If you’re going to make candles, obviously you’re going to need wax. But that isn’t as simple as many beginners think – there are a lot of choices to choose from. This article is a short list of the different types of candle making wax available.
Paraffin Candle Wax
Paraffin is the most commonly used wax, both in commercial production and by the home hobbyist.
Paraffin is a byproduct of petroleum refinement. It’s what’s left when crude oil is refined.
Different grades of paraffin candle wax are available. Most suppliers indicate which is their “general purpose” candle wax and that’s usually a good one for beginners to start with. The wax is widely available, relatively inexpensive, very stiff at room temperature, holds dyes and scents well and burns relatively cleanly.
Soy Candle Wax
Soy candle wax is a recent invention. It was developed in the 1990’s as part of the search for a natural candle wax. Soybean oil is liquid at room temperature. With the addition of hydrogen, it becomes solid and suitable for making candles. The main difficulty is that most formulations are fairly soft and don’t always work well in applications such as making tapers.
On the positive side, it is a great wax to use for container candles. It holds scent and fragrance well. It is extremely clean burning – significantly more so than paraffin.
Beeswax
Beeswax is a classic, premium candle making wax. The wax comes from bee hives. Bees make the wax to form honeycombs to store honey. Beekeepers can harvest both the wax and the honey.
Beeswax produces minimal soot and burns smoothly and evenly. It is a firmer wax than soy candle wax so you can use it for tapers. Although it can hold fragrance, many people prefer not to add scent because they enjoy the mild, soft aroma of unscented beeswax.
The main problem with beeswax is its price. It has always been a premium wax. In the past, only the wealthy could afford beeswax. It’s more affordable these days, but still more expensive than most other candle waxes.
Where to Learn More
These waxes are the ones most candle makers use most of the time. You’d do just fine if these were the only ones you knew about.
However it’s well worth at least becoming aware of some of the other choices available. One place to start is the page: Candle Making Wax. You’ll discover some interesting waxes I haven’t mentioned here, as well as some more details about paraffin and soy wax.
Of course you need more than wax to make a candle. You can find out about the necessary equipment at: Candle Making Equipment
I want to recommend an excellent site for you to find out everything you need to know to start making beautiful handcrafted candles: The Candle Making Connection. I’ve learned the hard way that you can save a lot of time and frustration if you visit sites like that and get some insider tips and advice before you start experimenting on your own.
Making candles is a wonderful hobby and I hope this article helps you get started with.