The Variety Of Different Candle Making Waxes And Ingredients
When you are a beginner at candle making you will want to make sure that you keep it simple. All you really need is candle making wax and wicks and you will be able to get started. Later on when you are a bit more experienced at making candles you can learn to add scents and colors.
However, with that said let's just start with the basic and go from there.
The most common wax that people use when it comes to making candles is paraffin wax. This is the most modern day wax that has evolved from beeswax amongst other over the years.
When melting paraffin wax one of the best things about it, is the fact that it stays odorless and smokeless. It will tend to melt between 104-160 degrees Fahrenheit (40-71 °C). So it will melt rather quickly with no smoke and no smell in your home.
If you decide not to go with paraffin wax and would rather use beeswax that's good as well. However, beeswax will emanate off a honey smell when melting. And if you would like to use beeswax but would like the longer burning time of using a paraffin wax then you can blend them together. You will be better off using paraffin wax if you are looking to add fragrance to them, because beeswax is very hard to get out of the mold if fragrance is added.
Now if you have used both types of candle making wax (paraffin wax and beeswax) and you are looking for something different you can try an array of other waxes as well. The first on the list of specialty waxes would be soy wax. Soy wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil. It is an all natural product like beeswax but less expensive.
There is also gel wax, which is just a clear gel. If you have ever seen a unique sculpture that was made from candle wax, and it was clear, more than likely it was made from gel wax. There are some downsides to using this method, which the main one is the potential danger you have from using it. You see: the melting of this type of wax isn't exactly like beeswax or paraffin. You have to put gel wax directly over the heat source because of its high melting point and you have to make sure you don’t overheat it.
Just choosing the candle making wax isn't the only thing that you have to worry about. Something important you also need to take into consideration when building your candle is the wick that you choose. The wick will eventually become an art in its own because you will have to choose the right wick based on wax type, candle size, and fragrance additive.
If you are going to be using either soy or paraffin waxes, the best wick for the job will be cotton core wicks. By using these you will help the wick stand up while in the burning phase.
If you are looking at square braid wicks, these will be better for paraffin wax and gel waxes. The wick contains a core of zinc which will allow it to stand up in the melted wax.
Once you have chosen your candle making wax and wick, you will need to make sure that it is primed before you use it. Priming is just when you soak the wick in melted wax to cover it before you use it.
Scott Steward is a candle making enthusiast. For more great information on candle making wax, visit www.easycandlemaker.com where you can subscribe to a zero cost and a no-catch 10-part course on candle making.
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