Soy Candles

Candle jars are as versatile as the stars in the sky.  They come in all shapes and sizes and materials.  They are among some of most attractive holders for candles and make lovely room accessories for the home or gifts for loved ones.  In making your own candles you have a great deal of choice in choosing what container you can use.  Be creative!  Metal tins, glass jars, whimsical looking containers the list is unending.  The glass can be clear, colored, textured, apothecary jars, jelly or Mason jars, square or round jars.  Tins can be round, square, rectangular or hexagonal.  Provided the container you use is heat safe and leak proof, almost any container will work for your candle.

There are various candle molds also available for use in making and shaping your candles.  They range from metal candle molds to any container lined with wax, as an old clean milk carton.  Aluminum molds are popular due to their durability, heat resistance, and are seamless.  If you want to save money in making your candles, then use any wax lined materials you have on hand.  The great thing about them is they are recyclable.

There are many methods availabe in making candles, depending on your mold or container being used.  Using candle containers or jars are the easiest.  You must select what type of wax you prefer to use.  The three most popular types are paraffin wax, soy wax, and beeswax.  Paraffin can get messy to work with while soy wax is easily cleaned up with soap and water.  Beeswax is produced from honeybees and comes in sheets so there is no need for melting, simply wrap it around a wick and press to seal.

Jojoba is a plant that provides forage for the wild animals in arid regions.  The plant is a shrub with oval shaped leathery leaves and small yellow flowers.  It is very water efficient and can store energy for dry periods.  The jojoba wax is its way of storing lipids which is then used for energy.

Animals like to eat the leaves, twigs and bark of the scruffy, scraggly looking plant.  The seeds are more difficult to digest and have a poor taste, also acts as a laxative.  However the jojoba seeds are edible. 

It is used commercially for the wax produced and stored in its seeds.  The wax, known as jojoba oil, is used in cosmetics to industrial lubricants.  It is similar to sperm whale oil in composition, which is very difficult to obtain.  The wax is odorless and clear.  It is used in moisturizers and cosmetic products, and as a carrier oil for fragrances.  Jojoba oil is less apt to go rancid in storage, making it an appealing substance for massage oils and body creams.  It is also used as a makeup remover and in cold creams.  It is popular in the industrial arena for all of the above qualities as a lubricant, source for alternative fuel, and as a potential fungicide.  It can be refined into other products as esters and alcohols as well. 

Jojoba is cultivated in many arid regions of the world, United States, Mexico, the Middle East.  It has a rising commercial value, being a very hardy and reliable crop.  Where the soil is poor and very dry, Jojoba thrives.  Due to its high demand, it has become a profitable crop for those who desire to manage it well. 

The idea to use beeswax in forming candles began in the Middle Ages.  Before that time, beeswax was used by the Ancient Egyptians as a preservative.  The Romans used beeswax to make coins to pay their taxes.

Before the entrance of beeswax in candle making, tallow or fat rendered from butchered animals was used.  These candles provided light but were dirty, offensive in smell and filled the room with smoke.  So when beeswax came on board, they were readily accepted, due to the fact that they were smoke-free, long-burning, had a pleasant honey aroma, and didn’t drip.  The disadvantage was that they were expensive and the common man couldn’t afford them, unless they were a beekeeper.

Beeswax is only produced by the honeybee, as a by-product of ingesting flower nectar and pollen.  It is used in the hive as food for the young honeybee.  Beeswax is a renewable resource. 

Beeswax candles are used today for the same reasons as used in the 14th century.  You can purchase them from gift shops, home furnishing stores, candle-makers, online or in retail stores.  They come in tapers, votives, aromatherapy, body massage candles and even in pillars.  You can purchase a traditional beeswax candle that has the characteristic six-sided honeycomb structure and is coarse to touch, or with modern methods a smooth molded beeswax candle can be produced.  Soy pillar candles need an additive wax in order to hold their shape.  Beeswax is a good source, since it is also non-toxic. 

