Soy Candles, Beeswax or paraffin wax candles

It used to be that candles were made from paraffin wax, and for a special occasion you used beeswax candles, but all that is changing with the introduction of soy candles. As their name suggests, soy candles are made from soy beans and so are a renewable resource, and as with other candles, they can be scented and coloured and decorated to your own taste. Besides not using up oil resources, they are much cleaner to burn than more traditionally candles, and soy candles are easier to clean up too. What more could you ask for? The variety of soy candlesis quite impressive.

Soy Candles - Whatever Next?

It is amazing what can be done with vegetables, yes, soy beans can produce some pretty amazing candles, very different from the paraffin candles we grew up with. It used to be just white candles that you could buy, but now, there are all sorts of different candle designs, as well as many colors and scents. Who would have thought soybeans could produce candles?

We'll take a quick look at paraffin wax candles first. Paraffin wax is a petroleum based product, so whenever we burn a paraffin wax candle we are burning petroleum. It does not burn cleanly, it's very sooty, and is not a good thing to be burning in a home where you are breathing in those petroleum fumes. 

And of course, we all know that petroleum is a non-renewable resource. We use petroleum for a lot of other products, so the stocks of this are dwindling away.

In contrast to this, take a look at soy candles. They are made from a renewable resource. We can plant more soy beans whenever we want. It is way more accessible, and as a result, soy candles are cheaper to buy than wax candles. Soy candles last longer than paraffin wax candles, so that's another very definite benefit. Soy candles burn cleanly and are non-toxic, no nasty petroleum fumes clogging up your lungs from these candles. And the wicks are made from cotton, another renewable resource.

If you should happen to spill soy candle wax, it is easily cleaned up with soap and water, whereas we know that paraffin wax is much harder to get out of carpets. For paraffin wax spills, you need to cover the spill with a paper towel, and then use a hot iron over the top to melt the wax, but make sure you don't melt the carpet too!

Can soy candles be scented? Absolutely, and there are a wide range of scents that are used in soy candles, many to satisfy our love of food, like gingerbread or banana nut bread. These candles smell delicious! Some of the scents do disappear when the candle is partially burnt.

However, the soy candles use essential oils to give them an aroma, then these are blended in the candle much better, and the candle will still have its aroma at the end of its life. The essential oils used in aromatherapy soy candles may help you to relax at the end of a busy day at work.

Top quality aromatherapy candles are made from soy wax, using cotton for the wick and essential oils for the aroma. The result of this is that the candles are made from 100% natural products that are easily renewable. This is a big shift from paraffin wax candles.

If you have been burning paraffin wax candles, next time you buy some, buy the soy candles, knowing that you are not depleting the fossil fuels, and that you are helping the soy industry. You'll find that soy candles are much cleaner to burn, which is definitely a move in the right direction.


 

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