If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best soy wax for candle making is, then we recommend The Candlemaker’s Store Natural Soy Wax as the best one.
If you are looking for the best soy wax for candle making, then our buyer’s guide might be able to help you! Today, we want to feature 5 great soy wax options that we think are great for everybody, especially beginners.
In this article, we’re going to review the following soy wax:
- American Soy Organics Midwest Container Soy Wax
- The Candlemaker’s Store Natural Soy Wax
- Hearts and Crafts Soy Wax and DIY Kit
- Golden Brands Natural Soy Wax
- Candlewic Natural Soy Wax
But before we move to our top picks, there are a few important points that you should know. Let’s start our guide with them!
How Does Soy Wax Compare With Other Waxes For Candle-Making?
Before you buy anything, it’s important to understand how soy wax compares to other wax types.
Before the introduction of soy wax in the 1990s, paraffin wax and beeswax have been the most popular waxes in candle-making. Paraffin wax is a cheap wax that’s not very eco-friendly (it’s made from crude oil), while beeswax is completely natural, non-toxic, but very expensive.
When soy wax came out, it wedged itself between paraffin wax and beeswax, delivering the following benefits:
- Eco-friendliness and safety. Made from hydrogenated soybean oil, soy wax is more eco-friendly than paraffin wax. If made without GMOs, chemicals, or animal products, soy wax is as vegan, natural, and safe as beeswax.
- Lower price than beeswax. In terms of price, soy wax is cheaper than beeswax. Beeswax is very expensive due to its low production volume. Soy wax is easier to manufacture and is thus cheaper, but not as cheap as paraffin wax.
- Lower temperature sensitivity than paraffin wax. Pouring temperatures aren’t as important for soy wax as for paraffin wax. There is a little more room for error with soy wax.
Of, course, soy wax has some downsides as well:
- Soy wax is much softer than both paraffin wax and beeswax. So without any additives or mixing with other waxes, soy cannot stand on its own. This is a key factor to remember with soy waxes.
- The scent throw of soy wax is weak compared to paraffin waxes. If you want a strong fragrance, paraffin waxes are still the go-to despite their disadvantages.
- If you want to dye your candles, you will need more dye with soy wax than with other waxes.
With these pros and cons in mind, you should already have an idea of how well soy wax will truly work for your candle-making needs.
What Kind Of Candles Can You Make With Soy Wax?
Since soy wax is softer than paraffin wax and beeswax, you can’t use it to make pillar candles, taper candles, or any other type of freestanding candle. If you want a 100% soy candle, then freestanding candles are not an option.
But what you can make with soy wax are all kinds of candles in containers, including:
- Jar candles.
- Tealight candles.
- Votive candles.
With these candles, the softness of soy wax won’t matter much because the wax will be supported by the container’s walls. Not only that, but you won’t have to mix any other type of wax with your soy wax, keeping it 100% pure!
How To Make DIY Soy Candles
Soy wax typically comes with candle-making instructions, and you should follow them. But if your wax does not have any instructions, then you may consult the guide below.
So first up, supplies. Here is what you need for a classical container candle:
- Soy wax.
- Wicks
- Essential oils (if you want to add any scents).
- A container for the candle.
- Scissors
- Clothespin
- Wooden spoon.
- A glass bowl.
- Saucepan
- Candy thermometer.
You can buy a candle making kit which contains all the above supplies.
And here’s how you make a jar soy candle:
- Place your soy wax in the glass bowl. Put the bowl on top of a saucepan that is a third full of water. This will make a double boiler.
- Heat the wax until it gets soft and can be poured. Stir occasionally while heating to help the melting and check on the wax’s condition.
- Let the wax cool down. The water temperature should get to about 120 degrees.
- Optional: if you want a scented candle, add as much fragrance as necessary. Take care not to exceed the fragrance load of your soy wax.
- Place the wick in the candle jar. Take some wax with a spoon and place it onto the container’s bottom in the center. Lower the wick into the container so that it just touches the wax. Make sure that the wick is long enough to hang over the jar’s edge.
- Hold the wick until the wax hardens.
- Pinch the top of the wick with a clothespin. Place the clothespin on top of the container so that the wick is upright and centered.
- Stir the wax in the bowl to make sure it’s smooth. Then, pour it into the jar. Don’t fill the jar to the brim!
- If you have any wax left in the bowl, let it solidify and put it away for future use.
- Allow the wax to harden overnight.
- Once the wax is hard, trim the wick.
- The candle is ready for use!
Read our full article on How To Make Scented Candles At Home.
Things To Look For When Shopping For The Best Soy Wax For Candle Making
To help you understand our picks better, here are the 3 key things to consider when shopping for soy wax:
- Fragrance load. Measured in %, fragrance load shows how much fragrance a wax can take per pound of its weight. For example, soy wax with a 10% load can take up to 10% of fragrance per pound of its weight.
- Melting point. To release its scent, the wax needs to be heated to its melting point temperature.
Generally, waxes with a higher melting point have higher fragrance loads and resist hot ambient temperatures better. On the other hand, soy waxes with a low melting point start melting earlier and adhere to the container better, allowing for a more even candle surface.
- Additives. Soy wax usually is sold pure without any additives, but some waxes may include other waxes, oils, or additives for some useful properties. For example, some additives make soy wax harder, allowing you to make pillar candles. If necessary, do extra research to know what you are dealing with.
