Paraffin Wax vs. Natural Wax

If you are a connoisseur of candles, then chance are you’ve heard about the great debate among candle makers—paraffin wax vs. natural wax? While it mostly just boils down to personal preference, the fact still remains that this is a widely disputed topic among candle makers. While some candle makers choose to offer two separate candle lines, most crafters choose to focus their efforts on one type of wax or the other.

Although each wax offers its own benefits and drawbacks, one wax is not necessarily better than the other—it again just boils down to preference. If you plan to sell your candles, the best thing to keep in mind is to sell what your consumers want and/or sell what you’re good at making.

Paraffin Wax

Paraffin candle wax has been around for centuries, and is most likely the wax that the majority of candle purchasers are familiar with. Paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct.  The fact that paraffin is a petroleum byproduct has caused some long-time candle makers to abandon their previous affinity for paraffin wax due to environmental issues. Not to mention, petroleum is a major component of paraffin wax, so it also tends to emit more smoke and potentially hazardous toxins than its natural wax counterparts.

The Benefits Of Paraffin

While there may be drawbacks to using paraffin, there are also many benefits. On the whole, paraffin tends to hold fragrance better, longer and easier than natural waxes. Typically, the strength of the scent emitted from paraffin candles is stronger and can fill larger spaces more effectively. Not to mention, it is also much easier for a candle maker to get fragrance to hold in the paraffin wax. Though paraffin may be a petroleum byproduct—the bottom line is that paraffin waxes tend to be easier to work with than natural waxes, and require fewer additives and adjustments.

Natural Waxes

Whether you don’t like working with paraffin or it’s just not your area of expertise—there are several all-natural alternatives to paraffin including:

·        Soy

·        Beeswax

·        palm wax

These alternatives have become readily available to candle makers, and because many are looking to get away form petroleum based waxes—many are beginning to gravitate to these waxes for their natural and beneficial properties. The only con is that natural waxes are slightly more expensive than paraffin and require a bit more skill to work with.