What is the difference between Paraffin, Soy and Beeswax?
Wax melts have become extremely popular over the past few years, providing a sense of warmth, ambiance, and elegance to your home. However, not all candles and wax melts are made the same; there is a range of wax available, including paraffin, soy wax, and beeswax. So the question is, what is the difference, and which one should you choose?
Paraffin Wax Overview:
Paraffin wax is made through the refinement of petroleum. It is one of the most common waxes used and has become a popular choice among candle manufacturers because of its low manufacturing costs and how easy it is to work with when making candles and wax melts.
While cheap and easy to use, when burnt, paraffin wax releases harmful chemicals into the air. These chemicals include toluene and benzene, which are hazardous to your health. Along with harmful chemicals, paraffin wax also produces soot and smoke, which can damage and stain the walls, furniture, and ceilings.
Soy Wax Overview:
Soy wax, on the other hand, is completely different from paraffin wax. It is made from soybeans, which is a natural, renewable, and environmentally friendly option for candles and wax melts.
While having amazing environmental credentials, soy wax also offers incredible scent throw and burns a lot cleaner, which means less or no soot and smoke is produced when burnt. Soy wax is a harder wax, which means it burns much slower than paraffin wax, increasing its overall burn time and giving you more value for your money when it comes to the wax melts and candles that you buy.
In addition, soy wax can hold the fragrance it is mixed with through production incredibly well, offering a stronger scent throw, meaning it can fill your room with the chosen fragrance a lot more efficiently and offering you more value for your money.
As paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum, it means paraffin wax is cheaper to buy. Soy wax, on the other hand, is more expensive to buy. This is why when you walk into a shop, you will always see soy wax candles and wax melts being pricier than wax melts and candles made of paraffin wax. While soy wax is more expensive than paraffin wax, the environmental and health benefits of soy wax completely outweigh paraffin wax, which makes soy wax the go-to for your candles and wax melts.
Beeswax Overview:
If you haven't guessed, beeswax is a natural wax produced by honeybees. It's a popular choice for candles and wax melts because of its natural scent and beautiful natural golden colour. In addition, beeswax is renewable and a great eco-friendly choice.
Just like soy wax, beeswax burns clean and produces little to no soot and smoke and has a great burn time, meaning candles made of beeswax last longer.
However, beeswax is a lot more expensive than both paraffin and soy wax and is incredibly difficult and challenging to work with, meaning it takes more time to make candles and wax melts from beeswax.
Which wax should I choose when buying my candles and wax melts?
There are several factors to take into account before deciding which candles or wax melts to buy. Paraffin is cheap, which means it will always be the cheaper option compared to soy and beeswax; however, paraffin wax has environmental issues and potential health risks when burnt.
If you want a candle or wax melt that is still budget-friendly and offers an incredible scent throw, candles and wax melts made of soy wax are the go-to option for you. Soy wax also has a range of environmental benefits and is suitable for vegans, making all candles and wax melts from this wax the perfect gift option and helps take the worry off you.
If you're looking for a natural, eco-friendly option, beeswax may be the best choice. Beeswax candles have a warm, natural scent and are made from a renewable resource.
When shopping for candles, it's important to read the labels and choose candles made from high-quality wax. All of our wax melts and candles are made from 100% soy wax, and we ensure they are sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly to ensure you get the best scent throw possible and are still friendly to the environment.