Difference Between Soy Wax Candles vs Regular Candles
Apr 29, 2015
The number one reason many choose soy candles is the fact they are natural. They’re made from vegetable oil (soybeans) whereas regular paraffin candles are made from petroleum oil. This means that soy wax does not increase the CO2 level in the environment. Moreover, soy candles do not require chemicals to scent them.
Since soybeans are vegetables, the wax is a renewable, sustainable resource and naturally biodegradable and thus easier to remove from materials and other surfaces than paraffin wax. Soy candles are non-toxic, producing insignificant amounts of soot, and releasing no known carcinogens.
Soy wax burn 50% longer than paraffin wax. This can justify why soy wax candles are sometimes more expensive than paraffin wax candles, as they are still more cost-effective. Soy also burns evenly, leaving practically no excess wax on the sides of the jar.
Most importantly, soy not only burns cleaner, but slower too as it has a much lower melting point. They don’t produce much black soot like paraffin candles do. This candle soot can also discolour your walls & furniture.
The final benefit of soy candles (and soy melts) is that their aroma is much stronger and more cleaner than the scent from paraffin wax candles. Because of the lower melting point of soy wax, there is a larger amount of the liquid wax pool around the candle wick itself. This pool is where the essential oils evaporate into the atmosphere.