CandleStyle: Scented Candles Blog

There seems to be a misconception about soy wax candles versus paraffin wax scented candles, and I am here to set the record straight. As far as soy, if you research raw soy products you will find that soy wax cost about 30% less than high-grade paraffin and the scent oil retention is only 6% compared to a possible 12% for paraffin recipes. This means that soy candle cost a lot less to produce than our current line.

However, the industry tries to charge more because it is supposedly in some way, shape or form more environmentally friendly. For whatever reason, people tend to equate soy with “GOING GREEN” and more eco-friendly than its paraffin counterpart. A contention that simply isn’t true.

Did you know that the US used to be the world’s largest exporter and consumer of soy? We no longer are because we converted soy crops for crops that were better suited to alternative fuel like corn. You know who’s the world’s largest producer of soy today? Brazil. You know why? To keep up with the ever increasing demand for soy from China (now the world’s leading consumer of soy).

(more…)

It has occurred to me over the last few weeks of selling my scented candles at farmer’s market that the type of candle you buy ultimately in some way plays a part in defining who you are.  Whether you’re a standard paraffin wax candle, creamy paraffin wax, soy, double wick, single wick, wickless, a tart candle, a votive or pillar, keepsake or glass jar, a smelly jelly, tealight, luminara, floating, specialty or my favorite, just a plan tin truly identifies the type of person you might typically be.

(more…)

Candle burning 101…

Did you know that if you keep your candle’s wick properly trimmed that it will increase the burn time by 10 to 20 hours? I know this seems like a bit of an embellishment, however, based on my own candle burning experiences and as an owner of a hand mixed and poured custom candle company…CandleStyle, I can personally attest to this fact.

I bet you didn’t know that by keeping your wick properly trimmed each time you light it would reduce the amount of black soot buildup around the candle’s container.  It is important for you to know how and why the soot buildup occurs. What happens is a process called combustion, if the flame is too long then candle will alter and then produce carbon black, instead of carbon dioxide.  Carbon black is bad and will stick to anything it is exposed to including candle tins, glasses even your walls and ceilings.

(more…)