In the world of candles, there are three main waxes to choose from, Paraffin, Soy, and Coconut. Each of these presents their own benefits and disadvantages and not one of them is perfect. Well, we think Soy wax is as close to perfect as it gets. Here’s why.
SOY IS NATURAL
Soy wax is quite literally the byproduct of soybeans. From the beans we get oil and from the oil we get wax. The soy wax we use at Milkglass Candle is 100% organic, non-gmo, american farmed, soy! Unlike paraffin wax, which is a byproduct of petroleum (isn’t that what they make styrofoam out of?) soy burns cleanly and is safe for you, your pets, and your HVAC system. Paraffin is said to contain harmful toxins that not only may affect the respiratory system, but also AC units, both vitally important, especially here in the state of Florida.
So why would anyone choose to use Paraffin over Soy wax? The answer is quite simple. Paraffin wax is incredibly cheap! This affordable price tag, however, also comes with other benefits, but none that serves the consumer. Unlike soy wax, paraffin is much easier to work with. It works better in clear jars and tends to maintain a prettier looking surface. While these characteristics mainly go unnoticed by the consumer, they are everything to the candle maker. Some Paraffin candles attempt to pass as soy wax candles under the alias of a soy wax “blend”. While many soy wax users do blend harmless ingredients into their soy that help protect the candle from the effects of UV light (we don’t add anything to ours) it’s likely that soy “blend” candles contain a considerable amount of Paraffin. At Milkglass, we are proud of our ingredients and we are proud to label our candles 100% soy wax.
SOY IS COST EFFECTIVE TO OUR MILKGLASS FAMILY
Paraffin may be the cheaper option, but coconut wax sits at the other end of the table. Coconut wax is beautiful and clean, however, due to its labor intensive process, coconut wax ends up costing candle makers so much more to make over soy, this cost is then passed down to you, the customer, and we’ve found that it’s just not worth it. Coconut wax isn’t any cleaner than soy wax, so why create the extra costs? At Milkglass Candle we host adoption fundraisers for hopeful adoptive families. It’s crucial that we provide a product their friends and family will not only LOVE, but also want to buy more of. Keeping our costs where they are allows us to provide that perfect combination of beauty and affordability to every hopeful adoptive family that hosts a fundraiser with us.
But what about the draw-backs to soy wax?
Yes, soy wax does have it’s own challenges, but not in a way that compromises the clean, non-toxic, elements that make soy wax so appealing. The draw-backs to soy wax mostly affect the candle maker. If not handled correctly, soy wax will show off all of its rebellion in the candle making process. You might find that the wax has pulled away from the jar making it look darker and lighter in different spots. Or maybe your beautiful soy candle has a hole on top. Or perhaps you’ve witnessed the dreaded “frosting” effects soy wax displays in clear jars. Or maybe you haven’t noticed any of that because you love the smell, it looks pretty and you just want to light the thing! Either way, none of these “draw-backs” to soy wax affect the quality or burn of the candle. They only affect the physical appearance, but oftentimes, the rebellious ways of soy wax are the very characteristics that prove your soy wax candle is clean and safe for your entire home.
We love hearing from our Milkglass Family. If you have any questions or would like to know more about our candles or even our Adoption Fundraisers, please feel free to send us an email to milkglasscandle@gmail.com.
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