Soy Candles

What is soy wax?  It is a vegetable wax made from soybeans.  The vast majority of soybeans are grown in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.  After the soybeans are harvested they are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes.  Next the oil is extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated.  During this process some of the fatty acids in the oil are converted from unsaturated to saturated.  This is what alters the melting point of the oil and allows it to be a solid at room temperature.  The nice thing is that all of the soybean is put to use.  The leftover bean husks are used as animal feed.

Natural soy wax can be used by candle makers in many different ways.  It can be mixed with paraffin to create a para-soy blend, or used as straight soy wax, or mixed with other natural oils.  As you can see the great advantage of soy wax is that it is a renewable resource.  The only limit to it is how much WE decide to grow in soybeans.  Paraffin wax is in short supply with the worlds oil resources shrinking, thus also causing the price of paraffin to increase.  Remember paraffin is made from the by-products of oil refinement.  Soy wax is Eco-friendly, renewable, American grown, non-toxic or carbon neutral, burns 50% longer than paraffin and produces much less if any soot when burnt.

So make this year 2009, one filled with new choices, new ideas and health conscious decisions.  Burn soy candles in your home, work environment, office, on vacation, wherever you would think of burning a paraffin candle.  You can help to make the world a healthier place to live with the choice of using soy wax candles.

Resolutions, resolutions, resolutions.  How many have you made in the past and never kept?  Plan on making some for this new year?  How about the resolution to turn over a healthier lifestyle!  Start it with soy candles.  They burn cleaner and are better for your health.  They produce very little to no soot, are easy to clean up with soap and water, create no toxins in the air, last 50% longer than paraffin candles, and are a renewable resource being made from soybeans.

Jar candles or tins make a lovely addition to any room.  These candles are easy to move from one place to another.  You won’t have to worry about the wax dripping onto a surface.  The candle holder is a part of the package, so no worrying about purchasing a holder.  When the soy candle is all burnt, you have a beautiful container for yet some other use. 

If you want a different presentation of a soy candle try a pillar soy candle.  They come in different sizes, so you can make a beautiful arrangement with them on your table.  For a truly creative option, try a chunky soy pillar candle.  They are made using richly scented chunks that are over-poured with scented wax of a complimentary fragrance and color.  These soy candles are a marriage of artistry and fragrance.  The result is a pillar soy candle that is a work of art, visually appealing and aromatically pleasing.  When lit they become even more beautiful as the flame dances behind the multi-colored translucent wax.     

Then if you are looking for a smaller version of a pillar, try a soy votive candle.  The up side of burning a votive is you will never get tried of their fragrance.  You can keep trying a new scent often, and find your favorite one.  For elegance, try putting your votive in a beautiful holder and set several around your home, and let their aroma burst forth.

Looking for a flame-less soy candle, try gourmet soy melts.  Just add them to a candle warmer dish, plug it in and let them melt down.  Soy melts come in several fragrances.  Mix and match till you find your favorites.  Remember the warmer dish will clean up with just soap and water.

Aromatherapy soy candles bring the healing power to your mind and body.  These fragrant candles are made with pure essential oils.  Their aromatic fragrance is captivating, beautiful and sensual.  Each one is designed to provide a gourmet aromatherapy soy candle experience.  The powerful scent of orange is held to be invigorating and renewing while lavender has a calming effect.

Soy wood wicks offers a level of ambiance beyond that of traditional soy wax candles that use a cotton wick. The wood wick melts the scented soy wax faster and disperses the soy candle fragrance into the air much quicker.  With a wood wick soy candle you can hear the soothing sound of the organic wood wick, softly crackling as it burns.

Gourmet body massage soy candles will heighten your senses; of touch (as the warm skin-nourishing and moisturizing massage oil is gently massaged into your skin), of sight (by setting the mood with the mesmerizing glow of candlelight) and smell (from its deliciously soft fragrance).  They will ignite your love life, helping to make those special moments even more intimate.  The candle oil is irresistible!  The nutrient rich oils contained in the soy candle will rejuvenate, soften and hydrate your skin.  Along with improving skin resiliency and texture, the massage soy oil blend will leave your skin luxurious, silky smooth and delicately scented.

