Soy Candles

Verbena is a plant that can be grown as a perennial in frost free climates or as an annual otherwise.  They include herbs, shrubs and trees, can be wild or cultivated, and some which have fragrant showy flowers.  Some have leaves that are used in culinary methods.  The ones that grow in the U.S. are wild members called vervains.  They grow without much fuss if you do three things to help promote their growth: pick off the faded blooms called deadheading, fertilize once a year but wait till they are established and growing, and water often when first planted then only when very dry.  The plants grow in clumps and can reach heights of 6-10 inches.  The flowers can be pink, mauve, white, apricot, red, or purple and are very tiny, 5 petaled.  Verbena can be found in garden centers for purchase but are easy to grow from seeds.  It is popular in hanging baskets and in rock gardens and for edging, also in window boxes.  They do need 8-10 hours of direct sunlight and well drained soil.  A potential problem if they do not have these two things is powdery mildew.  Then the spider mites and thrips might also become a problem.  So be sure to offer plenty of sun and keep the soil well drained.  Verbena is a favorite in butterfly gardens, since it grows non-stop for several weeks. 

Verbena has a history behind it.  It has been associated with supernatural and divine forces.  In Ancient Egypt it was called “tears of Isis” and later ” Juno’s tears”.  Ancient Greece dedicated it to Eos Erigineia.  Even in the early Christian era, it was given to folk legend that Common Vervain was used on Jesus wounds after removal from the cross, then became called the “Holy Herb” or “Devil’s bane.  Then there is the legend that when mixed with a herbal tea and by keeping it near you it will protect you from vampires.  The flowers are engraved on Italian charms and is used in the preparation of a mandragora charm outlined in the ”The History and Practice of Magic” 1870 by Paul Christian.

Lemon verbena also known as citronalis has a lemony flavor and scent.  It is sometimes called verbena but is actually from a different plant.  Cultivated verbenas and lemon verbanas are used in tisanes.  These are tea like drinks in which herbs, flowers, or leaves are steeped.  You can find tea bags with verbena or vervain in them in health food stores.  Parts of these plants are distilled to create oils or used in condiments.  Verbena also has aroma-therapeutic uses.  Lemon verbena is believed to be a calming and sedative herb, and when combined with lavender and clary sage in a relaxing blend of essential oils can be used in massage. 

You can find the fragrance of verbena in soy candles and fill your home with that same aroma-therapeutic pleasure.  Verbena can bring calm and peace to your home this Christmas season in the fragrances of Verbena Berry Soy Candle, Coconut Lime Verbena Soy Candle, Soy Votive Candles in these same fragrances, Fragrance Oils in these same fragrances and Start Me Up Gourmet Body Massage Soy Candle.  Have a blessed holiday season!  

When candles are burned they release pollutants.  Combustion creates an assortment of chemical compounds.  There are worse contributors of environmental pollutants than candles however, like open fireplaces, cars, unclean power plants, dirty manufacturing processes, and many more.  Because candles release a much smaller amount of pollutants, you can put them on the bottom of your environmental awareness list.

Some candles are worse with releasing pollutants-than others and if you are thinking of going green you should give soy candles, beeswax or vegetable based candles a try.  The traditional paraffin candles do emit more pollutants.  The ways that burning candles are bad for the environment are due to the byproducts produced when they are combusted.  One byproduct is carbon dioxide.  Paraffin is a petroleum product, a nonrenewable resource, and adds to the pollution through oil spills and issues associated with the process of oil extraction.  Candles produce soot, which is a particulate material that can cause lung irritation.  However soy candles produce very little soot, making them an excellent alternative in the green awareness.  Also the wick can be an issue with burning candles.  Be sure to purchase candles with natural cotton wicks.  Some wicks have zinc and lead as additives, when burned releasing harmful gases.  Even though lead wicks are banned in some parts of the world it is hard to enforce.  Be sure and check the label before buying your candles.  Then think of the wrapping your candle is packaged in.  Is it biodegradable wrapping?  Also the container you candle comes in, is it reusable?   

