Tag: Soy

  • Soy Wax vs Paraffin Wax Candles: What’s the Difference?

    Few subjects in the candle world attract quite as many claims as the choice between soy wax and paraffin wax.

    Soy is often presented as the clean, natural option while paraffin is portrayed as its unhealthy opposite. The reality is more nuanced.

    The two waxes do come from very different raw materials and they behave differently when making a candle. But the quality of the finished candle depends on far more than the name of the wax on the label.

    Here are the differences that actually matter.

    What is soy wax?

    Soy wax is made from soybean oil.

    Soybean oil is normally liquid at room temperature, so it is hydrogenated during production. This changes the structure of the oil and produces the soft, solid material used for candles.

    Because soybeans can be grown again, soy is a plant-derived and renewable feedstock.

    That does not automatically make every soy candle environmentally sustainable. Growing, processing and transporting soy all have environmental impacts, and sourcing matters.

    What is paraffin wax?

    Paraffin wax is a mixture of hydrocarbons produced from petroleum refining.

    It has been used in candles since the 19th century and remains one of the most widely used candle waxes in the world.

    Unlike soy, its raw material comes from fossil resources rather than crops. Petroleum waxes are commonly separated during the refining of lubricating oils and then further refined for different applications, including candles.

    Soy wax vs paraffin wax at a glance

    Soy wax Paraffin wax
    Origin Soybean oil Petroleum-derived
    Feedstock Renewable crop Fossil resource
    Typical texture Softer Can be formulated across a wide range of hardnesses
    Scent performance Can give excellent fragrance performance Often valued for strong fragrance performance
    Burn behaviour Often used in lower-melting container formulations Highly dependent on wax grade and formulation
    Soot Can produce soot Can produce soot

    Does soy wax burn cleaner than paraffin?

    This is where candle marketing often becomes too simplistic.

    Some laboratory studies have found lower soot production from soy wax than from paraffin under particular test conditions. Other research demonstrates that emissions can change substantially depending on the wax formulation, fragrance, wick and the way the candle is burning.

    No candle is completely soot-free. A candle flame is combustion, and incomplete combustion can produce small amounts of carbon regardless of whether the fuel began as soybeans, petroleum, beeswax or another material.

    A long wick, draughty room or unstable flame can increase visible sooting considerably.

    That is one reason proper candle care matters regardless of which wax you choose.

    Are paraffin candles toxic?

    It is common to find online claims that burning a paraffin candle fills a room with dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.

    That is not a fair description of the available evidence.

    Burning candles can release very small quantities of particles and volatile compounds into indoor air, as can many other forms of combustion.

    However, studies assessing normal use of quality scented candles have not established the sweeping health risk sometimes implied by claims that paraffin candles are inherently “toxic”.

    If indoor air quality is a concern, sensible measures are more useful than becoming fixated on one wax: use properly made candles, keep the wick trimmed, avoid a visibly smoking flame and maintain normal room ventilation.

    Does soy wax last longer?

    It can, but soy does not automatically mean a longer-lasting candle.

    Soy waxes are often used in relatively low-melting container candles, and some testing has found slower wax consumption than comparable paraffin candles.

    But the total burn time of a real candle also depends on its diameter, wick, wax blend, fragrance load, vessel and how it is burned.

    A well-designed paraffin candle may therefore outlast a poorly designed soy candle, and vice versa.

    If burn time matters to you, the manufacturer’s tested burn time is more useful than simply looking for the word “soy”.

    Which wax has the better scent throw?

    Paraffin has traditionally been popular with candle manufacturers because it is versatile and can perform very well with fragrance.

    That does not mean soy candles have weak scent.

    A properly formulated soy candle — or a blend containing soy — can produce excellent fragrance while burning.

    Scent performance depends on the complete formulation: the particular wax, fragrance oil, fragrance concentration, wick, vessel and curing process all play a part.

    The fragrance itself matters too. A powerful woody fragrance and a subtle floral fragrance are not going to fill a room in exactly the same way simply because they use identical wax.

    Is soy wax better for the environment?

    Soy has one obvious advantage: its source material is renewable.

    Paraffin originates from the petroleum industry and therefore ultimately comes from a finite fossil resource.

