Maddie James
Candles are made from wax, a wick, and sometimes oil. Over the years, candles have been made from various waxes, fats, and oils, many of which are derived from animals, insects, and plant matter. The earliest candles were made of beeswax, which was expensive and therefore only used by the rich. Poorer people relied on cheaper candles made from tallow, or animal fat. Today, most candles are made from paraffin wax, a byproduct of petroleum refining. However, there are many other types of wax used to make candles, including soy wax, beeswax, coconut wax, and apricot wax.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wax | Paraffin, soy, beeswax, coconut, apricot, microcrystalline, gel, plant waxes (palm, carnauba, bayberry, soybean), stearin, tallow, spermaceti |
| Wick | Cotton, wood |
| Oil | Fragrance, essential |
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What You'll Learn
Wicks: made from cotton or wood
Wicks are an essential part of candles, enabling them to burn and produce light. They are typically made from cotton or wood, with each material offering distinct characteristics and benefits.
Cotton wicks are the most common type, made from braided cotton or synthetic fibres. To enhance their structure and burning properties, a core stiffener or wax coating is often added. Cotton wicks produce a taller, round flame, providing more light. They are generally easier to maintain, with most cotton wicks being self-trimming.
Wood wicks, on the other hand, are made from thin, flat strips of wood. They deliver melted candle wax to the flame through capillary action, just like cotton wicks. One of the unique features of wooden wicks is the soft crackling sound they produce, reminiscent of a campfire. This sound is caused by substances in the wood transforming into gas and expanding, causing the surrounding material to crackle. Wooden wicks create a flatter, lower flame, contributing to a cosy ambiance. They tend to consume wax more slowly, resulting in longer-lasting candles. However, wooden wicks require regular trimming to ensure optimal burning and can be more challenging to light.
The choice between cotton and wooden wicks depends on the desired aesthetic, sensory experience, and ease of use. Cotton wicks offer brighter light and are low-maintenance, while wooden wicks provide a rustic look and a unique crackling sound.
Creating DIY candle wicks is a straightforward process, requiring only a few tools, string, and wax. The string is typically made from cotton, but other materials like hemp or paper can also be used. Preparing the area for drying the wicks is crucial, as it ensures easy cleanup of any wax drips. The length of the wick depends on the type of candle, with dipped candle wicks requiring longer strings than jar candles. Coating the wicks in wax helps candles burn longer and makes it easier to keep the wicks upright during the candle-making process.
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Wax: paraffin, soy, beeswax, coconut, apricot, or a combination
Candles are made from wax, wick, and oil. There are several types of waxes used in candle-making, including paraffin, soy, beeswax, coconut wax, apricot wax, or a combination of these waxes.
Paraffin wax, also known as petroleum wax, is a common type of wax used in candle-making. It is derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale and consists of hydrocarbon molecules containing between 20 and 40 carbon atoms. Paraffin wax is inexpensive, works well with fragrance and colour oils, and has a typical melting point between 46 and 68 °C (115 and 154 °F). It was first created by Karl von Reichenbach in Germany in 1830, revolutionising the candle-making industry with its clean burn and low production cost.
Soy wax is a vegetable wax made from soybean oil. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes, from which the oil is extracted and hydrogenated to increase its melting point and make it solid at room temperature. Soy wax is a renewable, eco-friendly, and sustainable alternative to paraffin wax, burning more slowly and cleanly.
Beeswax is produced by worker bees, which secrete it from wax-producing mirror glands. The wax is initially clear and colourless, becoming opaque and progressively yellower or browner after being chewed and contaminated with pollen by the bees. Beeswax has a relatively low melting point range of 62 to 64 °C (144 to 147 °F) and a flash point of 204.4 °C (399.9 °F).
Coconut wax is made from high-melt coconut oil, soy wax, and organic beeswax. The coconut oil is refined to remove its scent and hydrogenated to increase its melting point, making it solid at room temperature. Coconut wax burns very evenly and slowly compared to other types of wax.
Apricot wax is often combined with coconut wax to create a vibrant white wax with excellent scent throw, both hot and cold. This blend burns evenly and has great container adhesion for candle-making. It is free of gluten, toxins, parabens, and phthalates and can support a fragrance load of 8-10%.
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Oils: fragrance or essential oils
Candles are made from wax, a wick, and oil. Oils used in candle-making can be either fragrance oils or essential oils.
Fragrance oils are synthetically made scents that are commonly found in many scented products. They are manufactured in a lab using synthetic chemicals. The amount of fragrance oil added to the wax defines how fragrant a candle can be. Bulk fragrance oils are usually sold in powder form and are then reconstituted by suppliers using "solvents" to turn them into liquid. Fragrance oils are generally safer to work with than essential oils, as essential oils can experience fragrance shifts, especially when burned in candles.
