Soy Pillar Candles

Soy pillar candles, especially the richly scented variety, have been gaining in popularity. They have the wonderful fragrance soy is known for, yet can also be used very decoratively.

Traditionally, soy candles were most often used as jar candles, due to the low melting point of soy wax. However, soy can be made into pillar candles, with just a little help.

Let's find out more about these intriguing candles!

A Little About Soy Candle Wax

Soy candle wax is made, as you might guess, from soybeans. Soy is one of the group of natural candles, as they are a renewable resource. Natural candles also include vegetable wax (other than soy), bayberry and beeswax.

As mentioned previously, soy wax has most often been used as a container candle. That's because soy naturally has a low melting point and that soy's capacity for a high fragrance load softens the wax even more.

What's a pillar to do? Get a little help from a friend!

Scented Soy Pillar Candles -- Mixes

Candle wax mixes lets the chandler (candle maker) blend two compatible waxes, and find the best "marriage" of the two. In other words, to let the strengths of one wax match to the weaknesses of the other. The result: hopefully a candle wax blend that's better than either separately!

Since soy candle wax has such a low melting point, the obvious blend would be to another wax that is much harder, and has a higher melting point.

Another possibility -- additives that make the candle harder. Additives, however, are generally man-made, and if you're after a totally natural wax candle, they may not be what you're seeking.

Beeswax, however, is a natural wax that's very hard. While it doesn't accept quite the high scent load that soy does, beeswax has its own naturally lovely scent.

The exact proportion of one wax to the other varies with the candle maker. But the blend will allow for scented soy pillar candles, instead of just being confined to a jar!

Candle Burning

Yes, there are right ways and wrong to burn candles! If you're looking for maximum scent and maximum burn time, you'll want to follow a few simple precautions.

Keep your scented soy pillar candle wick trimmed to no more than 1/4" long -- preferably closer to 1/8". Trim before lighting.

Don't burn your candle for more than three hours at a stretch. You don't want the candle getting too hot and deform.

Naturally, always have a holder of some kind under your candle. While a well-made candle won't drip, there's always the possibility. Soy wax is fairly easy to clean up, with hot water and soap, but any other waxes in the blend may not be as forgiving.

Check out the candle burning page for more information, and enjoy your soy pillar candle!

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A Scented Candle Gift

Soy pillar candles make a wonderful scented candle gift -- for yourself or someone else!

Some ideas for presenting your gift include:

Include a pretty bath soap and towel, as a spa-type gift.

Wrap the candle in a piece of cloth, and put in a drawer for a few days. The cloth will be scented as well, and you can use it to wrap the candle.

Find a nice basket and include some other candle shapes, in complimentary fragrances. Maybe even a nice candle-holder as well!

Soy Votives

Soy votive candles are a welcome addition to any home. Clean-burning and richly scented, they fit in where pillars don't!