The soybean is versatile plant which enhances our everyday lives not only with its nutritional values. Apart from being a rich source of protein for humans and animals, soy and its extracts are used in producing ink for printing newspapers. The oil from the soybean is used as a hydraulic fluid for elevators, engine fuel, engine oil, paints, crayons and candle making. Let us not forget margarine, cooking and salad oils.

There is a growing trend in the candle making industry to make candles out of soy wax. Soy wax comes from a natural and renewable source. It is a great alternative to expensive beeswax or to paraffin wax which contains some toxic agents.

What are the advantages of soy wax? I have already Whole Melt Extracts Live Resin mentioned that it comes from a natural and renewable source. Soybean is grown mainly in China, India, Argentina, Brazil and USA.

For candle makers who like to work with natural wax, soy wax is a great alternative to beeswax. It is much cheaper. Soy wax is non toxic and produces less soot when burning. The soot is white in color and cleaner than the black soot produced by burning a paraffin candle.

The melting point for soy wax is lower and that means lower temperature to work with. Spills are also easy to clean with water and detergent. Used utensils can be washed in the dishwasher. However, be aware that soy wax can clog your kitchen drains. So, before washing utensils, get rid of as much excess wax as possible.

Soy candle making supplies can be bought individually or as part of a kit. Your local craft store would have them or you can purchase them online. There are numerous choices available to you. One soy candle making kit would usually contain:

– soy wax in block or flake form
– choice of fragrance
– wicks
– choice of color
– number of containers or jars with lids
– labels and warning stickers
– and one more important thing – instructions.

A soy candle making kit can also be a nice gift. So, instead giving a soy candle away as a present, you can decide to give the whole kit to someone who would like to discover his or her creative self by learning how to make soy candles.

There are some basic things you must have in order to make candles – a double boiler to melt your wax and thermometer to measure the temperature during the melting of the wax. It is important to know when the correct temperature is reached for pouring wax into the molds. If the pouring temperature is too low, the candle could crack.

Also, temperature is an important factor when adding fragrances. If the temperature of the melted wax is too hot, the fragrance will evaporate and burn off and the candle won’t have a strong scent.