Try a fragrance oil that is 100% pure and undiluted.  You can add fragrance oil to potpourri or use them in a scent burner.  They are perfect to use in a lamp ring.  Simply pour a small amount of your favorite scent into the lamp ring, set it on top of the light bulb and turn on the lamp.  The heat from the bulb will disperse the scent from the fragrance oil throughout your home. 

Whatever your choice of soy candle is, you can’t go wrong.  Mix and match styles, sizes and fragrances for a truly, enjoyable, healthy, soy candle experience.  Happy New Year!  

Ylang-ylang grows on the cananga tree.  It is a small flower that is greenish yellow, on rare occasion pink and curly like a sea star.  The tree is fast growing and reaches a height of 12 meters.  It grows 5 meters per year.  It grows in full or partial sun and grows best in the rain-forest where the soil is acidic.  The flower yields a very fragrant essential oil.  Its fruit is a staple food item for several types of birds.  It has been cultivated in temperate conditions in the laboratory. 

The plant is native to the Philippines and Indonesia.  Ylang-ylang either means “wilderness” where it prefers to grow or “rare” pertaining to its alluring delicate scent.  Its fragrance is rich and deep with hints of rubber and custard and bright with traces of jasmine and neroli.  Neroli has a refreshing, distinctive , spicy aroma with sweet, flowery notes.  Steam distillation is used to obtain the essential oil from the flower. 

In aromatherapy the essential oil is believed to relieve high blood pressure, normalize sebum secretion for skin problems.  It is a common ingredient in the motion sickness medicine, Motion-Eaze.  It is also considered to be an aphrodisiac.  Chanel No. 5, a floral themed perfume uses ylang-ylang in it.  Ylang-ylang blends well with most floral, fruit and wood smells.  Ylang-ylang flowers are spread on the bed of newlyweds in Indonesia.  Filipino women use the flowers along with sampaguita flowers to make a necklace that they wear.  The necklace is also used to adorn religious images.

Scented soy candles also use the essential oil of ylang-ylang in making a very relaxing fragrance.  Its aroma is a sweet floral smell, similar to jasmine.  Remember it is a potent aid to romance and has its use in aromatherapy.  You can find this scent in fragrance oils, gourmet soy candle containers, soy tart melts, gourmet body massage soy candles, soy votive and aromatherapy soy candles.  Look for this fragrance in the scents of Ylang-ylang, Enchanted Journey or Sensual Moments. 

Myrrh is a reddish-brown resinous material, the dried sap of the tree Commiphora myrrha.  It is native to Yemen, Somalia and the eastern parts of Ethiopia.

Myrrh was greatly valued in ancient times.  It was well worth its weight in gold.  It came to be synonymous with the word “perfume”.  Myrrh was one of the ingredients of perfumes in that time .  In ancient Rome it was valued 5 times as much as frankincense, even though frankincense was more popular.  Myrrh was used in Roman funerals to cover up the smell of the burning corpses,   They obviously believed in cremation as a source of burial.  It was also used to fumigate wine jars before bottling the wine.

Myrrh has a religious connection.  It was mentioned as a primary ingredient in the holy anointing oil Moses was commanded to make by God.  It was one of the gifts the Magi brought to the infant Jesus, was offered to Jesus during the crucifixion and was one of the spices used in preparing Jesus body for burial.  Today it is used by many churches in the preparation of chrism, which is consecrated oil used in baptism and confirmation. 

In the medical arena it is used as an antiseptic, found in mouthwashes, gargles and toothpastes for prevention and treatment of gum disease.  It is also used in some liniments and healing salves that can be applied to minor skin aliments and abrasions.  When the myrrh gum is mixed into vinegar it has a property that is used in alternative medicine to remove blood congestion and relieve pain.  It is used in the production of Fernet, a home remedy used in the treatment of menstrual and gastrointestinal discomforts, such as hangovers, baby colic and cholera.  Fernet is a bitter aromatic spirit made from over 40 herbs and spices.

Myrrh is also used as an ingredient in the making of scented soy candles.  You can find it in the fragrances of Oh Holy Night and Burning Desire. Herald in the new year with a gourmet soy candle or fragrance oil filling your home with a royal aroma. 

A tea-light is a smaller version of a votive.  It is wider than it is tall and usually comes in a metal container.  As it burns it liquifies like a votive.  They can be used for warming food, warming tea, for decor, and for religious services.  They can be found scented or unscented.  Most generally they are made from paraffin wax.  They are inexpensive and can be bought in bulk form. 

