In my last post I talked about how candles helped teach me to build relationships, or nurture them by accepting help and learning to collaborate. Something our individualist culture does not foster or value. I also spoke on some of the draw backs of burning certain types of candles. In this article I’d like to take a deeper look at the different types of candles on the market and what they’re made from, some of the pros and cons of each wax type, how to burn them, and what I’m burning. Lets take a look at how candles affect our health, environment and wellbeing.
Pros & Cons of Burning Different Wax Types
In my last post on cleaning soot off my walls, I talked about one of the cons of burning candles. The accumulation of soot they produce. There are a few elements at work when you have soot build up, especially as bad as I had it. I’m talking to the point where your surfaces are noticeably darker, and could be a set in one of Rob Zombie film… Ok, maybe not that bad, but one of the reasons I had so much soot was because I was burning paraffin wax candles, 3 at a time, and in a poorly ventilated room. I went a bit overboard with burning candles at first, 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 wax candles, will lead to soot build up.
As I said above, I was burning up to three candles at a time, that I bought from a local discount department store. The candles were cheap, which was their main draw, but also made from a mix of different waxes. And I’m willing to bet that a majority of them were made from paraffin wax. According to this article from The Spruce, paraffin wax and gel candles release soot when burned, “Paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum and releases soot when it burns, which has raised some questions regarding its effects on the environment.” (Link from footnotes in the above The Spruce article.)
Soot, as I learned while researching the best methods to clean it, is produced of burning paraffin wax, which is a bi-product of petroleum. There’s a lot of conflicting information on this topic too, floating around on the web.
A Dishonest Spin Of a “Pro” For Paraffin Wax
One site, The National Candle Association, posted 4 Common Candle Myths Debunked on their website that says, “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 would 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. Such as Yankee Candle and Root Candles.
This seems like a conflict of interest to me. Seeing as how these companies own candle subsidiaries. SC Johnson & Sons Inc, aka SC Johnson Wax, owns Glade 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.
The Hard Truth & Science Backed Cons
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 suggest, “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. We 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 said 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, 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 low-income neighborhoods, 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 our neighbors’ neighborhoods, by checking our dependency on something that so negatively impacts our survival and supports the oil industry.
Renewable Resources
Soy Wax
That said, candles that are vegetable based are definitely a better choice, as far as their environmental impact goes. For example, soy wax candles are made from soy beans, which are a renewable source. They burn clean, no soot, and are ideal for making a variety of candles. Pillar, container and taper are a few of the types they are well suited for.
Beeswax
Beeswax is also a renewable resource. Along with it being a clean burning wax, it’s made by, you guessed it, bees. So not only are you burning a type of candle that 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.
Crops that are open pollenated (pollenated by bees and other natural methods) are more flavorful, true to type which means that they are more resilient to their changing environment over time, making them more resilient. And the seeds can be saved from year to year by the farmers that grow them.
Their hybridized cousins, however, are pollenated by human intervention (not bees). With this method, plants are chosen for specific traits, like yield and uniformity of fruit, and are pollenated by human intervention. Hybrid plants aren’t as flavorful, and their seeds have the equivalent of a self destruct button, where farmers need to buy new seed each season due to the seeds that are produced by hybrid plants aren’t viable, aka sterile.
With climate change on the horizon, it seems to me the most environmentally sound choice when it comes to burning candles is to choose a renewable wax source. And if you choose beeswax, you’ll also be supporting healthy crop diversity, while helping to fortify our global food supplies for the coming climate change and generations. To read 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 is best for almost everyone involved, 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 candle.
The below video shows a time lapse of two candles; the first, a paraffin wax tea light, and the second, a beeswax tea light, both weighing roughly 14 grams. The paraffin wax candle burned close to 5 grams of wax in an hour and a half, whereas the beeswax candle burned close to 3 grams, and burned for 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, if burned in its entirety.
I’m not sure if that’s 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 by 3-4 times that of its paraffin counterpart, depending on which numbers you’re using.
A quick Amazon search tells me that the difference in price between paraffin wax, 22 cents a candle, and beeswax, 60 cents a candle, is that paraffin is roughly 1/3 the price of beeswax. 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 at 5 – 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 told you above that I would talk about what I’m burning. I’m sad to say, that until recently I was burning paraffin wax candles in the name of saving some money, until I could afford to buy beeswax. Before as I said above, I was burning whatever was cheap at the department store. I was burning beeswax candles from a local seller, Beverly Bees, but they were a little pricey and I was learning how to stay inside my budget. I’m happy to say that I am burning beeswax again, only this time, candles that I’ve made 🙂 I’ll be writing a post on the process soon, but 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 getting the most from your burn.
Initial Burn: Regardless of which type of candle you burn (I hope you chose plant-based :), there are a few things to remember when it comes to maintenance. First, when you are burning your candle for the first time, it is a good idea to burn it for at least one hour per inch of width of your candle. So if your candle is three inches in diameter, you need to burn it for three hours. This is due to the wax creating what is called a memory pool. This is the pool of wax that is produced by the burn. If your pool is too small on the first burn, it will tunnel for the rest of the burn. There is a way to fix this though, if it does happen, which it will if you burn enough candles.
Fixing a Tunnel: If you take a piece of tinfoil and wrap it around the top of the candle in a cone shape, leaving a hole at the top, the foil will reflect the heat back into the candle, melting the wax, creating a level top and memory pool.
Proper Wick Length: Trimming your wick to a quarter of an inch will keep the flame at a safe size. And you will also 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 keep it away from flammable objects.
I hope this has help 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 🙂 🏔️🌙🕯️
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