Before you pick a wick or choose a fragrance, you need to select a wax. The type of wax you use can determine how your candle burns, how far the scent travels, and what the finished surface looks like. Once you have chosen your wax, the rest of your supplies, including wicks, fragrance oils, and containers, are all in the candle making supplies collection.
Natural Candle Waxes for Every Candle Style
- Coconut: A softer wax that is easy to work with and produces an excellent hot scent throw. You may need less fragrance than you would with soy. Coconut wax is also less prone to frosting and a little more forgiving with measurements.
- Soy: Firmer than coconut wax with a longer burn time. It is plant-based and widely used for container candles. Keep in mind that soy has a lower hot scent throw than coconut, so you may need to use a little more fragrance.
- Beeswax: Naturally derived, with a longer burn time. It holds structure well, making it ideal for pillars, tapers, and votives that do not use containers. It has a natural golden color and a soft, honey-like scent. Many makers leave their beeswax candles completely unscented and enjoy the natural honey scent on its own.
- Coconut Soy: A paraffin-free blend made locally in Bellingham, WA that combines the burn time of soy with the superior scent throw of coconut. It has great glass adhesion and minimal frosting.
- Vegetable-Based Waxes: Soy-derived waxes specifically designed for candle making. Each blend is crafted to improve common candle making problems, such as scent throw, frosting, and fragrance adhesion.
Wax Additives That Fine-Tune Your Results
If you want to improve scent retention, increase opacity, or harden wax, consider using stearic acid. Add it at 3 to 5% of your total wax weight. Stearic acid can be very helpful when making pillars or votives.
For fragrance, most soy and coconut soy waxes hold up to 10% fragrance oil by weight. A reliable starting point is 1 ounce of fragrance per pound of wax. From there, test until you find your preferred strength. Always refer to the fragrance calculator.
Candle making waxes can also be used in other DIY crafts, such as lip balm making. Beeswax and Candelilla are common bases in lip balm, where they provide structure and help the balm hold its shape. You may want to include waxes in your lotion making supplies to help with the emulsification process.
How long does a soy wax candle need to cure before burning?
Soy wax candles need up to two weeks to cure after pouring for the best scent throw. The wax and fragrance oil bond slowly over time, so a candle tested on day one will almost always smell weaker than the same candle tested two weeks later.
Are Bramble Berry candle waxes vegan?
Most of the waxes here are vegan, including soy, coconut, coconut soy, and vegetable-based waxes. Beeswax is the only exception, as it is an animal-derived product.
Which wax should I use for pillar candles?
Beeswax is the best choice for pillar candles. It holds structure well, making it ideal for pillars, tapers, and votives that need to stand on their own. If you want to use an alternative wax for pillars, adding stearic acid at 3 to 5% of your total wax weight can help firm it up.
Which wax gives the strongest fragrance throw?
Coconut wax is known for its excellent hot scent throw and may require less fragrance oil than other waxes to achieve the same strength. Coconut soy is also a strong performer, combining the burn time of soy with the superior scent throw of coconut.