Wax & Wit Candle Care

Why do we use soy wax?

When it comes to our candles there is nothing we love more than soy wax! It’s better for the environment and for you too, for so many reasons. Let’s talk a little bit about soy wax… 

History of soy wax

Interestingly, soy wax was invented by a group of college students in 1996 at Purdue University. The students had to develop a birthday candle using a renewable resource. They chose to use soybean oil. The students figured out how to solidify soybean oil and won first place in a competition, sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Development Council and Purdue's Department of Agronomy.

What is soy wax?

Soy wax is a vegetable wax derived from soybean oil. After soybeans are harvested, they are cleaned, dehulled, cracked, and rolled into flecks. Oil is then extracted from these flecks and hydrogenated. In the process, unsaturated fatty acids present in the oil are saturated, thereby dramatically altering the oil's melting point. It then solidifies at room temperature.

 

Benefits

• A Healthy Candle
• Unlike paraffin wax, which gives off black soot when burned, soy wax burns cleaner. Since paraffin wax is petroleum-based, burning it produces a black soot that can potentially stain curtains, walls, and carpets inside the home. As a vegetable-based wax, soy does not give off any harmful by-products that might cause damage. Soy is a healthier alternative to paraffin wax in that it does not release dangerous carcinogens into the air when melted like paraffin wax does.
• Longer lasting
• Soy wax has a lower melting point than paraffin wax and because of this, soy candles will burn slower or longer than paraffin candles. Which also means they release their scent longer too. We also use cotton wicks that have good burn stability which also contributes to a longer burn.
• Biodegradable
• Since soy wax is a plant-based natural, renewable product, it is biodegradable. Soy wax is derived from vegetables (soybeans), while it's counter partner, paraffin wax is derived from petroleum, a refined gasoline product. While there are natural resources used to grow soybeans, they can be farmed responsibly and are less harmful to the environment.
• Easy Clean Up
• Since soy wax is biodegradable, it makes for easy clean up. When your candle is gone, just wash out your jar with warm, soapy water, and now you have a new jar for storage or crafts!

 

Cotton Wick Candle Care

To ensure an enjoyable and safe experience with your cotton wick soy candles, please adhere to the following tips:

• Trim wick to ¼ inch before lighting.
• Keep candle free of all foreign materials including matches and wick trimmings.
• Only burn candle on a level, fire resistant surface.
• Do not burn candle for more than 4 hours at a time.
• Do not allow the flame to touch the side of the glass jar. If the wick is too long, blow out your candle and trim the wick before relighting.
• Stop use when only ¼ inch of wax remains.
• Never leave candles burning unattended.