If you are a connoisseur of candles, then no doubt you have heard the great debate: paraffin wax vs. natural wax. While some candle makers choose to offer two separate candle lines, most crafters choose to focus their efforts on one type of wax or the other.
Although each wax offers its own benefits and drawbacks, one wax is not necessarily better than the other. It is up to you to decide which wax appeals to you and which you would prefer to work with. If you plan to sell your candles, you may also wish to keep in mind the types of shoppers you will be selling to when making your wax decision.
Paraffin candle wax has been around for centuries, and is most likely the wax that the majority of candle purchasers are familiar with. Paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct, and therefore it indirectly supports the petroleum industry. In today's marketplace, this fact alone has caused some long time candle makers to abandon their previous affinity for paraffin wax. As petroleum is a major component of paraffin wax, it also tends to emit more smoke and potentially hazardous toxins than its natural wax counterparts.
While there may be drawbacks to using paraffin, there are also many benefits. On the whole, paraffin tends to hold fragrance better, longer and easier than natural waxes. Typically, the scent throw (or strength of the scent emitted) from paraffin candles is stronger and can fill larger spaces more effectively. It is also typically easier for a candle maker to get fragrance to hold in the wax, avoiding fragrance 'seeping' issues. Overall, paraffin waxes tend to be less finicky than natural waxes, and require fewer additives and adjustments.
As an alternative to paraffin, natural waxes, such as soy, beeswax and palm wax, have become readily available to candle makers, and many are gravitating to these waxes for their natural and beneficial properties. While natural waxes may be slightly more expensive than paraffin, they are still an affordable option.
Because the scent throw of natural waxes is typically softer than paraffin, sometimes attaining a strong scent throw, or getting heavier amounts of fragrance oil to blend well with the wax, can be a challenge. Esthetic concerns are also usually more of an issue with natural waxes. Soy wax, for example, is prone to 'frosting', a white residue that can form on the tops and sides of the candle. Natural waxes may also have a tendency to form bubbles which make the candles less attractive to the eye.
On the flipside, there are many benefits to natural waxes. Overall, they do burn cleaner with less soot than paraffin candles, avoiding sooty build-up on walls. They also clean up with just soap and water in the event of a spill. Finally, they tend to appeal to many people because of their agricultural origins. Rather than support the petroleum industry as paraffin does, natural wax candles support agriculture.
Consider who you are selling your candles to, and what your own personal preferences are, when selecting the best wax for you. Regardless of which you choose, either type of wax is capable of producing excellent candles that you and your customers will enjoy.
Showing posts with label paraffin wax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paraffin wax. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
How to Select the Best Paraffin Wax
Selecting the ideal paraffin wax to use in your candles requires an analysis of several key factors.
First, you need to determine what type of candles you are going to make. For example, the type of paraffin one would use for container candles is very different from the type of paraffin one would use for pillar candles.
Next, you need to determine what wax traits are most important to you. Is it important that your wax is easy to work with? Do you want one that requires little or no additives? Are you looking for the strongest scent throw possible? Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preferences and finding the best wax to match your desires.
Paraffin comes in many varieties. Some are soft and scoopable, while others are harder and must be cut from slabs. Typically, the softer the wax, the lower its specific melting point will be.
The melting point is the term used to describe the temperature at which the wax will begin to melt. Melting points of paraffin wax range from approximately 127 degrees Fahrenheit (53 degrees Celsius) on the low end to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) on the high end. The higher the melting point, the harder the wax.
One of the benefits of lower melting point paraffin waxes is that the softer wax helps to retain the fragrance of the candle until it is burned. This trait makes lower melting point paraffin waxes ideal for container candles. In addition to their wonderful ability to retain scent, these low melting point waxes are extremely malleable and almost never requires the use of additives.
While some candle makers may love the benefits of these softer waxes, they can be sticky to work with, and they tend to emit more soot than some other waxes. While the stellar scent throw may be a benefit, some may not feel that the drawbacks are worth it. Again, it comes down to personal preference.
