candles:
There are many free resources on the internet, which clearly take you step by step thru the simple soy wax candle making process. I will suggest checking out some of those videos to gather all the finer, minute details of the process. But I do want to give you a simple gist of the soy wax candle making activities, so you know how easy it is to make your own soy wax candles and will investigate making your very own natural, eco-friendly creations!
So, for starters… melt the soy wax. Place soy wax flakes in a glass bowl and place the bowl on a saucepan about a third full of water, creating a double boiler. Stirring occasionally, heat the wax until it becomes soft and pourable. Allow the wax to cool slightly before adding fragrance.
Also, do note that the fragrance oils are chemically made and will have more additives than essential oils. And even though you use essential oils, once they are heated and the oil is volatized, to give off the fragrance... they are still chemical components (though naturally occurring). The same goes for candle-colors. When you add candle colors, you are also adding more synthetic components to your natural candle soy wax, and those who are sensitive to chemical additives could react quite adversely to the volatile components that get generated when we light such a candle.
It is ofcourse in a very small quantities and so is usually okay for most people (that is why we see all these perfumed- scented and colored candles being sold everywhere!). Most of those are made with the terribly toxic paraffin wax, atleast you are using natural, bio-degradable soy wax! Still... I have clarified this information about the fragrance, essential oils and candle colors for those who are allergic or extremely sensitive to fragrance, or chemical additives in general, or have health conditions which need added consideration.
Now coming back to our soy wax candle-making… place your wick in the middle of the candle container. Then, pour the soy wax onto the candle container's center. If you find it difficult to hold the wick in the center of the candle container, then you can use wick holders or candle putty, which are usually available in craft stores.
Hold the wick in place until the wax hardens and then use either a clothespin, hairpin, or a wooden chopstick (like I have while making the soy candles in the image), to hold the wick centered and upright.
Now, is the most difficult part… to wait while the wax cools and solidifies to become an amazing soy wax candle!
As we approach the holiday season, I hope that you will choose these sustainable, earth friendly soy wax candles to light up your hearth and home.
So, for starters… melt the soy wax. Place soy wax flakes in a glass bowl and place the bowl on a saucepan about a third full of water, creating a double boiler. Stirring occasionally, heat the wax until it becomes soft and pourable. Allow the wax to cool slightly before adding fragrance.
Also, do note that the fragrance oils are chemically made and will have more additives than essential oils. And even though you use essential oils, once they are heated and the oil is volatized, to give off the fragrance... they are still chemical components (though naturally occurring). The same goes for candle-colors. When you add candle colors, you are also adding more synthetic components to your natural candle soy wax, and those who are sensitive to chemical additives could react quite adversely to the volatile components that get generated when we light such a candle.
It is ofcourse in a very small quantities and so is usually okay for most people (that is why we see all these perfumed- scented and colored candles being sold everywhere!). Most of those are made with the terribly toxic paraffin wax, atleast you are using natural, bio-degradable soy wax! Still... I have clarified this information about the fragrance, essential oils and candle colors for those who are allergic or extremely sensitive to fragrance, or chemical additives in general, or have health conditions which need added consideration.
Now coming back to our soy wax candle-making… place your wick in the middle of the candle container. Then, pour the soy wax onto the candle container's center. If you find it difficult to hold the wick in the center of the candle container, then you can use wick holders or candle putty, which are usually available in craft stores.
Hold the wick in place until the wax hardens and then use either a clothespin, hairpin, or a wooden chopstick (like I have while making the soy candles in the image), to hold the wick centered and upright.
Now, is the most difficult part… to wait while the wax cools and solidifies to become an amazing soy wax candle!
As we approach the holiday season, I hope that you will choose these sustainable, earth friendly soy wax candles to light up your hearth and home.
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