Soy Candle Wax

Soy candle wax is an increasingly popular choice for candle makers. There are a couple of reasons for this, but first a little history and chemistry lesson.

Soy wax is a relatively recent invention. People wanted a naturally occurring wax rather than paraffin. Beeswax was the main natural alternative, but its expense limited its use. In 1991, researchers experimented with hydrogenated soy oil and found it could work as a candle wax.

Producers extract soybean oil from the beans by warming them and them putting them through a press. The solid plant residual is usually used as animal feed.

Soybean oil, like most vegetable oils, is liquid at room temperature so the next step is hydrogenation.  Adding hydrogen molecules the oil makes it solid at room temperature. It’s the same principle that solidifies vegetable oil into margarine. These partially hydrogenated fats are what we now refer to as trans fats. It’s a bad idea to eat them, but it’s not a problem in candles.

Several characteristics of soy wax make it an attractive alternative to paraffin.

For many people, the simple fact that it not a petroleum product and is a renewable resource makes it preferable. Although the amount of oil that goes into making wax is miniscule compared to its other uses, many people want to avoid using any petroleum product if there’s a good alternative.

Another desirable characteristic is that soy burns relatively cleanly. Anytime you burn something you are going to have products of combustion, some of which are toxic. Paraffin candles release several problematic chemicals (for example formaldehyde) as well as soot as they burn. Soy produces a fine white soot and in one study did not produce any formaldehyde or other toxic chemicals.

The quantities of toxic chemicals produced by burning paraffin candles are extremely small and most authorities don’t think it creates a health risk. On other hand, why not use a clean alternative if you can?

The main problem with soy candle wax is that it is still relatively soft at room temperature. Pure soy wax is most often used for container candles. It doesn’t work very well for tapers or pillars.

Candle makers can compensate for this by adding other additives or blending the soy wax with other waxes to obtain the needed hardness. For me, these blends are perfectly acceptable, but some purists differ.

One convenient aspect of soy candle wax is that you can melt it in a microwave.

All in all, soy candle wax is an excellent addition to the chandler’s armamentarium. I think you’ll enjoy working with it as you explore the world of candle making.

 • Rezaei, K, T. Wang, and L.A. Johnson. Combustion characteristics of candles made from hydrogenated soybean oil. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 79: 803-808 (2002).

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