Candle Waxes: What’s the Difference?
If you’re an avid candle-lover, you’ve probably noticed over time that not all candles burn the same, and you’ve probably been wondering why. After all, it can be annoying when your candle doesn’t burn evenly! Did you know that this could partially be due to the fact that not all candles are made from the same type of wax?
There are a number of types of wax that can be used for making candles, and they’re all good for different purposes:
Paraffin wax is a by-product of oil. While it’s a very affordable option, it’s not good for the environment and paraffin wax candles burn faster than others. This type of wax can be used for pillar, container, votive, tealight, taper, and tart candles.
Soy wax is 100% natural and vegan, making it very eco-friendly. It doesn’t hold color as well as other types of wax, but it works well for scented candles and burns slower than most other waxes. This type of wax is best for container candles.
Palm wax is also 100% natural and is made by hydrogenating palm oils. Due to deforestation issues, however, palm wax is actually not an environmentally friendly option for candles, and many companies have discontinued its use. This wax was typically used for container, votive, and pillar candles.
Beeswax is a 100% natural wax that is created during the honey-making process. Beeswax is great for pillar, container, votive, tealight, taper, and tart candles. Its downside, however, is that it’s not vegan and can be very expensive.
Gel wax is not wax but is instead a substance made from mineral oil and a polymer resin. It is often used to make transparent candles or candles with objects embedded in them. Gel wax is often used for container candles, and its ability to hold a wick, color, and fragrance is comparable to paraffin wax.
Rapeseed wax (AKA canola wax) is a slightly more expensive alternative to soy wax. This type of was is used to make container and pillar candles that provide great fragrance, scent throw, and a long burn time.
Coconut wax is wax made from coconut oil. It works great to create a slow-burning container candle with a great scent throw but can be nearly twice as expensive as many other types of wax.
Wax Poetic Candle Bar focuses on the experience of creating your own custom candle. Because of this, we chose to use soy wax and organic cotton wicks, as well as over 60 clean-burning fragrance oils. Our sense of smell is strongly connected to memories and emotions, so we want to give our customers the best opportunity to create the perfect scent to bring back their favorite memories. If you’d like the chance to create your own custom candle, you can make your reservation here to bring back old memories while creating new ones!
