Candles have been around for a while. They’re nothing new, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. One of the recent changes in the world of candle making has been the development of soy candle wax.
For centuries, the main fuel for candles was tallow. While tallow did burn, tallow doesn’t make a good candle. They don’t burn well and they also give off a stench . That is why paraffin took over once it became available.
These days, however, some people object to using paraffin because it is a petroleum product. Because of this, people have been interested and coming up with a “green” alternative to paraffin. Soy candle wax is the best answer to date.
Soy beans have a high fat content and soybean oil is derived from them. But because this oil is liquid at room temperature so it’s not suitable for making candles. But if you change the chemistry of an oil you can change the temperature at which it becomes solid.
Hydrogen atoms are part of oil molecules. How many hydrogen atoms an oil contains determines when it becomes a liquid or solid. If you add hydrogen to a liquid oil, it becomes solid.
Of course I’m not a chemist so I can’t really explain how it’s done, and different manufactures do it in different ways, but the only thing important to us is the outcome: soy candle wax.
One characteristic of pure soy wax is that it is relatively soft. this means it’s great for making container candles but not so great for making pillars that need to stand on their own. Candle makers often adjust the rigidity of the soil wax by blending in paraffin and additives. doing that greatly increases the range of candles that can be made.
But many people want to use 100% soy wax, in which case they will probably get the best results if they stick to container candles. I’m sure you’ve seen and probably even have used container candles. The most common ones are jars such as canning jars or apothecary jars filled with wax. Other styles of candles are removed from the mold when the wax hardens. With container candles, the candle remains in its “mold”.
Of course there is a lot more to know about best ways to use soy candle wax. One the best places to get details on it is:
And of course if you’re interested in soy candle wax you’ll probably be interested in how to use it. You can learn about the insiders techniques at: How to Make Soy Candles.
Better yet, I suggest you take a look at the e-book Home Candle Making Made Easy.
That book covers all aspects of candle making from selecting what type of wax to use for specific situations, what additives to use and when, the best way to scent candles, and so much more… Getting the information this book will make you an expert candle maker in the shortest possible time.
Candle making is a wonderful hobby. Get Home Candle Making Made Easy today and get started.