Candle Making Wax
 Candles madeof colored Gel Wax Source: Stock Photo |
 Candle made withSheets of Beeswax Source: Stock photo |
For better results, a candle maker must become familiar with at least the six most popular types of wax: paraffin wax, soy wax, beeswax, palm wax, and gel wax.
Because candle making has been growing in popularity in leaps and bounds, the wax suppliers are responding by offering a larger variety of wax which is better and more readily available. Because candle makers are always looking for something new, the wax industry is responding and the changes are there.
What Is Each Type of Wax Made From?
1. Many of today’s candles are made from a wax derived from refining petroleum, which is of course one of our most natural products. This wax wax, known as paraffin wax, is very popular for making candles because it is readily available and inexpensive.
As I mentioned in a previous article, I remember every fall my grandmother using paraffin wax to top her jam with a a 1/2 inch layer of wax in order to prevent it from spoiling. So it just proves that paraffin wax is easy to use and has been around for ages.
2. Soy based wax, also made from a renewable and natural source, is rapidly becoming more popular. When the soybeans are hydrogenated, the resulting product is a wax suitable for candles.
Since the majority of the soybeans are grown especially in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana in the United States, soy wax is a readily available and renewable resource that is eco friendly.
3. Another renewable and natural resource is palm wax. Unfortunately as palm wax was getting more and more popular, people in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia were cutting down large areas of rain forest so they could plant palm plantations. As you know, cutting down the rain forest is extremely destructive to the eco system and endangers the survival of such animals as the orangutans, the rhinoceros, and the Sumatran tiger.
Fortunately the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) was able to implement a course of action by founding the RSPO. Through this organization a plan to implement the best practices for sustainable palm cultivation was put in place, and they were able to help member organizations implement and verify the procedures.
So when you are shopping for palm wax, make sure your vendor is getting the wax where people are growing it in an eco-friendly way.
4. Some wax such as beeswax is made from animal based material. In the past companies offered ready-made candles which were made with beeswax, palm wax, and even bayberry wax. As more and more people became involved in creating their own candles at home, there has been a growing interest in making candles out of these natural products.
Beeswax is the most popular of the three; it comes in sheets which you can roll up to make your candle and is available in yellow and white. Although beeswax can be rather expensive, people love its pleasant fragrance, the way it burns, and the way the candle can last for a long time.
5. A different type of wax is the gel wax. Although gel wax, which is made from a specially selected and processed mineral oil and a gelling agent, has a clear rubbery texture, it is heated and poured just like any other wax. The only difference is that you end up with a clear wax when cooled.
Gel comes in three densities. The density you choose will depend on the type of candle you are making and how much fragrance you wish to add to the candle.
If you want to add a 0 -3% fragrance load, you pour your gel when it is at a lower temperature for you want your gel wax to have a low density.
If you want to add more fragrance to your wax, for example a 3 to 5% fragrance load, you may want to use a medium density gel wax, probably the most popular gel wax to work with.
If you wish to add more than a 5% fragrance load to your wax, you will need the high density gel wax.
There is obviously a lot of different types of wax available! With so many different kinds of wax on the market, the candle maker can pick the type that suits her project the best. When a candle maker is able to understand each kind of wax, he/she can fully experience and take advantage of the candle making market and get double, triple, or even quadruple his/her accomplishments (i.e. profit).
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