Medium melting point paraffin waxes are most commonly used for votives and sometimes containers. A medium melting point paraffin will be harder to the touch and will keep its shape better than the lower melting point paraffin waxes.
It still manages to hold scent fairly well, but this type of wax often requires use of additives, thus resulting in more experimentation in making your candles. The medium melting point paraffins typically come in blocks, and can either be chipped off or cut off in chunks for use.
The higher melting point paraffins are usually reserved for making pillars, hand-dipped tapers, molded, and shaped or carved candles. These waxes are used for making such candles because of their extreme firmness, and because these types of candles do not often require the stronger scent throw of other types of candles.
The firmness of the wax makes them ideal for molded and shaped candles because they will not cave in on themselves while cooling. High melting point paraffin waxes will almost always require the use of additives, and they do not retain fragrance as well as the softer paraffin waxes.
Many craft stores have begun carrying a small range of paraffin waxes. However, these waxes are typically of mediocre quality and are not intended to meet the needs of more serious candle makers. For a wide array of quality choices, visit one of the many specialty online candle making supply websites.
Not only do they offer a wide variety of waxes, but they also offer detailed instructions on how to work with each one. You'll also find the other supplies you may need, making these websites excellent one stop shops for purchasing all your candle making supplies.
First, you need to determine what type of candles you are going to make. For example, the type of paraffin one would use for container candles is very different from the type of paraffin one would use for pillar candles.
Next, you need to determine what wax traits are most important to you. Is it important that your wax is easy to work with? Do you want one that requires little or no additives? Are you looking for the strongest scent throw possible? Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preferences and finding the best wax to match your desires.
Paraffin comes in many varieties. Some are soft and scoopable, while others are harder and must be cut from slabs. Typically, the softer the wax, the lower its specific melting point will be.
The melting point is the term used to describe the temperature at which the wax will begin to melt. Melting points of paraffin wax range from approximately 127 degrees Fahrenheit (53 degrees Celsius) on the low end to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) on the high end. The higher the melting point, the harder the wax.
One of the benefits of lower melting point paraffin waxes is that the softer wax helps to retain the fragrance of the candle until it is burned. This trait makes lower melting point paraffin waxes ideal for container candles. In addition to their wonderful ability to retain scent, these low melting point waxes are extremely malleable and almost never requires the use of additives.
While some candle makers may love the benefits of these softer waxes, they can be sticky to work with, and they tend to emit more soot than some other waxes. While the stellar scent throw may be a benefit, some may not feel that the drawbacks are worth it. Again, it comes down to personal preference.
Medium melting point paraffin waxes are most commonly used for votives and sometimes containers. A medium melting point paraffin will be harder to the touch and will keep its shape better than the lower melting point paraffin waxes.
It still manages to hold scent fairly well, but this type of wax often requires use of additives, thus resulting in more experimentation in making your candles. The medium melting point paraffins typically come in blocks, and can either be chipped off or cut off in chunks for use.
The higher melting point paraffins are usually reserved for making pillars, hand-dipped tapers, molded, and shaped or carved candles. These waxes are used for making such candles because of their extreme firmness, and because these types of candles do not often require the stronger scent throw of other types of candles.
The firmness of the wax makes them ideal for molded and shaped candles because they will not cave in on themselves while cooling. High melting point paraffin waxes will almost always require the use of additives, and they do not retain fragrance as well as the softer paraffin waxes.
Many craft stores have begun carrying a small range of paraffin waxes. However, these waxes are typically of mediocre quality and are not intended to meet the needs of more serious candle makers. For a wide array of quality choices, visit one of the many specialty online candle making supply websites.
Not only do they offer a wide variety of waxes, but they also offer detailed instructions on how to work with each one. You'll also find the other supplies you may need, making these websites excellent one stop shops for purchasing all your candle making supplies.
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