Hi friends,
As most of you who have been to our home know, Cameron and I are candle addicts. We (almost) always have one burning in our house. However, when we learnt about the harm that paraffin filled wax can do to you, we were quick to make a switch. While researching the different waxes, we really fell in love with soy wax and today I would like to share with you some of the benefits of soy wax.
Environmentally friendly
First we should talk about what is soy wax?
The main types of wax are: paraffin (#1), soy, and beeswax.
Soy wax is a vegetable wax derived from - you guessed it - soybeans. Most of the world’s soybeans are grown and harvested in the Midwestern United States. By contrast, paraffin wax is derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale. Paraffin wax is the most commonly used wax to make candles, mainly because it is cheaper and more accessible than soy wax. Beeswax is great but has a lower scent throw (meaning you can smell it less).
Candle lasts longer
Soy wax has a lower melting point which means it burns up to 50% longer than paraffin wax candles. Enough said.
Cleaner burn
While all candles emit some black soot while burning, soy wax burns cleaner and results in less soot than paraffin.
Non toxic
It’s common to hear people complain of headaches when paraffin candles burn, but in general, this isn’t due to the scent of the wax but rather the chemicals it releases into the air. In 2009, a study by South Carolina State University found that burning paraffin wax candles give off benzene. The American Cancer Society classifies benzene as a carcinogen, a substance that promotes the growth of cancer. BUT, in the same 2009 study performed by South Carolina State University, they found that soy wax did not give off benzene, unlike paraffin wax. That was in 2009 - and there has been so much more research since then!
