Selecting Which Soy Wax to use for your project

Soy wax is an excellent choice for candle making, for so many reasons:

  • Its is natural and derived from a renewable resource
  • Soy Wax is non-toxic and burns cleanly, unlike paraffin.
  • It makes less soot than other waxes.
  • Purchasing soy wax supports the farmer vs the petroleum industry.
  • Unlike paraffins, candle spills are easy to clean, dissolving with hot water.
  • Soy wax burns longer than paraffin wax

First, the type of soy wax you select will depend on the type of candle you are making:

Container candles: The wax is poured directly into a glass or a container. The container will support the candle as the wax liquifies. It is important to select a wax with reduced shrinkage if you are making container candles, because you don't want the wax to pull away from the container. If it does, this can result in wet spots. Waxes suitable for container candles are referred to as one pour waxes or single pour waxes. This saves the candle maker time, rather than having to complete more than one pour. We stock the following Container waxes: Golden Brands  GW402, GW415, GW444 and GW464 . More information on these waxes follows below.

Votive candles: are places in a votive holder prior to burning. Because they are encased they are still not free-standing. This wax needs to be able to release easily from the moulds in which they are made. Therefore, some shrinkage ability is necessary.

Pillar Candles: Are free standing candles. they don not rely on a container to hold them when melted. Therefore, a hard wax is required. It also needs to be able to have shrinkage to be released easily from the mould in which its made once the wax is set. We stock Golden Brands 416 to make pillar candles.

Wax Tarts: are not freestanding, therefore they don't need to be as hard as pillars. However, they do require some shrinkage so they can be removed from a mold. If you are making wax tarts, you will require a firm wax that still has a low melting point so it will melt in a melter. If they wax is too soft, you might not be able to remove it from the mould. 

 

We carry the following brands of soy wax to enable you to choose what suits your project:

  1. Golden Brands Golden Wax
  2. Kerax soy wax
  3. Our own label of soy wax.

 

Golden Brands Soy Waxes are hugely popular and can be used in candle making, lotions and lip balms. We stock:

  • 2 Golden Brands pure soy waxes: ie: Golden Wax402 and GW415 are both 100% soy, natural container waxes that contain no additives and are Kosher-certified.
  • 2 enhanced Golden Brands soy waxes: Golden Wax 464 and GW464 are both container waxes. This mean that they contain a soy-based additive. This additive enables the soy wax to be poured at hotter temperatures . This in turn reducing frosting and increasing the ability to increase the fragrance oil load.
  • 1 pure soy wax for pillars  GW416.

Golden Wax 402

*GW401 has has a lower melt point . This assists with the burn and glass adhesion and reduction of wet spots.
Melt Point: 120° F - 125° F
Maximum Fragrance load: 8 - 10%
Suggested Pouring Temp: 90° F - 100°F
Appearance: Smooth and opaque. This wax can appear rough on top once set, so re-heating for a smooth finish may be required.
Uses: Containers and Tealights
Flash Point:  >600° F

 

Golden Wax 415

*GW415 has a higher melt point . This assists with retention of higher fragrance oil loads, enabling a stronger scent throw.
Melt Point: 115° F - 120° F
Maximum Fragrance: 6 - 8%
Suggested Pouring Temp: 90 - 100° F
Appearance: Smooth and opaque. This wax can appear rough on top once set, so re-heating for a smooth finish may be required.
Uses: Containers or Tealights
Flash Point: >600°F

 

Golden Wax 464

*GW464 has a lower melt point. This assists with the burn and provides improved glass adhesion with less wet spots.

Melting Point: 115° F - 120° F
Maximum Fragrance: 7 - 9%
Suggested Pour ingTemp: 125 - 145° F
Appearance: Smooth and opaque. This wax can appear rough on top once set, so re-heating for a smooth finish may be required.
Uses: Containers or Tealights
Flash Point: >600° F

 

Golden Wax 444

GW444 hhas a higher melt point . This assists with retention of higher fragrance oil loads, enabling a stronger scent throw.
Melting Point: 120° F - 125° F
Maximum Fragrance: 9 - 11%
Suggested Pouring Temp: 125° F - 145°F
Appearance: Smooth & Opaque. This wax can appear rough on top once set, so re-heating for a smooth finish may be required.
Uses: Containers and Tealights
Flash Point: >600° F

 

Golden Wax 416

GW416 is a pure soy wax. It contains no additives and is Kosher-certified. This wax is ideal for creating soy wax tarts, votives, and pillar candles.

Melt Point: 130° F - 135° F
Maximum Fragrance: 8 - 10%
Suggested Pouring Temp: 140° F - 150°F
Appearance: Smooth and opaque. This wax can shrink. Therefore, a second pour may be required.
Uses: tarts, votives, & pillars
Flash Point: >600° F

 

Additives: Wax manufacturers that create custom blends, have already enhanced the abilities of the waxes, so no further additive is required.  The following are additives you can experiment with.

Vybar is stearic acid, a polymer, used to improve fragrance oil retention. It also aids with increased opacity and enhanced colour.  Vybar can assist in allowing the wax to hold more fragrance rather than separating, so candle makers can add twice as much fragrance. This can enable the  candle to have better hot throw, if you get the proportions right. This is not necessary to add to soy waxes.

Vybar 103 is used in harder, higher melt point waxes eg: pillar and votive waxes.  Vybar 260 is used for softer waxes with lower melt points eg: container candles. 

Uv Inhibitor is used to ensure that candle colour doesn't fade when exposed to UV light rays. It It can also reduce but not eliminate colour changes by fragrance oils.  For example, candles on retail heaves may change colour over time. Candle manufacturers do not add this to pre blended waxes, so you can add it to any wax. T