The candle making bug might have bit you and you are out trying new ways to make candles. Perhaps you are ready to try making soy candles. If so, what types of soy candle making supplies will you need? Well, as you would expect, most of the supplies you use for soy candles are the same as other candle waxes. The only thing that is different is the wax, and below we will explain what makes soy waxes different.
Before we talk about the soy wax candle supplies, let's note why so many people are into making soy candles. First, soy wax candles are all natural. They come from soy beans which can be grown over and over again. This is not like paraffin wax which is by-product of oil.
Second soy wax candles burn cleaner (less soot) and burn longer than your paraffin wax candles. Some say they burn about 50% longer.
Lastly, soy wax is very advantageous to work with because it is very easy to clean up. You can easily clean up spills or your equipment using plain warm water and soap. Now try cleaning up your paraffin wax that way!
Okay, so what soy wax do you use?
Well if you are not familiar with soy waxes, you'd probably think they were all the same and there was only one type of wax. Chances are pretty good that if you go into your local craft store to buy soy wax they will only have one type of wax and you won't know what kind that of soy that is.
Here is an important point, if you are just beginning, it doesn't matter what type of soy wax you use. Any of the commercial brands will be fine - even that which you get at your local craft store.
The type of soy wax only becomes an issue after you gain some experience in candle making and want to start developing your own line of candles or want to improve your candles.
Now many places don't offer you these different varieties of soy wax. You have to look around because they are out there. Now how do you determine which wax you want or need. Well it all depends on the type of candle you want to make and any enhancements you want to make in your candle. Knowing this, here is a short description of some of the different kinds of soy wax for candles.
If you want to make pillar candles then you need a wax which is harder. A pillar candle stands self supporting, without a container. You want it to remain upright and hard throughout the entire time it is being burned. Some soy waxes will make a harder candle and also give the outside of the candle a nice smooth glossy finish.
Then there is fragrance throw. In overly simplistic terms fragrance throw is how easily or how much the fragrance is emitted from the candle such that it can be easily picked up and enjoyed by the human nose. Certain soy waxes "throw" their fragrance better than others and some waxes are specially made for this.
Next is frosting. Frosting is a white crystal like substance that sometimes grows on a soy candle. Certain soy waxes are made to decrease the amount of frosting that develops on the candle. Some people would rather have a candle with less "fragrance throw" and less "frosting"
Lastly there is the soy wax purity to consider. Many companies sell all natural soy wax while some companies add a some paraffin to the soy wax. Some waxes may be labeled "all natural" rather than "100% natural" – what is the difference? The manufacturer may have added a small amount of natural oils to the wax to help maintain its quality.
Other supplies that you will need:
You may want to color your candles. To do this you need a dye. They come in chips, chunks and sometimes flakes. A chip usually colors one pound of wax. A chunk will color 20 pounds of wax. Make sure you get dyes which are for candles.
You may want to add a fragrance to the candle. To do so, there are special fragrances made for candle waxes. Just about any kind of fragrance is available, just start searching. You might want to link your fragrance and color together, say a pine tree fragrance would come from a candle which was green.
That basically does it for your soy candle making supplies. Start with the basics, which are the essentials. Gather some experience with the simple things and then move on to the more advanced stuff. You can be guaranteed you'll love doing it and enjoy the finished product.
Carol Short is a candle making enthusiast who enjoys candle making, talking about candle making and teaching candle making. Her new ebook "Secrets To Scentsational Candle Making" shows you everything you need to know to make candles.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
