Candle Burning for Beginners: There’s More to It Than You Think

In my last post I wrote about how candles helped to teach me how to build relationships. Also nurture them by accepting help and learning to collaborate. Something our individualist culture doesn’t foster or value. I also wrote about some of the draw backs to burning certain types of candles, like paraffin and scented. In this article I’d like to take a deeper look at the different types of candles on the market, what they’re made from, some of the pros and cons of each wax type, and how to burn them. I’ll also go over what I’m burning. Lets take a look at how candles effect our health, environment and wellbeing.

Pros & Cons of Burning Different Wax Types

In my last post on cleaning soot off my walls, I wrote about one major con of burning candles. The accumulation of soot that they produce while burning them. There are a few elements at work when you have soot build up as bad as I had. I’m talking to the point where your surfaces are noticeably darker, and could be a set in one of Rob Zombie’s films. Ok, maybe not that bad, but one of the reasons I had so much buildup was because I was burning paraffin wax, 3 candles at a time, and in a poorly ventilated room. I went a bit overboard as I’m apt to do when I get excited about a new hobby or interest. What I hadn’t realized is that burning certain types of waxes, especially paraffin, leads to soot build up.

I knew that paraffin was made from petroleum. But what I learned while researching the best methods to clean it is that petroleum products produce a lot more soot than other, natural choices. There’s a lot of conflicting information floating around on the web on this topic. So no wonder it’s been a mystery to many.

A Dishonest Spin on Paraffin Wax

The National Candle Association posted on its site, 4 Common Candle Myths Debunked, “While you may have heard that certain candle waxes burn ‘better’ than other types, this is nothing but a common rumor.” With an official sounding name, and well designed website, you’d think that they should have some street cred.

But when I took a closer look at the leadership of the association, most of the members were higher-ups in companies such as SC Johnson & Son Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Co., as well as other big names in the candle industry. Like Yankee Candle and Root Candles. All of which use paraffin as their main source of energy.

This seems like a conflict of interest to me. Seeing as how these companies own candle subsidiaries. SC Johnson & Sons Inc. owns Glade candles, while The Proctor & Gamble Co. owns Frebreze candles. And the other companies, Yankee Candle and Root, are both candle companies. My guess is that they all have a shared common interest in putting a positive spin on what they use to make their product to sell their candles. Not to mention it took some digging to find out what waxes they used as most were shrouded in terms like, “wax blend”, save for Yankee, who owned their wax use on their label.

The Hard Truth & Science Backed Cons of Paraffin Wax

An article from the Cleveland Clinic says there are moderate risks associated with burning certain types of candles under certain conditions. In the above article they say, “If listed, check the paraffin content of the candle you’re considering buying. Whenever you can, opt for beeswax, soy or other plant-based waxes instead.” Being a good Yankee, I was a little taken aback by Yankee Candle sullying our good name by spreading misinformation by virtue of being a member of the National Candle Association. We Yankees may be staunch and emotionally reserved, a bit stuffy. But if it’s one thing we value it’s honesty. Even if it’s at the expense of being polite. We have a tendency toward a blunt delivery of the truth, but delivered in that oh-so endearing Boston accent (;

The same article from Cleveland Clinic goes on to say, “For the safest possible aromatherapeutic adventure, select high-quality candles that don’t use dye or paraffin.” And for reasons of transparency, both websites said that the levels weren’t super dangerous for healthy individuals who burn them in well ventilated areas. But between the environmental impact of paraffin candles, by supporting oil manufacturing, and the possibility of health risks associated with them, to quote myself, “why do that to yourself”, or the environment? Speaking of the environment, if you don’t want to take a doctor’s word for it, maybe it would be best to consider the environmental impact of the wax you choose.

The Greenest Option Is Also the Best Option

A Non-Renewable Resource

Paraffin Wax

As I’ve said above, paraffin is derived from petroleum, making it a non-renewable resource. It’s also no secret that another bi-product of petroleum is plastic, which can be helpful. I’m not saying that we demonize all things petroleum, but it’s also no secret that we are literally choaking our oceans and wild life with the amount of plastics that are floating around out there. And the sides of our roads, especially in our low-income neighborhoods and cities, often times look like a landfill. This isn’t new information, but I believe we all need to take a lot more responsibility for the health of our neighborhoods and wildlife. We can do this by checking our dependency on plastics and recognize how negatively they impact our survival.

Renewable Resources

Soy Wax

That said, candles that are vegetable based are definitely a better choice to lessen their environmental impact. For example, soy wax candles are made from soy beans and are a renewable resource. It’s also ideal for making a variety of candle types like pillar, container and taper. This makes it an ideal wax for candle making.

