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Soy Candles? What Will They Think of Next?
By M J Plaster
Quick: What comes to mind when you think of soy candles? Before my formal introduction to soy candles, I thought organic (read expensive) and BEIGE! And not just the color beige, but beige as an overall description for soy candles—blah like baby food, ground chick peas, and a pale winter pallor. I had no idea why it would even occur to anyone to purchase a soy candle.
I couldn’t have been more wrong in my assessment! After gaining a working knowledge of candles, soy candles reside front and center in my growing candle collection. When you learn the facts, you will probably replace your paraffin candles with the soy version, at least on an attrition basis. If you’re still at the beige stage, read on while we shed a little light on the subject.
Paraffin vs. Soy
First, clear your mind of all preconceived notions that you’ve conjured up about soy candles. Replace those thoughts with just two thoughts for now: clean and fresh. Traditional candles made of paraffin are actually petroleum-based products.
Oil is not only a finite resource, primarily imported from the Middle East, it recently made a new all-time high. You see it reflected at the gas pump, and you’ll see it reflected in candle prices, if you haven’t already. You pay no premium to reap the benefits of soy candles, because soy candles are priced competitively with their paraffin counterparts, and soy candles last up to 50% longer than paraffin candles.
Petroleum products do not burn cleanly. If you wouldn’t voluntarily walk into a burning petroleum field, then why would you burn paraffin in your home? If you burn candles regularly, try this experiment. Move a picture on your wall. If you see an outline on the wall at the edge of the picture, soot from burning candles is the culprit. That same burning petroleum deposits itself in your lungs, and it’s a known carcinogen. Soy candles are non-toxic, burn cleanly without smoking, burn cooler than paraffin candles, and use all-natural cotton wicks.
If you’ve ever spent hours cleaning spilled wax on your floor or carpet, you know what an exercise in futility it can be. Sometimes there is simply no removing it. Spilled melted soy wax cleans up with soap and water, and it does come out, unlike some paraffin spills. Biodegradable soy has its practical advantages as well as its health advantages.
Made in the USA! Soy is a renewable resource, made right here in the United States, and you don’t see much of that these days. You’re helping the economy by using soy-based products, and charity begins at home.
Scented Soy Candle
With all these good-for-you attributes, you may wonder if you’ll have to settle for the aroma of melting soybeans. Not only are scented soy candles available, but they are typically scented with a natural essence rather than a synthetic fragrance. With “flavors” such as Crème Brûlée, Gingerbread, Jeweled Citrus and Banana Nut Bread, you can easily tease your appetite with soy candles. In fact, soy candles burn more evenly than paraffin candles, and the fragrance lasts through the entire candle, rather than burning off in the top half of the candle.
Aromatherapy Soy Candles
It would seem a contradiction of terms to use a pure essential oil in a candle of paraffin, but it’s a common practice. The highest-quality aromatherapy candles use pure essential oils, soy wax, and cotton wicks. If you’re going to pay a premium for aromatherapy candles, and there are numerous benefits in doing so, make sure that the candle is comprised of 100% unadulterated, natural products. Otherwise, why bother?
As an educated consumer, you have the power to further the advancement of superior products through your purchases. Every industry requires research and development to make advancements, and the natural candle industry will evolve at a rate that makes economic sense. Through your support of natural candle products, you can effect a healthy change while enjoying the benefits and the pleasures of burning soy candles.
M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for soy candles and candles in general. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.
9
Candle Making 101
By M J Plaster
If you’d like to try your hand at candle making, set aside two hours one day next weekend, and start with an easy project, using your old candles to test the waters. If it’s instant gratification you crave, you’ll see the fruits of your labor in just a couple of hours with a minimum expenditure for supplies.
People often speak of candle making and soap making in the same sentence as if they are similar experiences. The process is not the same. If you have thought of making your own soap, try candle making first. The process may appear similar, but it’s simpler and safer. When you make your own candles, you are simply melting wax, not conducting chemical experiments in your kitchen.
We’ll give you a play-by-play preview of the process, but consider this an overview. Before you actually set up shop and play candle maker for the afternoon, download a proper set of step-by-step procedures from the Internet. You’ll find hundreds of candle-making projects available online, but start by recycling your old candles just to get a feel for the process. In fact, in this overview, we’ll describe the process of melting down your old candles and turning them into brand new votive candles.
If you enjoy the experience, which is similar to cooking, then you’ll want to order more supplies before beginning your candle-making hobby in earnest. With a little practice, you can give unique, hand-made holiday gifts, and delight your friends with something that you personally created.
Safety First
Anytime you work around an open flame, you have all the ingredients for a potentially dangerous situation. Work carefully and mind your safety P’s and Q’s at all times. Candle making requires your undivided attention. Don’t even think about multitasking while working with hot wax.
Materials and Preparation
Before you begin, you’ll need to gather the following equipment:
Old candles – anything that you would otherwise throw away
Votive wicks, pre-tabbed
Votive molds (metal is best)
Scissors
Silicone spray for metal votive molds
Old saucepans to create a “double boiler”
Candy thermometer
Oven mitts
To minimize cleanup, cover your burners with aluminum foil and spread old rags or newspapers over a flat work area.
Prepare the Molds
If you prepare your molds in advance, you won’t have to scramble at the last minute, and risk the possibility of your wax cooling before you can pour it.
Spray the inside of each mold with Silicone per the instructions on the can.
Place a pre-tabbed votive wick in the mold, and set aside.
Melt the Wax
This process requires your undivided attention.
Remove old wicks, labels, etc. At a bare minimum, clip the burnt part of the wick.
Melt the wax.
If you’re using old jar candles, you’ll need to melt the wax in the jars separately.
Pour the Molds
Allow the melted wax to cool to 160 to 180 degrees F.
Pour the wax into the prepared molds.
Allow to cool and shrink.
Melt wax for the repour and allow it to cool to 180 degrees F.
Repour to top off the molds.
Allow to cool.
Remove the candle from the votive holder.
The key to successful candle making is preparation and setup. If you have everything prepared and within easy reach, you’ll have a smooth melt to pour process. If you haven’t prepared in advance, the wax may cool faster than you can prepare your work area and molds, costing you additional time.
That’s all there is to creating brand new candles from your candle remnants. If you enjoy the process, you can progress to creating your own custom candles from scratch, giving them as gifts, or even starting a brand new career path.
M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for candle making supplies and candles in general. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.