Scented Candles – Some Of The Waxes Used By Manufacturers

Scented candles – as well as most home fragrance products  - are used by most people these days. People love the fact that they come in a  vast choice  of colours, designs and of course   scents. But what most consumers probably do not know  is that the candles they get  in the local shop, specialist retailer or online store are made out of  a number | of different types of wax.

A lot of scented candles are made from  a selection  of preblended waxes, including for instance paraffin wax and stearic acid, while others are made using soya wax. It is vital when it comes to choosing wax  for candle making is that the wax itself does not emit  any visible smoke while it is lit and that the wax is also odourless , or as close as it can be, so as not to interfere in any way with the scent of the candle. What follows  are some of the most popular types of wax used today for making  scented candles

Paraffin Wax: this wax is obtained from   oil . Paraffin waxes with a higher melting point tend to be used  for making  pillar candles, ideal for a candle stick, while those with a lower melting point are more suitable to jar or container candles. Paraffin wax is is not as poipular as it once was  among luxury candle manufacturers because it emits dirty soot and debris while burning, does not come from a renewable resource and also because it burns quite quickly and does not hold fragrance very well.

Beeswax: Candle makers have been using beeswax  for a long time and is probably the first of the refined waxes to be used for this purpose , when it replaced basic candles created from tallow or animal fats. Unfortunately, when viewed alongside  paraffin wax and even soy wax, beeswax is quite expensive and this has restricted its use in making scented candles to luxury brands such as companies like true grace candlesor yankee candles. In fact, in most cases  beeswax is not used on its own but in fact is combined with other waxes to give an individual mixture, which helps reduce the speed at which the candle burns , thereby making them better value for money. It is taken out of honeycombs and burns fairly quickly  but also very cleanly and holds its scent  most efficiently which after all is the whole point when it comes to  scented candles.

So you will see from the above that  the type of wax your scented candles are manufactured from can have a large bearing  on the performance of the candle. Check the label next time you are buying scented candles  and ensure  you know what you are buying. If you can go for soy wax or beeswax but also remember that triple milled paraffin wax can also produce very clean candles with good fragrance throw.