    But environmental comparisons become less straightforward once the entire supply chain is considered.

    Soybeans require agricultural land, water, processing and transport. Where and how the crop is grown matters. Paraffin, meanwhile, is generally recovered as part of petroleum refining rather than crude oil being extracted specifically to make candles.

    So it is reasonable to prefer a plant-derived wax because of its renewable origin, but it is too simplistic to describe every soy candle as “eco-friendly” and every paraffin candle as environmentally irresponsible.

    What about soy wax blends?

    Not every candle fits neatly into a choice between 100% soy and 100% paraffin.

    Candlemakers frequently use wax blends to combine useful characteristics from different materials.

    Soy may be blended with coconut, rapeseed or other waxes, while commercial formulations can also contain carefully selected additives to improve stability, appearance or burning performance.

    A blend is not necessarily an inferior or diluted product. In candlemaking, formulation is about creating a wax system that works properly with the fragrance, wick and vessel.

    So which is better: soy or paraffin?

    There is no universal winner.

    If a renewable, plant-derived raw material is important to you, soy has the clearer advantage.

    If you are judging the candle purely by fragrance performance, burn quality or longevity, the answer depends much more on the individual candle than on whether the label says soy or paraffin.

    A good candle is a complete system: wax, wick, fragrance and vessel all need to work together.

    That is more meaningful than treating one wax as automatically good and another as automatically bad.

    What should you look for when buying a candle?

    Rather than choosing on wax alone, look at the finished product.

    • Is the wax type or blend clearly described?
    • Does the maker provide sensible burning instructions?
    • Has the candle been developed for its particular vessel and wick?
    • Does the fragrance appeal to you?
    • Is the candle made by a business that is open about how and where its products are produced?

    Wax matters. It simply is not the whole candle.

    More candle guides: read our Candle Care Guide or explore the candle collection.

  • How is Soy Wax Produced?

    How is Soy Wax Produced?

    Soy wax starts life as soybean oil.

    The oil found inside soybeans is naturally liquid at room temperature, so it cannot simply be extracted and poured into a candle. It first has to be processed and chemically altered to give it the more solid, wax-like properties needed for candle making.

    The key step is called hydrogenation.

    What is soy wax?

    Soy wax is a vegetable-oil-based wax made primarily from hydrogenated soybean oil.

    Soybeans contain oil made up largely of unsaturated fats. At normal room temperature, that oil remains liquid.

    Hydrogenation changes the structure of some of those fats, increasing the proportion that remain solid at room temperature and giving the material the melting and solidifying behaviour required for candle wax.

    Different manufacturers can produce different grades of soy wax depending on how the oil is processed and how the finished wax is formulated.

    How is soy wax made?

    The journey from soybean to candle wax involves several stages.

    1. The soybeans are harvested

    Soybeans are grown as an agricultural crop in many parts of the world.

    After harvesting, the beans are transported to a processing facility where they are cleaned and prepared for oil extraction.

    2. The beans are cleaned, cracked and flaked

    The beans are cleaned to remove unwanted material before being cracked into smaller pieces.

    The hulls can then be separated, and the soybean material is conditioned and rolled into thin flakes.

    Creating thin flakes increases the surface area and makes extracting the oil more efficient.

    3. The soybean oil is extracted

    The oil is then separated from the soybean material.

    Large-scale soybean processing commonly uses solvent extraction, often with hexane, although mechanical pressing is also used in some forms of vegetable-oil production.

    This produces crude soybean oil as well as soybean meal, which has other uses, particularly in animal feed.

    4. The oil is refined

    Crude soybean oil contains substances that need to be removed before it is suitable for further processing.

    Commercial refining can involve several stages, including:

    • Degumming to remove phospholipids and other gums.
    • Refining or neutralisation to remove free fatty acids and impurities.
    • Bleaching using adsorbent materials to remove colour bodies and other trace compounds.
    • Deodorisation using steam under vacuum to remove volatile compounds responsible for unwanted odours and flavours.

    The result is a much more highly refined soybean oil.

    The important step: hydrogenation

    Refined soybean oil is still an oil rather than a candle wax.

    To change that, the oil undergoes hydrogenation.

