Sure, you've heard of soy wax candles, but are really better than ordinary candles? How has the humble soybean carved a sizable niche in the candle marketplace in just a few short years?

Today's candle buyers are primarily women under the age of 44 with children. These sharp consumers are no longer satisfied with shoddy candles that can cause illness and mess. Here are some reasons why soy wax candles are fast gaining popularity.

Environmentally Friendly and Good for US Farmers

American soybean growers produce around three billion bushels of soybeans each year, making natural soybean wax a reliable product grown from a sustainable resource. Paraffin, a finite by-product of the petroleum industry, is not.

American farmers profit from the soybean wax candle industry, whereas every paraffin wax candle purchased ultimately profits foreign oil moguls. Burning petroleum products also contributes to global warming. Burning soy candles does not increase the CO2 level in the atmosphere, whereas oil-based paraffin candles produce airborne, thick black soot and accompanying toxic fumes. More consumers wishing to support a "greener,” cleaner environment and a better US economy are buying soy candles.

Better Air Quality with Soy Candles

You've no doubt seen soot on walls, artwork, draperies, and furnishings in homes, bars, churches, and other interior spaces that burn candles. That same black soot gets inside the humans, animals and plants inhabiting that space as well. While some of the soot can be deterred through careful wick trimming and keeping candles out drafts, any candle whose main ingredient is a by-product of gasoline production will generate petro-soot.

While unscented, undyed, 100% soy candles do produce an infinitesimal amount of "white soot” that cannot be eliminated, it is unseen by the naked eye and is not dangerous to health. If fragrances and dyes are added, the soy candles is no longer "all natural,” which, of course, increases the instance of black soot, but a scented soy wax candle with a few drops of dye is still healthier than a paraffin wax candle. More people are opting for alternatives today that are less detrimental to their health.

Note that most homeowner's policy may not cover damage done if your home becomes shrouded in black candle soot: policies often differentiate between harmful events that occur suddenly (covered) from those that develop over time (not covered). Care to gamble which one paraffin candle use falls under?

Soy Throws a Strong Scent

One of the greatest complaints about paraffin wax candles is that consumers feel disappointed after their new candle loses its scent once purchased. Why does this happen? Paraffin candle manufacturers often pour their candles at high temperatures, causing a great deal of fragrance to rise to the top or evaporate out of the candles. They may smell great for a while, but then have little or no scent (or perhaps a trace of that not-so-lovely crayon smell) a short time after.

And then there are those who claim to "triple-scent” their candles, which is nothing but hooey. Any type of candle wax has a predetermined amount of scent it can hold and adding more than that will degrade the candle. The scent oil ratio won't "go up to eleven,” no matter how much a manufacturer may wish it to.

So what's the best way to get a gloriously scented candle that smells gr

eat all the way to the bottom? Look for a hand-made 100% soy wax candles made in small batches by experienced candle makers. Beware of wax blends made from 90% soy oil mixed with other "filler” oils such as cottonwood, corn, carnauba, paraffin, or others marketed as "all-soy.” They will not burn the same. Soy wax has a lower melting point, translating into cooler burning candles and faster scent dispersion. Even the last inch of an all-soy candle smells wonderful.

Unlike mass-produced paraffin candles, most all-soy candles made by reputable candle makers are hand-poured when the candle wax cools and becomes "slushy.” That is the optimal time to mix the fragrance oil in slowly, suspending it throughout the cooling wax. This assures that the candle is saturated with scent from top to bottom. The public has discovered that while soy candles cost a bit more for hand-production, it is preferable to the disenchantment of yet another pricey, big-name candle that didn't last or became stale.

Soft, Creamy Color

Consumers have come to embrace the naturally-muted, milky color of soy wax candles. Unadulterated soy wax can be dyed in nearly every lovely shade, always retaining a certain subdued, gentle hue. Many of today's candle lovers prefer this to a paraffin wax that gives candles a greasy or oily appearance.

Natural Wicks go well with Soy

Natural cotton or hemp wicks are slow to burn through a candle. They mosey down to the bottom like molasses, unlike their zinc/lead wick cousins who zip through paraffin candles as fast as lightning. Since soy candles burns cooler and thus longer, natural wicks are a perfect partner for them.

Beware of candles with wire stems in the middle of the wick; they probably contain lead, which along with zinc is toxic when burned. Zinc and lead were banned from US candle manufacturing in the 1970's, but our government still allows overseas importation of candles containing these harmful chemicals. Buying soy wax candles drastically increases the chances that consumers won't be getting products with lead wicks.

Easy Clean Up and Recycling

One of the top reasons the public has come to love soy candles is due to how easy the wax is to clean up. You know how difficult it is to remove paraffin wax from rugs, furniture, or even the jar the candle came in. Unlike paraffin, soy wax is water-soluble and spills can easily be cleaned up with hot soapy water. When the wax is gone, a soy candle container can be washed in the dishwasher and reused, repurposed, or recycled. It's a good thing!

Consumers want Quality

Most people do not know what they are getting when they buy a candle, since ingredients are not required to be listed. And while awareness is growing slowly, consumers know they do want a great product and are starting to check the contents of their candles and the reputations of the candle makers, which is an excellent start.

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