Candle wax is the main material and plays the most crucial role in making scented candles. High-quality wax will help the candle burn well, maintain a stable flame, and create an aesthetic appearance for the candle container. If this is your first time making scented candles at home and you are considering various types of wax available on the market, let's refer to the information below to make the most suitable choice!

Beeswax:

This is a completely natural type of wax. In the manual process, bee combs are placed in a pot and boiled for about 10-15 minutes, stirred to dissolve them. Then, the bee combs are filtered out, leaving only the melted wax and other impurities in the water. After the mixture cools down, the beeswax will rise to the top, while the debris sinks to the bottom, making it easy to separate and collect the beeswax for storage and gradual use.

Beeswax is widely used in medicine, cosmetics manufacturing, skincare products, and especially as a common material for making scented candles.

Advantages of beeswax:

• Good burning ability: Beeswax burns well and allows scented candles to last longer compared to candles made from paraffin wax.
• Non-toxic smoke: Beeswax does not produce harmful smoke when burned, making it a safer choice for health and the environment.
• Natural fragrance: Beeswax-scented candles have a natural scent without artificial fragrances or chemicals, creating a pleasant and soothing atmosphere.
• Beautiful appearance: Beeswax-scented candles have a beautiful glossy surface and high brightness.

Disadvantages of beeswax:

• Higher cost: Beeswax is more expensive than paraffin or soy wax. Premium-scented candle brands using beeswax tend to have higher product prices.
• Difficult to release from molds: Beeswax has a flexible nature, making it challenging to release the candle from molds.
• Difficult to control fragrance: Beeswax is less absorbent to fragrance compared to paraffin or soy wax. When using beeswax for homemade scented candles, pay close attention to the oil ratio to control the candle's fragrance better.

Soy Wax:

Soy wax is extracted from soybean oil. Soybeans are harvested, and the remaining seeds are used to extract the oil. The soybean oil is then hydrogenated, resulting in soy wax. There are two common forms of soy wax: soy flakes (often used in cosmetics) and soy wax blocks (preferred by many scented candle makers).

Advantages of soy wax:

• Can hold more fragrance: Soy wax can hold more fragrance compared to other waxes.
• Creates a smooth surface on the candle.
• White color: When melted, soy wax can be easily mixed with other colors.

Disadvantages of soy wax:

• Lower adhesion: Soy wax is not as adhesive as some other waxes, which may lead to cracking when using the candle. So, it's essential to carefully adjust the ratio of wax and fragrance to make a more solid candle.
• Not suitable for complex molds: Soy wax's high adhesion makes it difficult to use in molds with complex shapes.
• Difficult to combine with other colors: The original white color of soy wax is challenging to mix with other colors without affecting the quality and aesthetics of the product.

Paraffin Wax:

Also known as "petroleum wax," paraffin wax is a solid, opaque white wax with a relatively clear crystalline structure. Besides being used in handmade candles, paraffin wax is also used in making crayons, paper production, and as an additive for candies.

Advantages of paraffin wax:

• Easy to blend with fragrances or other scent agents in candles, easy to dye, and has a strong scent throw.
• Easy to find and cost-effective, making it a common choice for making scented candles at home.

Disadvantages of paraffin wax:

• Produces more soot (fine carbon particles) than other types of candle wax.
• The candle jar may get blackened by soot.
• Non-renewable energy source, which means it can deplete in the future, making it an environmentally unsustainable material.

Palm Wax (Stearin):

Palm wax is a natural, safe, and benign material extracted from palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from palm trees and processed into wax. Palm wax is white, odorless, non-shrinking, and has a crystalline form, resembling sugar but rounder. In the scented candle industry, palm wax is a newer material (similar to soy wax). However, due to its different melting points, soy wax is often used for container candles, while palm wax is preferred for pillar candles.

Advantages of palm wax:

• Lower melting point, making it easier to ignite.
• Palm wax has an antioxidation feature, so scented candles made from it do not change color or lose their luster over time.
• High stability, making candles more durable (especially pillar candles).

Disadvantages of palm wax:

• High adhesion, making it challenging to pour into molds, especially for those new to making scented candles at home.
• Not suitable for complex-shaped candle containers.
• The primitive white color of palm wax is difficult to mix with other colors. When making handmade scented candles, it's best to keep the natural color of palm wax and avoid mixing additional colors to maintain the product's quality and aesthetics.

Gel Wax:

Gel wax, with its translucent appearance, is one of the popular materials for making see-through candles (as it does not turn opaque like soy or beeswax when solidified). If you want to pour multiple layers of wax, decorate with dried flowers, or add color, gel wax is an ideal choice.

Advantages of gel wax:

• Suitable for handmade candles with various colored accessories such as stones, shells, corals, etc.
• The transparent gel is easy to blend with colors.
• Longer burning time compared to paraffin.

Disadvantages of gel wax:

• Does not burn as brightly and create a beautiful glow like handmade candles made from beeswax.
• Gel wax is an artificial wax, so it does not absorb fragrances as well as natural waxes, reducing the scent throw of scented candles.

In conclusion, I hope this article has provided you with useful information about the different types of wax available on the market, helping you choose the most suitable one for making scented candles at home. To boost your confidence in making scented candles, we have also shared information about the necessary ingredients, tools, and step-by-step instructions for making homemade candles on our website. Visit our website regularly for more exciting information about various chemicals, raw materials for cosmetics, handmade products, etc.!