Beeswax

Beeswax is also a renewable resource. Along with it being clean burning, it’s made by, you guessed it, bees. So not only are you burning a candle that’s wax has been used for literally centuries, you are also helping to support bee propagation. And helping local farmers, as well as crop diversity and resilience. Also, when burned, beeswax releases negatively charged ions, which may help to purify the air.

The Benefits of Bees

Open Pollinated Seeds – Crops that are open pollenated (pollenated by bees and other natural pollinators) are more flavorful, true to type, which means that they are more resilient to their changing environment over time making them more resilient, and their seeds can be saved from year to year by the farmers that grow them.

Hybridized Seeds – Their hybridized cousins however, are pollenated by human intervention (not bees). With this method, plants are chosen for specific traits. Yield and uniformity of fruit are the two main traits. Hybrid plants aren’t as flavorful, and their seeds have the equivalent of a self destruct button. Farmers need to buy new seed each season due to hybrid plants not being viable, aka sterile. This impacts their bottom line and drives up food prices.

Environmental Impact – With climate change on the horizon, it seems to me the most environmentally sound choice, when it comes to burning candles, is to pick a renewable wax source. And if you go with beeswax, you’ll also be supporting healthy crop diversity. And you’ll help to fortify our global food supplies for the coming generations. To learn more, go to The Seed Savers Exchange, an amazing organization that is dedicated to preserving the integrity and legacy of our seeds and food crops.

Extended Burn Time Equates to Higher Value

And finally, if you’re still not convinced that burning a more sustainable candle for the environment is best for all, most importantly our planet and future generations, maybe the cost will change your mind.

The upfront cost of candles made from paraffin is admittedly cheaper than it’s sustainable cousins. However, they don’t burn for as long, decreasing their value over the life of the burn.

Below is a video that shows a time lapse of two candles being burned. The first, a paraffin wax tea light, and the second, a beeswax tea light. Both weighing roughly 14 grams, the paraffin candle burned close to 5 grams of wax in an hour and a half, while the beeswax candle burned close to 3 grams in 4 hours. That equates to roughly 4 hours for the paraffin wax tealight, if the entire candle was burned, and 16 hours for the beeswax candle.

I’m not sure if the numbers are 100% accurate, but from my experience, when I’ve burned paraffin wax tealights, they’ve only lasted for one session, which is about 4 hours. And the beeswax candles I am able to burn for about 3 sessions at about 4-4.5 hours a burn. Either way, the beeswax candle burns longer than that of its paraffin counterpart, regardless of which numbers you’re using.

A quick Amazon search tells me that the difference in price between paraffin, at 22¢ for a tea light candle, and beeswax, at 60¢, is that paraffin is roughly 1/3 the price of beeswax per candle. But divide the price by the hours burned, and it’s clear which is the better value. The paraffin tealight burns at 5.5 cents an hour, where as the beeswax candle burns 3.75 cents an hour, making the beeswax candle clearly the better value in the long burn.

Tips & Tricks to Get the Most From Your Candle Burning

I said above that I would tell you what I’m burning. I’m sad to say, that until recently I was burning paraffin wax candles in the name of saving money until I could afford to buy beeswax 🙁 Like I said, I was burning whatever was cheapest. And the beeswax candles I did burn I got from a local seller, Beverly Bees, but they were a little pricey and I was still learning how to live within my means. I’m happy to say that I am burning beeswax again. Only this time with candles that I’ve made 🙂 They cost me roughly half the price of one I would buy retail. How can I afford not to burn them. Either way, here are some tricks to get the most from your burn.

Tips for Burning

Initial Burn – Regardless of which type of candle you burn (I hope you chose plant-based), when you’re burning your candle for the first time, it’s a good idea to burn it for at least one hour per inch of width. So if your candle is three inches in diameter, you’ll need to burn it for three hours. This is due to the wax creating what is called a memory pool. The memory pool is the wax reservoir that is produced during the burn. If your pool is too small on the first burn, the candle will tunnel. But there is a way to fix this if it does happen. Which it will if you burn enough candles.

Fixing a Tunnel – If your candle does tunnel, take a piece of tinfoil and wrap it around the top of the candle in a cone shape. Leave a hole at the top of the cone and the foil will reflect the heat back into the candle, melting the thicker, outer rim of wax. This will create a level top and restore the memory pool.

Proper Wick Length – Trimming your wick to a quarter inch will keep the flame at a safe size, and you’ll get the most life from your candle with a shorter wick. Also, it’s not a good idea to burn your candle for more than four hours at a time. And this one’s a no-brainer, but keep it away from flammable objects.

I hope this helps clarify some of the questions you may have when burning your candles. Whatever the type of candle you choose to burn, don’t forget to enjoy it and relax. Peace, and thanks for reading 🙂 🏔️🌙🕯️