Oh boy soy! (Sorry) Soy candles are becoming pretty popular in the candle world. Soy candles are made naturally from soy wax, which in term comes from soybean oil.
Soy candles are most generally candles that are kept in containers, such as glass jars. This is because soy wax has a lower melting point and it doesn’t require intense heat to get them to start melting.
They need the container to maintain their shape and to keep the candle from melting all over your counters, bannisters, and mantles.
You can find a small assortment of soy candles that are made into pillars, but only if certain additives are mixed in with the soy wax. Unfortunately, when you start adding other ingredients into a soy wax candle it is no longer 100% pure soy.
Difference between a soy candle and a regular candle
If you visited this blog before you have seen that I have mentioned soy candles as an alternative to regular candles. Soy candles and “regular” candles or candles made of paraffin wax have vast differences.
Soy candles as mentioned above are made from soybean oil, and paraffin wax candles are made from petroleum oil. (Uh-oh!).
Another difference in these candles is that soy candles do not require heavy synthetic chemicals to scent them, and soy wax pairs beautiful with pure and clean fragrance options.
Also, while burning paraffin wax you release more and more carbon monoxide into the air, burning soy does not increase this level when lit.
Are soy candles bad or are they better?
Let me say this as bluntly as possible.
YES.
Soy candles are significantly better for you, and the air you breathe.
What are the benefits?
Honestly, before I started writing and researching candles I thought candles were basic. I thought they were an uncomplicated three part recipe that included wax, scent and size.
Boy, was I ever wrong! What concerned me the most after starting my research was how harmful burning candles made of paraffin wax was to my environment and the air I breathe.
I had never bothered to check the ingredients or to see if it was scented with pure essential oils. I picked up the brightest candle, gave it a sniff and added it to my cart.
But I’m so happy to be able to share with you the immense benefits that come with selecting a soy candle. While soy candles tend to be a bit more expensive than regular candles, the benefits outweigh that problem by far.
I would rather spend a few extra dollars on a soy wax candle for a clearer state of mind. I know now that my Key Lime candle is good for the air around me, the environment, and it also smells divine.
Soy candles actually burn 50% longer than your standard paraffin wax candles, so it also adds in a little extra something for the higher price tag. Another benefit to these candles is that soy candles burn evenly.
This means you do not have to worry about tunneling, and the annoying excess rings of wax that build up because of that.
The most important benefit of soywax candles, (especially in my eyes), is that soy candles burn cleaner, they don’t produce black soot like paraffin wax does, and soot often discolors your walls and furniture.
The final benefit that is especially pleasing to the sense of smell is that a soy wax candles aroma is much stronger and smells much cleaner than the scent coming from a paraffin wax candle.
This is in turn also true as well for “soy melts”, the alternative to paraffin wax melts that sit on a warmer. This is due to the fact that soy wax has a lower melting point, so you get a larger pool of liquid wax around the candle wick.
This is where the essential oils, (as most soy wax candles are scented with natural, essential, and often organic oils), evaporate into the air and release their scent.
Soy vs Beeswax candles
Have you heard the buzz? (Yes, I’m full of puns). Beeswax candles are also having a big moment in the world of scented delight, but without the guilt of destroying your air supply and the environment.
The problem that occurs frequently with soy wax based candles is that a lot of the time other additives are slid into the candle.
So it’s always important to triple check that your candle is 100% soy, and doesn’t have any sneaky additives like paraffin or other carcinogenic producing materials.
Beeswax candles truly are the bees knees, (last one I swear!), they are actually the oldest materials used in making candles. Did you know that beeswax was actually found to be the wax used in the pyramids in Egypt?
Beeswax candles are an all natural, non-toxic substance that is secreted by bees as they bounce from flower to flower and produce honey.
Another reason that beeswax candles are such a hit is because bees are not at all harmed in the harvesting of beeswax candles. This gives beeswax candles the label of being cruelty free, vegan, and often organic.
What pushes beeswax candles just a bit further over the finish line ahead of soy wax candles is because beeswax has the lowest toxicity of candle materials.
Instead of adding contaminants and pollutants into the air beeswax actually neutralizes them. So, for those who suffer from allergies this is a huge plus, as when beeswax candles are burnt they release negative ions into the air around them. This eliminates mold, dust, and unpleasant odors.
What else I truly enjoy about these types of candles is the fact that they produce the purest and brightest (even over soy) light when they are burned. This light they produce is the closest to natural sunlight making it a great source to lessen eye strain, which leads to less headaches from squinting, and eyes that feel less overworked.
When it comes down to scent, beeswax candles come with their own sweet and relaxing scent. When burning a beeswax candle you will smell it’s faint and often described as a dainty or delicate scent of sweet and natural honey.
The best part is that beeswax naturally comes that way and you need no artificial additives to amplify this scent, and can feel good about what you’re smelling and what’s being produced into the air.