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Candle Science: Why is Soy Wax Better Than Paraffin?
If you’re reading this, then you might already know the difference between soy wax candles and candles made from paraffin wax. Paraffin wax, which is a byproduct of crude oil, is a nonrenewable resource and is considered unhealthy for people with asthma and respiratory issues. Soy wax, on the other hand, is:
That’s a lot of reasons to prefer soy wax to paraffin wax! Besides all of those other benefits, did you know that soy wax is better for the fragrance of your candle?
The scent that your candle releases before it’s lit is called its “cold throw” and the scent it releases when it’s lit is called the “hot throw.” Soy wax candles generally have both a better cold and hot throw for several reasons. In order to understand this advantage of soy wax, we’ll talk about:
As you learn more about these elements of your candle, you’ll see why Jackpot prefers soy wax over common alternatives. We believe it’s the best choice to make a high-quality product that you’ll feel good about using every time you light it.
Ratio of Wax to Essential Oil
The recommended ratio of wax to essential oil is about 1 oz. fragrance oil per 1 lb. wax. Some waxes are higher rated to hold more fragrance and have a better throw. Paraffin and other types of wax are rated to hold a different amount of fragrance oil than soy wax.
Flashpoint
One of the reasons that soy wax is better for the scent of your candle is because of the “flashpoint” of soy wax. The flashpoint of candle wax is the highest temperature an essential oil that is used for fragrance can reach before it begins to break down. The flashpoint is different from fragrance to fragrance.
When making a candle, if the essential oil is added to wax that is at too high a temperature, it will burn away, but the wax temperature also must be hot enough for the fragrance oil to properly bond with the wax. If the temperature is too low, the fragrant essential oil won’t bond with the wax properly and the candle will carry less scent.
Scent Concentration
Like many products, the FDA regulates how candles are made. In this case, they regulate how much fragrance oil (in this case, essential oil) can be used in bath and body products including soaps, body wash, etc. and still be safe for use. The fragrance oil that is used in the making of soy wax candles is diluted and ensured to be safe for bath and body products.
There are some fragrance oils that are rated for candles and not diluted which have a stronger scent throw, but not all of them work well with soy wax to throw a strong fragrance so it’s important to work with fragrances that pair well with our product.
Now that you have a better understanding of why soy wax is Jackpot’s only choice to make high-quality candles, you may never want to buy a paraffin wax candle again. We don’t blame you! There’s no reason to buy anything else when you know your soy wax candles smells the best!
(Recipe credits: New York Times’ Classic Hot Chocolate recipe by Melissa Clark; Shaken Together’s French Vanilla Hot Cocoa recipe by Melissa Riker; Tasty’s Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate recipe by Ellie Holland; Well Plated’s French Hot Chocolate recipe by Erin Clarke)
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