It is the stuff that helps our candles burn in a beautiful glimmer with radiant bliss. This article will reveal some of the entry-level descriptions of the different kinds of waxes you can use to make candles.
Making candles is like making hot chocolate on a cold winter day with the best chocolate. Skimp on the essentials and you get a hot mess on your hands. In this day and age, the growth of candle making is quite massive. Even beginners are finding they too candle make beautiful candles with ease. But the question always comes up. What kind to use?
For starters, the wax used to make candles is diverse. Many waxes (like paraffin for example) are made containing petroleum products. In fact, most candles made these days are made with paraffin wax. The reason is it is cheaply available compared to other types of candle materials.
Fun Paraffin facts:
-Paraffin is edible
-Yes, you can eat it
-Many fruits and vegetables are coated with paraffin wax
-It acts as a preservative to keep foods fresh
The bonus is paraffin covered fruits and vegetables appear shiny in the market so your eyes are drawn to their sparkling appearance.
Now before you try to spend the least amount of money on wax, there are other types used for specific candle styles. They include bayberry, soy, palm and beeswax. Over the last few years, soy has become quite popular because its natural attributes. Let's face it. Eco is in. So natural waxes are very trendy and earthy.
Bayberry comes from what? You guessed it. Bayberries. Early settlers hundreds of years ago made their candles by using bayberry wax. Only, bayberry is sometimes is referred as the untrue wax. It is because these days, bayberry waxes are made with other items such as glyceride. Finding pure bayberry products are nearly impossible. Manufacturers looking to maintain the bayberry association often only use a mere 5% bayberry when producing the traditional wax.
Soy wax is made from soybeans. Because soybeans are commonly raised in the mid west USA, it is easy to find in many crafting stores. One rumor floating around the candle making community is soy is water soluble. In fact, this is far from the truth. Think about it. If soy wax was water soluble you would have a world without any soy wax candles. A simple concept. Yet, soy waxes are prevalent in almost every candle shop in America and abroad.
Palm materials were once quite popular in the 1990s. However, palm trees are grown in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. Recent news on the devastation of palm rainforests and their habitats have contributed to palm wax becoming less popular. What was once a well-selected wax, palm is no longer the hip choice to choose. Since many candle makers believe in being Eco-friendly, palm has lost its public appeal due to the destructive nature of its production.
The shape of waxes sometimes comes to mind. When I shopped for my first candle wax I was astonished. Such big blocks I thought. You see, many waxes come in big blocks sold at many retailers. Blocks range from 10-25 lbs.
Simply smashing the blocks with a small household hammer will create pieces more easily melted.
Another popular candle making wax is beeswax. Because beeswax is another natural product (from the hives of bees), it too is more prevalent. Beeswax comes in yellow and white. However, as you will soon discover, beeswax will cost a little more than other kinds. Because beeswax is a fragrant wax, it does, however, sell well in the U.S.
In recent years, gel wax has become the rage. The texture is almost rubber-like. When using gel wax, the benefit is it comes in 3 types of density. When you are making gel wax candles, the density comes into play when you are adding fragrances to the wax. The really nice thing about gel waxes are they burn a very long time (nearly twice as long as paraffin).
Gel waxes with a 0-3% density (considered low) is unique for candles contain a fragrance. It may also be poured into your candle molds during a lower temperature. Heavily saturated fragrance gel waxes work best with densities in the 3-5% range. Among all types, gel waxes are the most popular among many candle makers who wish to create candles containing decorations. You can drop just about any object into your cooling gel wax to give your candles a unique look. However, be cautious the materials you use to decorate your gel candles will not burn. Although gel wax is fun to work with there are more steps involved in selecting the right grade of gel wax for your candle.
No matter which wax you choose, remember one thing. Certain waxes are best for a specific style candle. Decide which type of candle you wish to make first. Then select the best wax for your creation.
For more great information on candle making wax visit http://www.bestcandlemaking.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_David_Gustafson