A favorite party of mine growing up as a young adult was a fondue party.  The fondue pot was warmed by tea-lights.  Everyone would bring their pot and into it would go various sauces, like cheese, chocolate, oil.  Then when melted and hot, in would go the goodies on fondue forks for the coating of sauce or cooking of meat.  It was great fun and fellowship.  Fondue pots seem to be a thing of the past.  If you do use one these days it is usually electric, which takes all the fun out of the party.

Soy votive candles are a big sister to tea-lights.  They are taller and wider and of course last even longer.  They also come scented, colored, unscented, and are inexpensive.  In today’s economy it pays to count your pennies.  Using a votive can help you do just that, save money, especially when your votive is made from soy-wax.  They burn 50% longer than a votive made from paraffin wax.  You can find all sorts of holders to display your votive in and enhance your room decor.  With the holidays just around the corner, try one of our holiday fragrances and fill your home with a warm scent of holiday cheer. 

• Bayberry
• Dickens Christmas
• Eggnog
• Hollyberry
• Oh Holy Night
• Victorian Christmas
• Yuletide Memories

The process of making pillar soy candles with chunks in them takes more than one day to do.  It make take several days to accomplish.  You first need to make the colored chunks.  When they have hardened you are ready for the next step of making the pillars themselves. 

You will need soy-wax to begin and a double-boiler, that you won’t want to use again for anything else.  However the nice thing about soy-wax is that you can easily clean that double-boiler with soap and water.  With this in mind, you could use it to cook in once again.  Purchase the color dyes you will want to use and have on hand items to harden the soy-wax chunks in.  Ice-cubes trays work well for this step, if you want thick chunks.  For thinner chunks simply pour your soy-wax onto a cookie tray, let harden, then break off the size chunks you want.

Next plan out how you want your pillar soy candle to look, geometric or random.  What will be the width of your pillar mold?  This plays a big part in your pattern of placing chunks.  Spraying the mold with kitchen spray will help the pillar candle slid out easily when cooled.  Of course you will need wicks and will need to follow the manufacturers instructions on placing the wicks, as different molds have their own way of inserting the wicks. 

You can place different colored chunks in your pillar.  Once you have in mind your design for the chunks, pour white soy-wax into your mold and fill in the gaps between the chunks.  You can have some chunks come up over the brim of the mold if you want.  To be real creative, use cookie cutters to fashion your chunks.  Now brush on some melted soy-wax on the chunks and stick them to the inside walls of your mold.  Fill the rest of the mold with the white soy-wax as above.  If you want colored wax, just pick a complimentary color to use with your chunks.  A great idea for an inexpensive candle mold is old used wax milk cartons.  Simply clean and dry them out.  If you want a scented pillar soy chunky candle, buy a few favorite fragrances and add to your melted wax.

Now you are ready to set the stage for your table decor, for that family holiday dinner.  Make and use different heights of pillars for a stepped presentation, add some greenery around the base and presto, a lovely holiday creation!  What a wonderful gift idea to give to your special loved ones.  Be bold and let your imagination go, as you bring into creation your own new holiday tradition, that of making your very own pillar soy chunky candles. 

A pillar candle has a tremendous amount of wax in them to be able to burn for a longer time frame.  They are very wide to allow for this amount of wax.  They come in different sizes and heights.  If you have a power outage they come in handy for lighting or just to accent your home decor.  Pillar candles outstanding characteristic is its width.  This separates it from tapers.  They are most often found in a round or square shape. 

You can burn a pillar on any nonflammable object.  Many use a plate or dish.  You can buy a plate with spikes that will impale the candle and hold it in place.  It is recommended to use some sort of candle holder for your pillar to catch the wax and hold the candle in place, to reduce the risk of fire while it is burning. 

A pillar can be made from many different types of wax.  It can be dyed or just left a plain color.  You can find them scented or unscented.  It is easy to make a pillar candle at home with the right candle making equipment and knowledge. 

If you are concerned about the environment the best type of pillar to try is one made from soy-wax.  Soy-wax comes from the soybean.  It is a renewable resource, helping to give the American farming industry a boost.  Soy-wax is non-toxic and a better choice for individuals that have any sort of breathing issues.  It also burns at a lower temperature so lasts longer than a paraffin wax pillar.  The nice plus with soy-wax is that you can clean up a wax spill or your candle container with just soap and water.  Pillar soy candles come in a variety of fragrances.  You can try a traditional pillar or a chunky pillar.  They make a great holiday table decoration, intermingled with some garland and evergreen.  Ring in the holidays with your own creative centerpiece using pillar soy candles!

