Adapted from an article posted in CandleStudio, August 6, 2019
The Benefits of Soy Wax
When it comes to shopping for candles, the scent and aroma shouldn’t be the only factor to consider. Candles can be made out of a variety of different waxes, with each wax having different properties that affect the performance. Candles can be made from paraffin wax, soy wax, palm wax, and granulated wax just to name a few. Eden uses 100% soy wax for all of our soy candles and that’s just one of our secrets that sets our products apart from the rest! What is soy wax? Soy wax is a 100% natural wax derived from the vegetable soybeans. Soybeans are one of the major agriculture crops grown in the United States, behind only corn. Most of the world’s soybeans are grown and harvested in the midwestern United States, lead by Illinois and Iowa. All of the top-10 states are located in the Midwest. After the beans are harvested, they are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled and rolled into flakes. Soybean oil is extracted from the flakes and the leftover flakes are used for animal feed.
Paraffin wax, one of the most popular candle waxes due to its cheap costs, is derived in a contrasting way. Paraffin wax is the product of the oil purification process from petroleum, coal, or oil shale. When you remove the waxy substance from crude oil, you’re left with paraffin wax. Why choose soy wax? Soy wax is made from environmentally friendly, renewable resources; whereas classic paraffin wax is made from petroleum and is non-renewable. Not only are there “green” advantages to choosing soy wax over a different type of candle wax, but soy wax also burns slower than paraffin wax, meaning you get a candle that lasts longer. While all candles emit some black soot while burning, candles made from soy wax burns cleaner and results in less soot. Another reason to choose soy wax when it comes to candles is the fact that soy wax is an excellent fragrance carrier that does not require chemical amplifiers. The result is a well-balanced true to scent candle.
Soy is Preferred Candle Wax
Many of the candles sold through Eden are made from soy wax and by now you probably understand why! Since soy wax is a natural product, you may notice slight variations throughout the year. The wax may be very soft in its solid state, or as hard as a rock during other times. Sometimes the wax melts so clear and translucent, and other times it may melt and look a little cloudy. All of this is normal and expected when choosing a soy candle. We take pride in the quality of our products and do regular tests to ensure we are offering the best quality to our customers. If you notice any performance issues with your candle, please reach out to one of our team members so we can assist you.