Candle Wax: Soy vs Paraffin

There has been much debate over the “best” wax for candles. 

Generally speaking, the more luxury candle brands tend to use soy wax, or blends of it in their candle making. This could be due to the perception that soy wax is somehow superior, (being “natural”) but also due to its appearance: soy wax has a creamy opaque texture, whereas paraffin is whiter and slightly translucent. Soy candles tend to burn slower than paraffin ones and require a higher percentage of fragrance to create a good scent – therefore are usually more expensive to produce.

However, to put arguments to rest The National Candle Association has provided the following statements:

• All waxes are primarily hydrocarbons, whether of animal, vegetable, or petroleum origin. The chemical composition of all candle making waxes is similar, and all candle waxes burn in the same manner.
• No specific type of wax or wax blend is considered 'best' for candle making. All waxes - when provided in high-quality format - have been shown to burn cleanly, safely and in the same manner.
• No candle wax has ever been shown to be toxic or harmful to human health.
• There is no such thing as a soot-free wax.

It is often claimed that soy wax is better because it is 'more natural' and 'less harmful to the environment' than paraffin. However this is a misnomer!

Paraffin is a by-product of the petroleum industry, therefore something that already exists and is made use of - so no additional harm to the environment there.

Also the processes to harvest soy and convert into wax uses petroleum in various capacities (vehicles used to harvest, transport, etc.) so really the so-called 'eco-friendly' nature of soy is questionable. 

Some people claim allergies to paraffin-based candles and this may be true, however it is more likely the allergy is caused by a particular fragrance composition rather than the wax.

Really, it is down to personal preference.  That is not to say that all candles are of equal quality. You can get poor quality of either waxes, so you want to still ensure whether you are buying candles with soy or paraffin that they are still of a good value.

Have you had good or bad experiences with either paraffin or soy candles? Please leave a comment - I would love to hear your thoughts :-)