Drip-less candles do not drip wax when burned properly.  The advantage is that you don’t have a ruined surface and no mess to clean up.  You can find tapers, pillars and cylindrical candles that are drip-less.  Be sure to replace a drip-less candle before it burns all the way down, as it can create a wax plug in your candle holder that is hard to remove.  To burn it properly keep the candle upright, straight and still while burning.  If you allow it to lean, it will burn unevenly and may drip, even though it is a drip-less candle.  Also drafts can cause uneven burns, resulting in dripping, so keep the candle out of places where drafts occur. 

The wick on a pillar drip-less candle must be absorbent enough to not allow the melted wax pool to become to high.  If the wax pool does get to high, the flame will be reduced to a tiny flame and might even go out.  A quality drip-less candle will not have this problem.  You can also find pillars in may different fragrances.  They make a lovely accent piece in your home. 

To make a taper drip-less candle you will need a thick absorbent wick that will consume the melting wax before it can drip.  All you will have left of the taper candle in the candleholder is the stub, as the rest of the candle has burned away.  Pillar style drip-less candles are made with two different kinds of wax.  In the core a softer wax is used and on the outside a harder wax that has a higher melting point is used.  This will form the outer shell of the pillar that will stay intact as the inner core burns down the center.

If you are looking for a pillar candle that is easy to clean up and will elegantly accent your home decor, try a chunky pillar soy candle.  It cleans up with two easy items, soap and water.  They are made using richly scented chunks of soy wax that are over-poured with scented wax of a complimentary fragrance and color.  These soy candles are a marriage of artistry and fragrance.  The result is a work of art that is visually appealing and aromatically pleasing.  When lit they become even more beautiful as the flame dances behind the multi-colored translucent wax. 

Taper candles are widely used and very common.  They often come to mind first when thinking of candles.  They are tall, thin candles.  Their burn time depends on their height.  You can find them in a variety of sizes, colors and scents.  Taper candles are most often made by the dipping process.  This is done by taking a very long wick and dipping it into a pot of hot wax.  You can even do two at a time if your wick is extra long and looped at the top.  This process allows for different layers of colors in a single candle, while producing a very smooth texture.  Another way to make tapers is by using molds.  This allows for mass production, unusual shapes, and uniform looking tapers.  Beeswax can also be used for tapers by rolling sheets of beeswax around the wicks.  These are more expensive but have a very rich and delicate scent. 

The waxes used for tapers can vary.  Paraffin is one choice, beeswax as described above is another.  Then there is the cleaner burning choice of soy-wax.  It burns at a  lower temperature, produces much less if any soot, is non-toxic, and is a renewable resource.  Soy-wax is made from soybeans and helps promote the American farm industry.  Soy-wax can be dyed or scented as desired and holds its fragrance longer.  

Tapers must be burnt in a candle holder or they will fall over, becoming a fire hazard.  They are a good idea to have around in case of a power outage.  Better yet why not have several pillar soy candles around the house.  They will last longer, since they are made from a larger amount of wax and you don’t need a candle holder to keep them upright.  If you want a more elegant looking candle try a chunky pillar soy candle.  They have small bits of different colored wax mixed into the main pillar that when lit become even more beautiful as the flame dances behind the multi-colored translucent wax.

Simply put, a container candle is a candle sold in a container, such as a glass jar or metal tin.  A soy container candle is one made from soy-wax from the soybean.  The candles are molded directly inside their respective container with the hot soy-wax.  The soy candle is made to be stored and burned in its original container.  Using a soy container candle provides for greater safety from being a fire hazard.  You can find a wide range of containers ranging in many sizes, shapes, styles and materials.  You can even find container candles made from recycled materials. 

Scented soy container candles come with lids to keep the fragrance contained until you want to burn the candle.  A lid makes it easy to transport the soy candle from one room to another.  The lid also prevents the scent from becoming overwhelming when not in use, as it can permeate other objects.

You can make your own soy container candle at home.  Just purchase some soy-wax and collect your choice of container and go to work on your own creation.  Happy Holidays!