Soy Candle Wax: A Green Alternative to Paraffin

In recent years, soy candle wax has been gaining in popularity as a green alternative to using the petroleum-based paraffin to create candles for the home. Soy wax, which is essentially hydrogenated soybean oil, is an all-natural product, unlike paraffin, which is essentially composed of petroleum sludge.

As the green movement gathered momentum, it became the need of the hour to find more environmentally conscious alternatives in every sphere including candle making. While paraffin was an excellent medium for candle making, the fact that it was a petroleum by-product proved to be a disadvantage.

Beeswax fits the “all natural” profile perfectly. However, it is becoming more and more cost prohibitive, due in part to the decreasing number of bees appearing every year. Looking for a medium that was all natural as well as economical, Michael Richards developed soy wax in 1992. The rest as they say is history!

Soy candles burn cleaner than traditional paraffin candles. They produce far less soot than paraffin and do not increase the level of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Moreover, the melting point of the wax is far lower than any other medium, which means that a candle made from soy wax will burn far longer than the average candle, up to 50% longer than the more common paraffin candles. When a soy candle burns, it produces far less smoke and soot than either paraffin or beeswax, is far better for the overall atmosphere within a home, and will not affect anyone with sensitivities to smoke or scent.

The incorporation of scent is easier in a soy candle, because the soybean oil causes the scent to be dispersed faster, and the pool of essential oils created as the candle melts will last far longer because of the lower melting point. The scent is not in the burning of the wax, but in the essential oil that is left behind as it burns the wax away. Cleaning up after burning a soy candle is easier too, because, unlike paraffin, dried soy wax can be easily removed with soap and water.