What Is Soy Wax Blend? (Be Wary Of This Wax!)

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I have been making candles now for quite a few years and selling them for around 3 years. In that time I have seen so many new candle makers and sellers spring up.

With this has come lots of questions and one of those questions that regularly comes up is, what is Soy wax blend?

Well in this article I am going to let you know exactly what Soy wax blend is and the reasons why you probably should try to avoid using it in your candles.

A photo of Soy wax blend in a flake form
Soy was blend is a mixture of Soy wax usually with Paraffin wax.

What is Soy wax blend made from?

I think it is important to first go over what Soy wax blend is and what it is made of. Then I would love to talk about its safety and reasons for and against its use.

So what is Soy wax blend?

If you see wax that is labelled as Soy wax blend it means that the product inside is Soy wax blended together with another type of wax. Usually the wax used in the blend is Paraffin, as this reduces the costs of the production and ultimately the product considerably.

So basically if you buy Soy wax blend you cannot then ethically sell your candles as pure Soy wax candles to your customers which is a major downside.

There are also other downsides to using Soy wax blend instead of pure Soy wax flakes or pellets that I will go over below.

Is Soy wax blend safe?

We live in a day and age now were we are very conscious about the effects of what we burn and consume.

We now know that breathing fumes and toxins is not good for our bodies and can lead to health issues. So with that in mind it makes sense that we try to burn the cleanest of candles in our homes.

We know that Soy wax burns very cleanly and poses no risk to our health but can we say the same for Soy wax blend candles?

let’s now take a look.

So is Soy Wax blend safe? Because Soy wax blend is made using a percentage of paraffin wax it means that it also takes on some of the health risks that paraffin wax candles pose. Paraffin wax is ultimately made from crude oil and is known to contain some nasty chemicals that can be carcinogenic and bad for our health.

Studies have found that paraffin wax when burnt can release chemicals such as toluene. Other toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and formaldehyde which can be carcinogenic are also released.

Along with this paraffin wax is not very clean burning compared to Soy wax or beeswax candles. It is well known to produce large amounts of black soot that is comparable to breathing in diesel fumes.

Let’s now have a breakdown of all of the positives and negatives of using Soy wax blend to make candles.

Positives and negatives of Soy wax blend.

I will be totally honest, in my opinion there are not many positives but I will try my best.

The positives.

  • Soy wax blend is much cheaper to buy than pure Soy wax. This means that if you are selling lots of candles you will certainly make more profit per candle.
  • Because of the Paraffin, Soy wax blend is much easier to work with. It sets and cures quicker and is a much harder wax.
  • You can still legally label your candles as Soy wax even though they are not pure.
  • Soy wax blend is much easier to get hold of than our Soy wax when supplies are tight.

let’s now take a look at some ofnthe negatives of using a Soy blend for your candles.

The negatives.

Here is a list of some of the negatives to using Soy blend in your candles.

  • As previously mentioned Paraffin wax that is blended with the Soy wax is pretty awful stuff. It has been found to release toxic chemicals when it is burnt.
  • Just like all fossil fuels and theire derivatives, Paraffin is a dirty burner releasing soot.
  • You cannot ethically sell your candles as Soy wax candles as they are only part Soy wax.
  • Soy blend candles are not eco-friendly nor are they sustainable.
  • Pure Soy candles burn for a lot longer than soy blend candles due to the paraffin content.
  • Soy wax blend does not hold fragrance as well as pure Soy wax.
  • The paraffin wax in Soy wax blend makes it toxic if accidentally ingested by a child or pet, where as pure Soy wax is totally safe to eat.

Final thoughts on Soy wax blend.

I really hope that you have enjoyed reading this article and that it has provided you with plenty of information about what Soy wax blend is.

I personally feel that if you are making candles to sell as a home business or even just making them for personal use. You should try to use pure Soy wax.

It had so many benefits for your health over Soy blend and is also much better for our fragile planet when burnt.

Always keep a close eye on the waxes that you buy as some manufacturers keep it in the small print that it is blend. Any reputable dealer will make it clear what you are buying so this is the best option.

Keep away from the Soy blend and go for pure Soy wax instead. It will benefit you, your customers and our planet.

Andrew Scents and Aroma
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