How to Make the Perfect Soy Candle

Copyright (c) 2010 Albert Street LLC

I have been making soy candles for years along with other wax types, but making candles with soy has always been a personal favorite. It's definitely a better alternative to paraffin and beeswax. People who wish to create organic non-paraffin candles use beeswax, but it is approximately 10 times the cost of paraffin! This is why more and more people are going for soy wax, as it is a cost-effective, 100 percent natural alternative. The fact that its easier to work with than paraffin is a nice bonus!

Soy Wax - its key component - is a recent discovery. In the early 1990s, a man named Michael Richards was on a quest for a cost-effective alternative for beeswax. This prompted him to create soy wax. During the early 90's there was a big inflow of demand for natural wax candles, but beeswax was significantly more expensive (10x more) than paraffin. Michael began testing different natural waxes from plants and finally ended up with a vegetable type which had partially hydrogenated soy oil, coconut oil and palm oil as key components. Finally, Michael became successful in replacing beeswax and paraffin with soy in 1996. Generally, these candles are made by combining wax with dye and fragrance. These candles have certain advantages over Paraffin Candles

Here are the 3 main reasons why you should go for soy candle making supplies:

1. Soy wax candles are inexpensive

It's a natural wax - Soy have a longer lifespan - Wax spills are easy to remove with soap and water - It gives out less soot - Scented soy gives out more flavor

2. Making soy candles can be a very fulfilling hobby.

As you go deeper into the business of candle making, you will find out that it is so much easier and more fun to make soy candles than paraffin based ones. The materials needed to make soy candles are very easy to find and can be bought online or through your local hobby shops. We will explore the step - by - step process in making this type of candles.

3. They make awesome gifts.

Let your creative side go wild! You can choose to pair some soy candles along with other candle making supplies, wrap it with a few soaps and towels placed in a basket -- and you have a fantastic-looking gift!

For the materials, the following listed below are what you will need:

1. A pound of soy wax 2. 1 mason jar 3. An ounce of fragrance oil 4. Wax dye 5. 1 Cotton wick (e.g. HTP - 105) 6. Candle Thermometer

Here are the Top 5 Tips in Making Soy Candles

1. Choosing your soy wax - This wax generally comes in two varieties: Block and flake form. Choose the flake form.

2. Understanding fragrance for soy candles - The secret to making a good soy candle is to use your own special batch/mix of fragrances. It's important for you to choose a fragrance that goes well with the wax. On an average, all you'll ever need is 1 ounce of scented oil for every 16 ounces of soy wax.

3. Understanding Wax - Dyes There are many different forms of dyes. You can choose to use dye blocks which will easily blend with soy. The other ones are concentrated liquids and dye chips.

4. Choosing the appropriate soy wax candle wicks - Of course, your wick must be thicker as the candle's diameter increases.

5. Choosing the right soy wax candle containers - The container to be used for making these candles depends on the appearance/look one wants to achieve. If you want country look, you can choose/use a Jason jar. Containers for soy candles should always be germ-free, dry and at room temperature.

The process:

In a pan put the soy wax and slowly heat on medium temperature until completely melted. Remove from heat. - Pour in the fragrance oil and stir until all is absorbed in the soy wax. As a good option, you can choose to blend in wax dye - Put in the melted wax inside the container and place the wick at the center. A clothespin or pencil is ideal in making sure that your wick stays in the center. - As it turns into a solid state you can finally cut the wick by 1/2 inch - Enjoy your soy candle!