Essential oils, on the other hand, are pure plant extracts, which makes them more expensive to work with. They are made using natural substances and are frequently used in perfumes, flavourings, and medicines. They are also used in aromatherapy, natural remedies, skincare, and cleaning products. Each essential oil has a different scent composition and offers diverse benefits. For example, lavender essential oil is often added to aromatherapy candles to promote relaxation and stress relief, while peppermint essential oil is used to improve focus and concentration. Other popular essential oils used in candle-making include eucalyptus, lemon, lemongrass, cedarwood, tea tree, and ylang-ylang.
When using essential oils in candle-making, it is important to use high-quality, pure essential oils to ensure that the aroma lasts as long as the candle burns. It is also advisable to add a carrier oil or fragrance oil to help disperse the scent evenly throughout the candle. Essential oils have a lower flash point than fragrance oils, so they can evaporate more quickly if exposed to high heat. This can limit the strength of their aroma in candles, but there are techniques to help maximize their scent and effectiveness.
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Tallow: rendered beef or mutton fat
For most of recorded history, candles were made from tallow, which is rendered beef or mutton fat. Tallow candles were a cheaper alternative to beeswax candles, which were more expensive and only accessible to the elite and churches. While tallow candles may have a strong smell, they are a great way to utilize animal fat and ensure that nothing goes to waste.
Tallow can be sourced from local farms, which often provide raw beef fat or suet that can be rendered into tallow. Rendering tallow involves melting it gently in a double boiler to preserve its antioxidants, although it can be challenging to clean once it cools. The amount of tallow needed depends on the number of candles and the size of the jar, but a general guideline is to use one cup of tallow for each 8-ounce jar.
Once the tallow has melted, turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. You can then carefully pour the slightly cooled liquid tallow into the prepared jar, ensuring that the wick stays straight and in place. If you didn't melt enough tallow, you can always melt more and top it off. On the other hand, if you have extra tallow, you can make another candle or use it for other purposes, such as making whipped tallow balm.
After pouring the tallow into the jar, leave it uncovered and allow it to cool and harden completely. Once hardened, trim the wick to 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, depending on the recipe. Store your tallow candle in a cool, dark location when not in use. Tallow candles have similar burning properties to other types of candles, but it is essential to follow some key practices for the best experience.
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History: Romans used animal fat, now paraffin is common
The history of candle-making and the ingredients used have evolved over the years, with the earliest candles mentioned in Biblical times, as early as the tenth century BCE. The Romans were among the first to make candles by dipping wicks into rendered animal fat, known as tallow. This type of candle remained popular for centuries due to its affordability and wide availability. However, the strong smell and smoke associated with burning animal fat led to the search for alternative materials.
In the 1500s, beeswax emerged as a preferred choice for candle-making. Beeswax candles offered a brighter, longer-lasting, and less smoky burn compared to tallow candles. They also had a more pleasant scent. However, beeswax was more challenging to obtain, making beeswax candles expensive. As a result, their use was primarily limited to the elite and churches in Europe.
During the mid-1800s, candle manufacturers began using spermaceti, a waxy substance derived from sperm whales. This development spurred demand for the material, reflecting the ongoing search for better candle-making ingredients. Another material introduced during this period was stearin, initially produced from animal fats but now predominantly derived from palm waxes.
By the end of the 19th century, paraffin wax and stearic acid were commonly used in candle-making. Paraffin wax, a byproduct of petroleum refining, played a pivotal role in making candles affordable for the masses. However, despite these advances, the candle industry faced a decline with the introduction of superior lighting methods, such as kerosene lamps and the incandescent light bulb.
Today, paraffin wax remains the most common material for mass-market candles due to its low cost and abundance. However, there is a growing trend towards more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as soy wax, coconut wax, and beeswax. These options offer slower and cleaner burns, improved fragrance retention, and reduced environmental impact, contributing to their increasing popularity among consumers.
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Frequently asked questions
Candles are made out of wax, a wick, and sometimes oil. The wax can be paraffin, soy, beeswax, coconut wax, apricot wax, or a combination of these.
Candle wicks are usually made out of tightly braided cotton, which is safe to burn and self-combusting.
Either fragrance or essential oils are used to scent candles. Essential oils are pure plant extracts, while fragrance oils are synthetic.
Paraffin wax is the most commonly used agent for making mass-market candles. It is cheap and plentiful, but it may not be the best for health or the environment.
Soy wax is a popular alternative to paraffin wax as it is more eco-friendly, burns cleaner and slower, and can be used for aromatherapy when combined with natural fragrance oils. Beeswax is another option that is natural and has a subtly sweet scent, but it is not vegan.
