Choosing the Right Candle Wax For Making Candles
So, you want to make candles! There are some decisions you’ll need to make to get started, but one of the first involves the type of wax you want to use.
How do you know which type of candle wax to choose?
Things You’ll Need to Consider
Your choice will depend on several factors, including the form of candles you would like to make, the kind of wax you would prefer to use (for example, is using an all-natural wax important to you?), the amount of scent throw you’d like the candle to have, the level of difficulty that you want the project to offer, and even the type of finish you would like to see on your candles. Taking the time to consider all of these factors will help you decide which wax is right for your specific application.
Types of Candles
What form do you want your candles to take? Candlewic can help you make:
Pillar Candles
Pillars are candles that stand on their own, without any type of container. The best waxes to create pillar candles are paraffin, beeswax and palm wax. However, you can also use wax blends to make pillar candles.
Container Candles
Container candles are candles that you create to sit inside of a glass jar (with or without a lid), metal tin or other type of container. Because these candles do not have to stand on their own, you can use a variety of waxes to make container candles, including soy wax, soy/paraffin blends, paraffin, palm wax, and beeswax.
Votive Candles
Votive candles are small candles about 2 ½” high that are designed to sit in small, glass containers. Because they are not freestanding, you can use a variety of waxes to make votives, including soft, natural waxes like soy and palm as well as beeswax, wax blends, and paraffin.
Tealight Candles
Tealights are small candles, about 1 ½” in diameter and about ¾” high, that are designed to sit inside a small, cylindrical metal or clear plastic container. You can make tealights using most waxes, including soy, palm, and beeswax, paraffin, and soy/paraffin blends
Taper Candles
Tapered candles are long, narrow candles that sit in candlesticks. The best waxes for making tapered candles are paraffin and beeswax.
Tarts
Did you know that you can make candles without a wick? When melted in a potpourri or tart burner, wax tarts, also known as wax melts, offer another way to enjoy the aroma of candles. You can use both paraffin and natural waxes such as soy wax to make tarts.
Gel Candles
Gel candles are soft, gelatin-like candles that you create inside a container. They’re made from a mineral-oil based gel instead of wax.
Types of Wax
Candlewic offers high-quality candle waxes in a number of forms, including:
Paraffin Wax
Paraffin wax, also known as straight wax, is wax that doesn’t have any additives in it. The most commonly used and least-expensive candle wax, paraffin can be used to make many types of candles, including pillars, containers, votives, tealights, tapers and tarts.
Soy Wax and Soy Wax Flakes
Soy wax is a 100% all-natural wax made from hydrogenated soybean oil that is available in several forms, including soy wax flakes. It is ideal for use in making container candles, including jarred candles, tins, votives, tealights, and tarts. Because there’s a difference between paraffin wax candles and soy wax candles in terms of their appearance and performance, you’ll want to learn the properties of each to help you decide which type of wax you want to use. Learn More.
Palm Wax
Another type of 100% all-natural wax, palm wax is produced by hydrogenating palm oils. Palm waxes allow you to create candles with unique textures, since, in most cases, there is a crystallizing pattern (on pillars or containers) or feathering pattern (available on pillars) that forms on the candle’s surface. Palm wax is excellent for use with pillars, votives and tarts.
Beeswax and Beeswax Sheets
Beeswax is another 100% all-natural wax. One of the best candle waxes on the market, beeswax can be used to make all types of candles, including pillars, tapers, votives and containers. It is also available in beeswax sheets.
Candlewic Custom Blends
Using Candlewic’s Custom Blend Waxes eliminates the need to test blends and additives on your own and allows you to create better candles faster. All are Candlewic proprietary blends that are fully formulated to require no additional additives except for UV light stabilizers, which prevent fading. Various blends for container, pillar and mottling waxes are available on our website.
Granulated Wax
Granulated wax is often used for crafting, because of its ease of use. There’s no need to melt the wax! It’s made from 140⁰ melt-point paraffin that has been formed into little beads, so you can just pour granulated wax into a container and insert a wick!
Gel Candle Wax
Offering the translucent quality of gelatin, gel candle wax isn’t actually wax at all. Instead, it’s made from mineral oil and a polymer resin. With gel candle wax and a clear glass container, you can make container candles you can see through and into! For added interest, you can make embedded-object gel candles, where you insert decorative, nonflammable items into the gel.
Each type of wax offers specific benefits, and not all waxes can be used to make all types of candles. Need more help deciding? You can always Ask Chandler! He’s just a click away!