Types of Candle Wax
With candle making becoming more and more popular, wax now comes in more varieties and is more widely available than ever. People are constantly looking to be more creative with candle crafting, and the increasing variety of wax gives more options on what you could create.
Most candles are made from paraffin wax, which is refined from petroleum. It is the most commonly used, widely available, and relatively inexpensive. You can usually easily find paraffin wax in most craft stores.
Then there are other types of wax that are natural and plant-based. They are usually made and refined from plants such as soy, palm, and bayberry. Soy and palm wax seem to be the most popular choices of natural wax these days, and continue to grow in popularity.
Soy beans are hydrogenated to be made into soy wax; making them an environmentally friendly choice. Palm wax is also made from natural and renewable source. However, some major palm plantations are cultivated on rainforest lands that were cleared out using methods that were damaging to the ecosystems and at the expense of endangered wild animals populations. So… when shopping for palm wax, keep in mind to get those that are made from palms cultivated in environmentally responsible procedures.
Another natural type of wax is beeswax. It is not plant-based like soy or palm wax; instead, it is made from honey and comes in two colors – white and yellow. With the fragrance that it bears being derived from honey, and burning characteristics superior to most other types of wax, beeswax are generally quite expensive but becoming popular nevertheless.
Gel wax is another great choice for candle making hobbyists. With its translucent, jelly-like texture, it’s excellent for making decorative candles. The coloring that you add into gel wax appears shiny and attractive in the finished products, and adding decorative pieces is relatively easy so you can get really creative here. When making scented gel candles, check the density of the gel wax that you use because it affects the concentration of fragrance that you will add into the wax so as not to “overload” it. Low-density gel wax works best with 0 to 3% of fragrance load, and medium-density works well with fragrance concentration between 3 to 5%. Respectively, high-density gel would be your choice if you want to add higher concentration of fragrance to your candles.
The increasing variety of wax gives candle art hobbyists much room to be creative. However, it could be overwhelming when you are just starting out. So make sure equip yourself with some knowledge about what each of the most common type of wax is about, their characteristics, and what types of candle making projects they are suitable for. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll just let your imagination take its course!