Our soy candles are made with all natural cotton wicks and have no lead or zinc.  The containers are easily reusable.  The nice thing about soy wax is that it cleans up with just soap and water, making the container environmentally friendly.  Enjoy the holidays with our scented natural soy wax candles.  They come in various reusable containers and sizes, as well as pillar soy candles, soy votives, body massage soy candles, wood wick soy candles and aromatherapy soy candles.  They make great gifts for the hard to buy for person on you holiday shopping list!  

Bayberry comes from a species of small trees and shrubs belonging to the family Myricaceae.  They are found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America.  Australasia seems to be lacking in its ability to grow Bayberry.  The proper name is Myrica and common names include Bayberry, Bay-rum tree, Candleberry, Sweet Gale and Wax-myrtle.  They grow from 1 meter shrubs to 20 meter trees.  The majority are evergreen with a few deciduous mixed in.  They are able to grow in soil that is poor in nitrogen content.  The fruit is small and has a wax coating.  Most birds can’t digest the wax coating but the Yellow-rumped Warbler of North America have adapted to eating it.  The wax is energy rich and allows the bird to winter further north in colder climate.

The foliage is a traditional insect repellent, used in camping to keep biting insects out of campers tents.  Gardeners like to grow ornamental plants of bayberry in their gardens.  China harvests the fruit of the Myrica rubra being an economically important crop.  Myrica is used to spice beer and snaps in Denmark. The bayberry wax coating has been traditionally used to make candles.  In a most famous novel, “The Swiss Family Robinson”,  the bayberry wax was used to make their candles.

You can find the bayberry fragrance in these size soy candles: 18 oz, 10 oz, 6.5 oz and 4 oz soy candle containers.  Also bayberry comes in soy votives of a single 2 oz or in a 12-pack.  Soy tart melts in a 6-pack will spice up any room with bayberry fragrance.  And also bayberry fragrance oil applied to a lamp ring will be a delightful addition to any home.  If you like berry scented soy candles and want to try a more exotic twist give bayberry a try this summer. 

Most practicing Jews begin their celebration of Sabbath with the lighting of the Sabbath candles.  It begins on Friday night and is a time of rest, no work and inner reflection.  It begins precisely 18 minutes prior to sundown and is started with a prayer, usually spoken in Hebrew.  The oldest woman in the house is responsible for the lighting of the candles.  When there is not a woman present then the oldest man will light the candles and say the prayer.  It is then customary to cover their eyes, so not to see the light.  Two is the traditional minimum number of candles used, but more is OK.  The two candles represent two important texts in the Old Testament or the Torah.  During the Sabbath the candles are also an important source of light, as even electricity is shunned. 

Soy candles can be used as a source of light in areas where there is no electricity.  It is always a good idea to have a few on hand, especially during the stormy weather ahead.  Scented soy candles come in pillars, votives, containers, tart melts, aromatherapy, body massage and wood wicks.  Pick your favorite fragrance, color and size.  Soy candles are made from natural soy wax and are non-toxic, biodegradable, affordable, a renewable resource, and are a healthy choice.

Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree native to Sri Lanka (Ceylon).  The leaves are ovate-oblong and its flowers have a greenish color with a distinct odor.  The fruit is a purple berry containing a single seed.  Its flavor is due to an aromatic essential oil that makes up 0.5-1% of its composition.  This oil is made by pounding the bark, macerating it in seawater and then quickly distilling it.  The oil has a golden-yellow color with the characteristic odor of cinnamon and a hot aromatic taste. 

Cinnamon has been known down through history and was regarded as a gift fit for monarchs and great leaders.  It was imported to Egypt and China from Sri Lanka in the early 2000 BC.  You can find it mentioned several times in the Bible.  Up to the Middle Ages the source of cinnamon was a mystery to the Western world.  Eventually it became known to the world and is now grown and cultivated in other areas of the world.  In 2006 Sri Lanka produced 90% of the world’s cinnamon, followed by China, India and Vietnam.

