What Is Candle Wax Made Of?

If you’re reading this, candles are probably part of your everyday life, but have you ever stopped to wonder what goes into making them? 

The main ingredient for candles is wax, but there are many different types of wax that can be used in the process. So, what’s the difference between each type, and how do you know which one is best for you?

As fragrance lovers and candle connoisseurs, we here at Snif have the answers you’re looking for.

What Are Common Types of Candle Wax?

There are lots of materials that can be used to make candles, but the four most common types of candle wax are beeswax, paraffin, soy, and vegetable.

Beeswax

Beeswax is an organic compound secreted by hardworking honey bees. Beekeepers remove the wax coating from their honeycombs and melt them down so that they can be used to create beeswax candles. This natural wax is the most traditional candle-making method. 

Paraffin Wax

Paraffin wax is actually one of three types of petroleum wax. During the petroleum refining process, crude oil gets separated into different components, including a lubricating oil. This oil gets dewaxed, and the remaining product can then be used as wax for candles.

Soy Wax

Soy wax is a plant-based candle option. Soybeans are harvested, cracked into flakes, and turned into soybean oil, which then undergoes a process called hydrogenation. 

In the end, it changes from liquid to solid wax, which is used to create soy candles.

Vegetable Wax

Vegetable wax is another alternative to animal wax and qualifies as anything made from plant-based oils. Some of these waxes contain stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid found in some plants and animals, but the stearic acid in plant waxes does not come from animals.

If you browse Snif scented candles, you’ll find that our products are soy and vegetable wax blends that bring you high-quality products without animal-derived ingredients.

How To Choose High-Quality Candles?

There are a few things to keep in mind when searching for high-quality candles. 

Try finding a clean-burning candle — clean-burning candles are made from toxin-free ingredients and produce minimal soot when lit. 

You may also want to consider burn time, which is the amount of time a candle lasts. Certain products (like ours at Snif!) are designed to have long burn times so that you don’t have to replace them as often.

Candles made with synthetic waxes typically contain more chemical ingredients, resulting in more soot production and potentially toxic emissions. Depending on your priorities, it can be helpful to check the ingredient lists on products to make sure they align with what you’re hoping for.

Looking for a high-quality, eco-friendly candle? Our scented candles feature soy and vegetable wax and a pure cotton wick, and even our smallest candle size can burn for as many as 35 hours.

Burn, Baby Burn

If you’re on the hunt for your next candle to add to your collection, it’s helpful to understand what the different types of waxes are so that you can choose the right one for your needs.

At Snif, our candles feature a blend of soy and vegetable wax to bring you Conscious Beauty Certified candles formulated with clean industry standards. They’re non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free, and we also use 100% pure cotton fiber wicks for a clean, safe burn. 

Sources:

Bee Products | ScienceDirect

Refining crude oil - the refining process | U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Hydrogenation | Catalytic, Hydrophobic & Lipids | Britannica

Stearic Acid | C18H36O2 | CID 5281 | PubChem