Soy Candles: What’s The Big Deal?

If you’ve bought a candle lately, it’s practically guaranteed that you’ve seen the newest rage in the candle industry on whatever shelf or website you were looking at. Soy candles are popping up everywhere, even in the aisles of the local supermarket. They’re very popular right now, but not everyone seems to realize why. After all, fads come and go in every market, and without knowledge and understanding, it’s all too easy to dismiss soy candles as just another passing fancy. Here today, gone tomorrow. Right?

Unlikely – because soy is the newest, hottest trend in candles with good reason. The benefits of soy candles are plentiful and diverse, and when they are compared to their competition their advantages become even more evident.

Consider what the base product of most traditional candles is. Paraffin, the wax used in the majority of all candles made since 1830, is a derivative of petroleum, the same raw material from which gasoline and oil products are manufactured. This means that paraffin candles are subject to the same major drawbacks. Petroleum products are hardly known as clean-burning, and paraffin candles emit the same pollution, releasing carcinogens as they burn. The black residue left on the inside of paraffin candle containers also becomes part of the air that we breathe and dirties the surfaces of our homes. The dark smudges we see on our walls could also be potentially developing in our lungs over time from frequent exposure to these toxins, and these environmental pollutants are common allergy triggers.

Paraffin candles are also subject to the same price hikes as gasoline and oil products. Petroleum, the majority of which is imported from Middle Eastern countries, is constantly becoming more expensive. It is a dwindling, nonrenewable resource, and the prices at the gas pumps are reaching new highs every day with much of the revenue leaving the American economy. As we see gas prices soar, we can likewise expect the cost of paraffin candles to rise.

Soy candles, on the other hand, are made from soybean oil that is infused with hydrogen to convert the liquid into a natural wax that is cheaper to produce than both paraffin and other natural waxes. Soybean production benefits American farmers, and candles made from soy wax are cleaner burning, longer lasting, and far more likely to be non-allergenic. Soy candles are also biodegradable, 100% non-toxic, and easy to clean up with soap and water if they spill. Simply trimming the wick and keeping soy candles out of drafts will prevent them from producing any noticeable amount of smoke or soot. The containers they are in tend to stay clean, and the cooler burning temperature lengthens the total burn time and allows for a more rapid, constant and intense release of fragrance.

Considering the obvious benefits to our health, our economy, and our environment, choosing soy over paraffin is clearly better. And, it’s easy to predict that soy candles are likely here to stay. And, as more people develop an interest in them, it’s almost assured that they will become even better over time, eventually replacing paraffin entirely.