Uses of cinnamon include a spice, used in pickling and when mixed with rosewater to make a curry powder for stews.  In medicine it acts like other volatile oils and once had a reputation for curing colds and treating diarrhea and other digestive disorders.  It is high in antioxidant activity.  The essential oil of cinnamon has antimicrobial properties which can aid in the preservation of certain foods.  It has been proposed as an insect repellent but remains untested of this date.  Cinnamon leaf oil has been found effective in killing mosquito larvae. 

If you enjoy the fragrance of cinnamon a new idea would be the enjoyment of burning scented soy candles in your home or office.  You can find the cinnamon scent in these fragrances: Cinnamon, Apple Cinnamon, Hot apple Pie, Noel and Yuletide.  They come in soy votives, soy container candles in all sizes and fragrance oils.  Why not try one today!  

Simply put, votive candle holders are designed to hold votive candles.  The holders come in an array of  sizes and shapes.  The material used to make them can be from metal, wood, stone, glass, or ceramic.  You can find them in home supply stores, from companies who deal in candles and lighting, or even make them yourself. 

A votive candle is a small round pillar candle of standard size, usually 2 inches high by one and a half inches.  They can come in other sizes and shapes also.  A votive candle is used in religious services in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.  They can be made from paraffin, beeswax, soy wax or other waxes.

Candle holders made to hold votives are designed to allow the candle to burn freely without guttering in the wind.  A classic holder is tall and cylindrical with a closed bottom, is made from glass that is clear or colored.  Since the flame is contained in the tall glass holder, making it relatively safe, you can use votives in a large display for parties.  Since a single votive doesn’t give off much light, used in large numbers you will have a nice lighting effect.  A votive candle holder can also be found shaped like a lamp, a candlestick, a candle tray, and a candelabra.  Many holders are versatile and can also hold tea-lights, and taller pillar candles.

For a truly economical and environmentally safe votive candle, try one made of natural soy wax.  Scented soy votive candles are non-toxic and clean up with just soap and water.  They produce little to no soot and burn 50% longer than paraffin wax candles.

Frankincense is used to make incense and perfumes.  It is actually a dried tree sap or aromatic resin.  It has been associated with the story of the birth of baby Jesus as one of the gifts the wise-men brought.  It comes from trees of the “Boswellia” genus, one of which is the  deciduous tree “Boswellia Thurifera”.  These trees can be found in Somalia, Oman and Yemen.  They are known for their ability to grow in unfavorable environments, such as seemingly to grow out of solid rock.  A disk-like growth at the base of the tree somehow attaches itself to the rock, that prevents it from being torn away during the frequent violent storms in these areas.  Trees that are grown in gravel or rocky soil don’t exhibit this bulbous disk-like growth in such extreme. 

The aromatic resin or tree sap is diverse within this species of trees depending on the soil and climate it is grown in and the species of frankincense tree.  Frankincense is tapped by scraping or cutting the bark and allowing the sap to ooze or bleed out and harden.  The sap is then collected and now is called tears.  This process is done 2 -3 times per year.  Younger trees produce a higher quality resin and if opaque is of superior quality.  Resin value is determined by fragrance, color and clump size.  The lighter and larger clumps are more valuable. 

Frankincense was used in the ancient world to make incense, to perfume the homes of the ancient Greeks and Romans.  It was used in religious rituals of the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians and Babylonians, later in Jewish rites and even later in Catholic rites.  It was also know for its medicinal purposes in history: the first antidote for hemlock poisoning; cure for vomiting, diarrhea, fever and tumors; and today in China to treat leprosy and gonorrhea; in Asia used in medicine to treat digestion and for healthy skin.  Frankincense is edible.  It is chewed like gum but must be pure, no black or brown impurities.  It must be translucent, a light yellow with a slight greenish tint.