    During hydrogenation, hydrogen is introduced to the oil in the presence of a catalyst, commonly nickel, under controlled temperature and pressure.

    The process reduces some of the carbon-to-carbon double bonds found in the unsaturated fatty acids within the oil.

    As the degree of saturation increases, the material becomes harder and its melting point rises.

    In simple terms: liquid soybean oil is transformed into a material that can remain solid at room temperature but melt when heated by a candle flame.

    Is all soy wax the same?

    No.

    There is no single universal soy wax formulation.

    The degree of hydrogenation can be adjusted to change characteristics such as melting point and hardness. Manufacturers may also formulate waxes differently depending on whether they are intended for container candles, pillars, melts or other applications.

    Research into vegetable-oil candle waxes has shown that partially and fully hydrogenated soybean oils can behave quite differently when melting and solidifying. That is one reason commercial candle waxes are carefully formulated rather than simply being untreated soybean oil made solid.

    Is soy wax always 100% soy?

    Not necessarily.

    Some products are predominantly or entirely soy-based, while others are sold as soy wax blends.

    Soy can be blended with other vegetable waxes, such as coconut or rapeseed wax, or with other ingredients to change characteristics such as hardness, adhesion, appearance and melting behaviour.

    A blend is not automatically inferior. Candle making is largely about balancing wax, wick, fragrance and vessel so that the finished candle burns properly.

    Is soy wax natural?

    Soy wax is plant-derived, because its starting material is soybean oil.

    However, describing it simply as “natural” can hide the amount of processing involved.

    The beans are processed, the oil is extracted and refined, and the oil is then chemically altered through hydrogenation before it becomes candle wax.

    That does not make soy wax undesirable. It simply gives a more accurate picture of how the material is produced.

    Is soy wax renewable?

    The raw material is renewable in the sense that soybeans are an agricultural crop that can be grown again.

    This distinguishes soy from paraffin wax, whose raw material ultimately comes from petroleum.

    But “renewable” and “environmentally harmless” are not the same thing.

    Soy cultivation requires land, water, agricultural inputs, processing and transport. The environmental impact therefore depends partly on where the soy comes from and how it has been produced.

    For a broader comparison, see our guide to soy wax and paraffin wax candles.

    Does soy wax burn cleaner than paraffin?

    You will often see this stated as an absolute fact, but the answer needs some qualification.

    Controlled studies have found substantially less soot from hydrogenated soybean wax than paraffin under some test conditions.

    However, candle emissions are also influenced by the wick, fragrance, wax formulation and the way the candle is burned.

    No candle flame is completely soot-free, and simply choosing soy wax does not guarantee perfect combustion.

    Keeping the wick properly trimmed and avoiding draughts can make a considerable difference. See our Candle Care Guide for more.

    Does soy wax make candles last longer?

    Soy wax is often associated with slower-burning candles.

    Research comparing hydrogenated soybean wax with paraffin has found a slower consumption rate for soy wax under particular test conditions.

    But the burn time of a finished candle also depends heavily on the wick, vessel diameter, fragrance, wax blend and candle design.

    It is therefore better to judge the tested burn time of an individual candle rather than assume every soy candle will automatically last longer than every paraffin candle.

    Why is soy wax used for candles?

    Soy wax became popular because it provides candle makers with a useful plant-derived alternative to traditional petroleum-based waxes.

    Depending on the formulation, it can offer:

    • a relatively low melting point suited to container candles
    • good compatibility with many candle fragrances
    • a soft appearance and texture
    • a renewable agricultural starting material
    • the ability to be blended with other waxes for different performance characteristics

    Like any wax, however, it has its own quirks. Soy wax can develop frosting, vary in appearance and behave differently as temperatures change.

    From soybean to candle

    The basic journey is straightforward:

    Soybean → soybean oil → refined oil → hydrogenation → candle wax.

    What looks like a simple block or flake of white wax has therefore been through several stages of agricultural and industrial processing before it ever reaches a candle maker.

    Understanding that process gives a more useful picture of soy wax than simply describing it as “natural” or “eco-friendly”. It is a processed, plant-derived material with properties that make it particularly useful for modern candle making.

    More candle guides: compare soy wax and paraffin wax, learn about soy wax frosting and mould, or read our Candle Care Guide.