You can make these candles at home by purchasing thin sheets of beeswax.  Simply put a wick down on the edge of a sheet of beeswax and begin rolling it up, continuing to add layers to your desired candle width.  In the 20th century beeswax candles also began to be made by the dripping technique.  Innovations as the development of silicone used to release the beeswax from the mold have created newer ways to make beeswax candles.

Unity candles are sometimes used in wedding ceremonies.  They symbolize the merging of two families into a new one.  If the bride and groom want to use a unity candle it is usually performed after the exchange of vows but before the official pronouncement of marriage. 

The unity candle is a set of 3 candles, usually two tapers and one pillar type candle.  During the ceremony the bride and groom each light one of the tapers.  Then the clergy says some words about the meaning of the unity candle.  When directed, the bride and groom then use their lit tapers to light the pillar candle together.  The tapers are extinguished but the pillar is left lit to represent the unity of the two.  Sometimes the pillar unity candle is decorated with the wedding invitation or image of the couple.

Pillar soy candles make an excellent choice for the unity candle.  The soy wax is easy to clean up, burns longer than paraffin wax, produces little to no soot, and is non-toxic.  If you want a scented pillar or unscented, the choice is yours.  The pillar unity candle goes home with you to fill your new home with a loving aroma. 

Votive wax candles burn 5-8 hours or more.  Soy wax burns 50% longer than paraffin wax.  A soy wax votive candle will burn 16-18 hours.  These candles are small and round, usually 2.5 inches high by 1.5 inches in diameter.  When lit they melt into oil, requiring a container in which to burn them.  You can find elegant holders to accent your votive candle.

Votive candles were traditionally white and unscented, used in religious ceremonies.  Today votive candles come in all colors and fragrances.  Using a votive holder, makes them fairly safe compared to tapers or pillars, which can be knocked over.  Depending on the quality of wax used in the votive, it may burn very fast or very slow.  It may have a low melting point and produce little to no oil, like a taper candle, or have a very low melting point and turn to oil, like votives that sit in a glass holder. 

You can purchase votives in a variety of different stores.  In a power outage they come in handy because they burn slow and the flames are protected by their glass container.  Be careful once you light the votive, as the glass container will get very hot to touch.  It is best to not move it until cool, as the wax could spill out and make a mess.  Soy wax is easy to clean with just soap and water, if a spill does occur.  Since soy wax melts at a lower temperature there is much less chance of burns occurring.  A scented votive soy wax candle will add a nice glow as well as a wonderful aroma to your home.

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! 

Stress is often downplayed as a natural condition of life, which rings true, however possessing excessive stress can lead to serious conditions.  While stress itself does not have a direct correlation to particular disease or illness, it can be a leading contributor to serious conditions.  Relieving stress is not all that difficult, most of the time it involves a few simple life changes, however in extreme circumstances it can be more difficult.  To relieve stress, it’s important to find comfort in those brief moments of solace throughout the day; you might treat yourself to lunch, settle down to a magazine with an aromatherapy soy candle burning, or just schedule a fun activity with your family.

Having something to look forward to is paramount to relieving stress, as stress is caused by the day to day activities that are necessary but not necessarily enjoyable.  Humans were not designed to have constant forward momentum, so don’t feel bad taking in the moment and relaxing! 

Did you know that new research is implying that soy can play a part in helping you achieve weight loss goals?  To start with, soy protein helps you feel fuller longer.  By eating soy protein your stomach sends a message to your brain that it is full and in response you don’t have as much urge to snack between meals or late at night.  Soy  protein is also low in carbs.  It is the only vegetable that has more protein than carbs.  Soy protein has a low-glycemic index, meaning it won’t cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels after consumption.  This will mean fewer hunger cravings and less fat storage.  Soy protein is a complete protein, the only plant protein to contain all 9 amino acids in the right balance to meet your body’s needs.  

Soybeans are good for more than just animal feed and making soy wax for soy candles.  This new research just supports the continued supply and demand for soybeans.  This info was taken from www.revivalsoy.com.  Their research is in step with providing an eco-friendly environment.  Have you made a new years resolution to lose weight?  Visit this website and learn more.  Also make the better choice to burn soy candles this year.

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.