| It is the stuff that helps our candles burn in a | | | | every candle shop in America and abroad. |
| beautiful glimmer with radiant bliss. This article will | | | | Palm materials were once quite popular in the 1990s. |
| reveal some of the entry-level descriptions of the | | | | However, palm trees are grown in countries such as |
| different kinds of waxes you can use to make | | | | Malaysia and Indonesia. Recent news on the |
| candles. | | | | devastation of palm rainforests and their habitats |
| Making candles is like making hot chocolate on a cold | | | | have contributed to palm wax becoming less popular. |
| winter day with the best chocolate. Skimp on the | | | | What was once a well-selected wax, palm is no |
| essentials and you get a hot mess on your hands. In | | | | longer the hip choice to choose. Since many candle |
| this day and age, the growth of candle making is | | | | makers believe in being Eco-friendly, palm has lost its |
| quite massive. Even beginners are finding they too | | | | public appeal due to the destructive nature of its |
| candle make beautiful candles with ease. But the | | | | production. |
| question always comes up. What kind to use? | | | | The shape of waxes sometimes comes to mind. |
| For starters, the wax used to make candles is | | | | When I shopped for my first candle wax I was |
| diverse. Many waxes (like paraffin for example) are | | | | astonished. Such big blocks I thought. You see, many |
| made containing petroleum products. In fact, most | | | | waxes come in big blocks sold at many retailers. |
| candles made these days are made with paraffin | | | | Blocks range from 10-25 lbs. |
| wax. The reason is it is cheaply available compared to | | | | Simply smashing the blocks with a small household |
| other types of candle materials. | | | | hammer will create pieces more easily melted. |
| Fun Paraffin facts: | | | | Another popular candle making wax is beeswax. |
| -Paraffin is edible | | | | Because beeswax is another natural product (from |
| -Yes, you can eat it | | | | the hives of bees), it too is more prevalent. Beeswax |
| -Many fruits and vegetables are coated with paraffin | | | | comes in yellow and white. However, as you will soon |
| wax | | | | discover, beeswax will cost a little more than other |
| -It acts as a preservative to keep foods fresh | | | | kinds. Because beeswax is a fragrant wax, it does, |
| The bonus is paraffin covered fruits and vegetables | | | | however, sell well in the U.S. |
| appear shiny in the market so your eyes are drawn | | | | In recent years, gel wax has become the rage. The |
| to their sparkling appearance. | | | | texture is almost rubber-like. When using gel wax, the |
| Now before you try to spend the least amount of | | | | benefit is it comes in 3 types of density. When you |
| money on wax, there are other types used for | | | | are making gel wax candles, the density comes into |
| specific candle styles. They include bayberry, soy, | | | | play when you are adding fragrances to the wax. |
| palm and beeswax. Over the last few years, soy has | | | | The really nice thing about gel waxes are they burn a |
| become quite popular because its natural attributes. | | | | very long time (nearly twice as long as paraffin). |
| Let's face it. Eco is in. So natural waxes are very | | | | Gel waxes with a 0-3% density (considered low) is |
| trendy and earthy. | | | | unique for candles contain a fragrance. It may also be |
| Bayberry comes from what? You guessed it. | | | | poured into your candle molds during a lower |
| Bayberries. Early settlers hundreds of years ago | | | | temperature. Heavily saturated fragrance gel waxes |
| made their candles by using bayberry wax. Only, | | | | work best with densities in the 3-5% range. Among |
| bayberry is sometimes is referred as the untrue wax. | | | | all types, gel waxes are the most popular among |
| It is because these days, bayberry waxes are made | | | | many candle makers who wish to create candles |
| with other items such as glyceride. Finding pure | | | | containing decorations. You can drop just about any |
| bayberry products are nearly impossible. | | | | object into your cooling gel wax to give your candles |
| Manufacturers looking to maintain the bayberry | | | | a unique look. However, be cautious the materials |
| association often only use a mere 5% bayberry | | | | you use to decorate your gel candles will not burn. |
| when producing the traditional wax. | | | | Although gel wax is fun to work with there are more |
| Soy wax is made from soybeans. Because soybeans | | | | steps involved in selecting the right grade of gel wax |
| are commonly raised in the mid west USA, it is easy | | | | for your candle. |
| to find in many crafting stores. One rumor floating | | | | No matter which wax you choose, remember one |
| around the candle making community is soy is water | | | | thing. Certain waxes are best for a specific style |
| soluble. In fact, this is far from the truth. Think about | | | | candle. Decide which type of candle you wish to |
| it. If soy wax was water soluble you would have a | | | | make first. Then select the best wax for your |
| world without any soy wax candles. A simple | | | | creation. |
| concept. Yet, soy waxes are prevalent in almost | | | | |