Top 5 Different Types of Wax for Candle Making

Different wax types serve specific candle-making purposes. Paraffin is cheap and offers many fragrance options, whereas soy and beeswax are more eco-friendly.

Rapeseed (canola) wax is a vegan-friendly option with clean burning properties. Palm wax has the ability to retain scent and burn cleanly while forming striking crystalline patterns, but deforestation concerns must be taken into consideration with palm.

1. Soy Wax

Soy wax is highly sought after by candle makers who want to make container and pillar candles, especially when made from containers and pillars. It is derived from a hydrogenated soy bean oil. Soy wax burns slowly allowing the candle to release fragrance over time, offering an extended shelf life.

Soy wax is eco-friendly and often does not contain GMOs. But it’s cultivation can lead to deforestation as well as spraying for pesticides.

For those who prioritize sustainability however, coconut wax or bees wax are better choices. Both are more expensive than soy wax, but their aesthetic qualities and scent throw make them appealing. The cost-effective performance that blended waxes provide can be the best of both worlds.

2. Paraffin Wax

Paraffin wax, which came into existence in 1830, has always been used for making candles. It can be found in beads, blocks or sheets. It is a byproduct of the crude oil refinery industry along with other fossil fuels, which makes it easy to acquire and use in large quantities.

So, while paraffin wax is convenient, other options may be better suited for your individual brand needs. Unlike paraffin, soy wax made from soya beans is cheaper and burns cleaner. Always remember that the right combination of waxes, fragrance, wick, and vessel greatly impacts a candle’s performance. For this reason, many brands resort to mixing different types of waxes to get the best results.

3. Beeswax

The candle making lies in selecting the types of wax. Each has its own pros and cons and will result in a candle that burns, feels, and looks different.

Beeswax comes from beehives and can be shaped into blocks, sheets, or pastilles for use in homemade candles. The perks of beeswax include a sweet, honeyish scent, gentle light, and long burn time. In addition, its negative ion emissions during burning help cleanse the air by removing pollutants and allergens.

Like all waxes, beeswax needs to be filtered before use. This can be done by wrapping it in muslin or cheesecloth and placing the wrap in hot water, allowing the wax to melt and impurities inside the wax to be strained out. This process may need to be done multiple times.

When choosing a wax, it is better to go for unbleached white wax. Yellow beeswax is often stained by oils and propolis which may get your finished product damaged if touched the wrong way. White beeswax usually results from non-chemical processes that remove staining pollen oils and propolis which turn yellow in hue.

4. Palm Wax

Palm wax is a good palm tree by-product for making candles because it burns clean and breaks into pieces that have a unique crystalline texture. This makes palm tree wax and decorative candles of palm tree wax really appealing. In addition, the porosity of palm tree wax as a candle allows color and fragrance to deeply soak, making palm tree wax a good substitute for paraffin wax. Still, making palm tree wax can result in habitat destruction for endangered orangutans if not harvested from sustainable table RSPO certified farms.

Paraffin wax is popular among candlemakers because it is inexpensive. It is also a mix of made from petroleum, coal or shale oil byproducts. As simple as making candles is, heating costs of pareffin candle projects is not a problem, as the wax is inexpensive. Unfortunately, paraffin candles release harmful toxins which pose health risks to animals and humans too. So next time you shop to seek out paraffin for your project, keep in mind all other options available that best meet your needs.

5. Coconut Wax Because of its pure nature, coconut wax can hold a lot of fragrance while being easy to work with, making coconut wax candles some of the best-selling natural-scented candles. Additionally, coconut wax placed in a candle jar nearly does not produce any soot while burning, surpassing paraffin candles that tend to release harsh chemicals that worsen air quality and can be hazardous for breathing.

By itself, coconut wax is very soft, needing addition of beeswax or natural blends like organic blends to serve as candle bases. However, when blended with soy or plant waxes, it can produce stronger candles.

When choosing a wax type for candle making, other aspects such as melting point and fragrance retention need to be considered. The right wax plays a crucial role in the quality and performance of your candle making projects. For more about these wax types and their pros and cons, take a look at our guide: Decoding Coconut, Soy, and Paraffin Waxes.

Adelaide Moulding and Candle Supplies is a family owned business located in South Australia. Originally established in 2005 as Adelaide Moulding and Casting Supplies, we changed our name in 2020 as we evolve with the changing DIY industry.