Note that as long as wax contains 51% soy wax, it can be marketed as soy wax blend. This is different from pure soy wax, so be sure to understand what you are looking at.
Best Soy Wax For Candle Making Reviewed
We now know all the important things about soy waxes. Let’s now take a look at our top picks!
American Soy Organics Midwest Container Soy Wax
This soy wax pack from American Soy Organics has an interesting bead shape. It seems to us that this shape will allow you to pick different amounts of wax more precisely without having to break large pieces of wax.
This should also make the American Soy Organics pack a little less messy, as well as allow it to adhere to your candle container better.
American Soy Organics wax doesn’t contain any additives. It’s advertised to be 100% natural soy wax that is made with American-made soybeans. So by buying from American Soy Organics, you will be supporting the domestic economy!
In terms of candle-making, this soy wax is great – it’s easy to use and makes for smooth candles when poured properly.
This soy wax can take up to around 12% of fragrance too. 12% is a little lower than what you’re getting with other waxes on our top. With that said, the American Soy Organics pack will be a nice choice for those who prefer subtler scents.
Pros:
- Holds up to 12% fragrance.
- Multiple bag sizes available.
- Easy to use thanks to the bead shape.
The Candlemaker’s Store Natural Soy Wax
This soy wax from The Candlemaker’s Store is one of the most popular soy waxes out there (at least, on Amazon). As of this review, this soy wax had 4.6 stars on Amazon based on nearly 2.7k reviews. The vast majority of buyers have liked this wax, and probably so will you!
An interesting thing about this soy wax is that it includes 2% of Universal Soy Wax Additive. This additive is produced by The Candlemaker’s Store (you may buy it separately) and is intended to increase the melting point of the wax and increase its firmness. Apart from that, the additive allows for smoother candles.
Another perk of this soy wax is that it can hold up to 15% of fragrance! This is a lot and should be great for those buyers who’d like a solid blast of their favorite fragrance.
The Candlemaker’s Store also writes that you can blend this wax with 416 soy wax to make tarts, which might interest some of our readers as well.
Pros:
- Holds up to 15% fragrance.
- Makes firmer candles thanks to the Universal Soy Wax Additive.
Cons:
- Some batches of bags may contain less wax than advertised.
Hearts and Crafts Soy Wax and DIY Kit
We’ve also decided to feature a whole candle-making set on our top!
Although the centerpiece for us in this pack is the 10 pounds of soy wax, you are also getting a pair of centering devices along with 100 pre-waxed wicks. The wicks’ quality isn’t the best, but if you have nothing for candle-making, consider this pack.
The included wax is traditional soy wax with no additives. It’s natural, has a melting point of around 121 degrees Fahrenheit, and produces smooth candles with proper pouring. The fragrance load of the Hearts and Crafts wax is just 10%, but this should be just fine if you don’t like overwhelming scents.
The Hearts and Crafts set is rather cost-effective for what you get, and there also is a large 50-pound box available that can save you money! But again, get the small 10-pound pack first to see if you even like this soy wax.
Pros:
- Pretty affordable for what you get.
- Includes the essentials for candle-making.
- 10- and 50-pound packs available.
Cons:
- The wicks aren’t the best.
- No instructions included in the box.
Golden Brands Natural Soy Wax
This 444 soy wax from Golden Brands appears to be a particularly good option for hot climates. With its high melting point (185 degrees Fahrenheit, as claimed on Amazon), it’s going to be less sensitive to heat.
This is great for hot areas, but this might also make this soy wax harder to use. At least, we’ve seen more people complaining about this wax’s easiness of use than with other picks on this top. This may be due to different melting and pouring temperatures.
With that said, Golden Brands wax comes in small flakes that are pretty easy to work with. Like with the American Soy Organics soy wax, this wax will be easier to measure without creating a mess. It should stick to candle containers better as well.
In terms of fragrance holding in this wax, it’s 9-11% from what we’ve gathered from our online research. This is pretty typical for natural soy waxes, but you may not be able to go as high on fragrance intensity as with other soy waxes on this top.
Pros:
- Relatively inexpensive.
- Geared towards hot climates.
- Small flakes that are easy to work with.
Cons:
- Might be harder to use than other waxes.
Candlewic Natural Soy Wax
Lastly on our top, we have this 10-pound bag of natural soy wax from Candlewic. This wax is very similar to The Candlemaker’s Store soy wax reviewed earlier, so it’s a good alternative to it.
The Candlewic wax includes 2% of the Universal Soy Wax Additive – the same additive that The Candlemaker’s Store wax contained. As a reminder, this additive allows for firmer candles and makes smoother candles.
Additionally, if you love intense fragrances, then you should like the Candlewic wax since it holds up to 15% fragrance. It’s also advertised to be suitable for blending with 416 soy wax for tart-making.
Pros:
- Contains 2% Universal Soy Wax Additive for added firmness.
- Holds up to 15% fragrance.
Cons:
- Possible issues with shipping and packaging.
Final Words
Not sure which soy wax to buy? We think that The Candlemaker’s Store Natural Soy Wax is the best option. It’s exceptionally highly rated by buyers, holds a whopping 15% fragrance per pound, and is a good pick for newbies!
Don’t take our word for it though – if necessary, do some extra research to identify the best soy wax for your needs. The candle-making world is exceptionally diverse, so there is a lot for you to learn!
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