Frankincense is used today in perfumery and aromatherapy.  It can be mixed with spices or seeds to create its desired aroma.  The chunks of raw resin can also be placed directly on a heat source to create an incense quality aroma that repels mosquitoes.  The essential oil “Olibanum” is obtained through steam distillation of the dry resin.  Perfumes may contain this essential oil that evaporates slowly, thus maintaining its fragrance.  The essential oil is also used in aromatherapy and is known for its stress-reducing properties.  It has a fresh sweet fragrance that is characterized by a balsamic-spicy, slightly lemon, slight conifer-like undertone.

For a simple way to enjoy the scent of Frankincense try scented soy candles.  You can find this aroma in the scent of “Oh Holy Night”.  This fragrance comes in a variety of styles and sizes of gourmet scented soy candles, soy container candles, soy jar candles, soy candle tins, soy votive,  gourmet soy tart melts, and fragrance oils.

Eucalyptus is a broad group of trees and sometimes shrubs that grow mostly in Australia.  The word means “well covered”.  In Australia there are over 700 species of eucalyptus.  It also is found in small numbers in parts of New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines, America, England, Africa, Middle East, China, the Indian Subcontinent and the Mediterranean Basin. 

Uses of the eucalyptus tree include:

1. A wood source that has made them economically important in poorer regions of the world.
2. Its oil serves as a natural insecticide and cleaner.
3. Since it sucks water from the ground it is being planted to drain swamps.  In the process it reduces the malaria risk in those areas.
4. The leaves are beneficial in that they contain compounds that are natural disinfectants. 
5. There is an essential oil that is extracted from the leaves.  In large quantities, however this compound is toxic.  Steam distillation is used to extract the eucalyptus oil from the leaves.  This oil is used for cleaning purposes, deodorizing, in small amounts in food supplements as cough drops, sweets and decongestants. 
6. It is an active ingredient in some commercial mosquito repellents as it has insect repellent properties. 
7. The nectar of some trees produce honey. 
8. The wood is used in making Australian Aboriginal wood instruments. 
9. Dyes can be made from all parts of the eucalyptus and the material left over from the processing can be used for mulch and fertilizers.

Scented soy candles uses the fragrant essential oil of eucalyptus in making a pleasing aroma for your home.  You can find this fragrance in soy candle container jars, 4oz travel tins, gourmet soy melts, soy votive, fragrance oil, and in the fragrance of “Cool Breeze” in aromatherapy and body massage soy candles. 

The definition of a flameless candle usually refers to a battery powered candle.  It does not have a wick or plastic appearing flame.  They produce a luminescent glow, similar to that of a votive, tea lights or tapers.  They come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  There is no fire hazard when using a battery powered candle.  The look of a flameless candle is more life-like when you purchase one that resembles a votive, tea light or round oblong candle.  These kinds of wax candles have the flame and wick sinking below the top of the candle, thus emitting a glow when lit.  With a taper wax candle the wick and flame are more visible.  Therefore using a flameless taper is not as effective in fooling people.  You can even find a battery powered candle that emits a fragrance.  You can use these candles in the same way you would use a soy votive candle, in a pretty glass holder, in a Halloween pumpkin, in an unused fireplace, the bathroom, any room in your home or office.  When your flameless candle goes out, simply replace the batteries.

Soy tart melts are another type of flameless candle.  They are small chunks of soy wax that have no wick.  Their intended purpose is to place them into an electric tart warmer and allow them to melt.  Their fragrance is emitted as they are melting.  You have no flame to worry about, no dripping wax to clean up, no batteries to replace.  You can even mix different scented melts in your warmer, to create your own special scent.  Another excellent use of melts are to break apart the chunks and place one in each closet or dresser drawer to keep those garments smelling fresh.

Votive candles were first used in tribute to religious deities, popularized in Christian churches in celebration of Jesus.  In modern times, votive candles are more often used to create a romantic atmosphere for husbands and wives.  The votive candle is an individual candle often designed as a small cylinder, and multiple candles are used to set the mood of relaxation and romance.  Combine votive candles with a hot bath, dinner, or a fireplace, throw in some rose petals, and your partner is sure to have an evening to remember for years to come. 

Votive candles can also serve as a romantic method to smooth over those little fights or times when your partner has become frustrated!