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When it comes to candles, wax choices can be overwhelming. It’s important to remember that many types of candles are made with wax that may be unsustainable and release toxins into the air. At The Dirty Candle, we know that the only thing that should be getting down and dirty when you’re burning our candles is you. That’s why we use 100% soy wax in our products to give you a clean burn while you’re doing the nasty.
All of our products are made with love and care so you can enjoy them. Whether you’re having a romantic bath or doing who knows what in the bedroom, we want you to have an all-natural and sustainable product you can feel good about enjoying.
So, what is soy wax, and why do we use it? Well, there are many reasons why we made the choice to go with soy wax. We did a lot of research when figuring out what we wanted to use in our products, and want to share that knowledge with you.
We want you to be well-informed on what you’re getting when you buy our products. So, let’s get into what soy wax is and all of the benefits.
To start, you probably have a general idea of what soy wax is. It’s wax, and it’s soy. What more is there to know? Well, that’s only part of the story.
Soy wax is a natural vegetable wax made by the hydrogenation of soybean oil. Soybeans are one of the top agricultural crops in the US. They are predominantly grown in the Midwest and are a renewable resource. The beans are used in many food products for humans and animals along with soy wax.
Once the soybeans are harvested, they need to be refined before their transformation into soy wax. The beans have to be cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and then rolled into flakes. The flakes are used to make wax, as well as for animal feed. There are so many uses for soy which makes it so sustainable.
Once the soybeans are turned into flakes, oil is extracted to be hydrogenated. The hydrogenation process is what gives us the soy wax we know and love. If you’re not familiar with hydrogenation, let us explain.
Here’s the thing about soy wax. The people making it don’t want you to know exactly how they do it. With a competitive candle market, you don’t want to risk someone taking your unique process. What we can tell you, however, is that all soy wax started with the hydrogenation of soy oil.
Hydrogenation is the process in which the oils are solidified to increase viscosity. This is the process that makes the oil go from a liquid to a solid. The process creates saturated fats which are how the wax is able to stay solid. This happens by raising the melting point which allows the oil to hold as wax and become a candle.
Once the soybean oil has been hydrogenated, it’s sold in pellets, flakes and other shapes. Candlemakers can buy soy wax in bulk to create their products if they don’t want to try their hand at making their own wax.
We won’t dive too far down the rabbit hole of science here, we just want you to have a general idea of the process.
Soy wax is a relatively new type of wax in the world of candle making.It was invented in 1991by Michael Richards when he was looking for a cheaper alternative to beeswax. Richards had found that there was high demand for natural candle waxes, but they were expensive. For example, beeswax can be as much as 10 times more expensive than paraffin wax. He was primarily using beeswax for his products which was starting to break the bank.
So, Richards started experimenting. He tested several different plant waxes to find the perfect consistency for candles. What he ended up with was a vegetable wax that combined hydrogenated soy, coconut, and palm oils.
After the invention, it wasn’t long until soy wax hit the commercial market. The Body Shop was the first chain to carry soy candles in 1995. Richards continued working on his soy wax blends until he was able to completely remove beeswax for an affordable alternative. Thus, the soy wax we know today was born!
There are many benefits to choosing soy wax for your candles. At the Dirty Candle, we know that health and cleanliness are important. When you’re getting down and dirty, your candles shouldn’t be part of the mess and should only enhance your experience.
If you’ve spent any time online researching candles, you’ve likely found several articles about how toxic they can be. It all depends on the wax that’s used. Soy wax is non-toxic, and you won’t be inhaling unwanted chemicals when you burn one. Toxins could be a total mood killer in the bedroom!
Since soy wax is made from vegetables, you aren’t going to have unknown toxic byproducts in the wax. You can feel good about burning your soy candles!
Along with being non-toxic, soy wax candles burn cleaner than other types of wax. Have you ever lit a candle and noticed that it’s giving off a lot of smoke? It was likely made with paraffin. The last thing you want during sexy time is a billow of smoke ruining your vibe. Our soy wax candles will burn clean so you can focus on what (or who) you’re doing.
Soy wax candles burn clean which means they also produce less soot. Soot is not only dirty
(in a bad way) it can be unhealthy. Research shows that soy wax candles produce90% less soot than paraffin candles.
Soy wax has a lower melting point than other waxes such as paraffin. That means it will become soft at a lower temperature. Things can get messy in the bedroom, and we don’t want a candle spill to ruin the mood! Soy wax can be easily cleaned up with soap and water quickly so you can get back to business.
We already mentioned this one, but it’s an important one! Soy wax is natural and comes from a renewable resource making it a sustainable product. Waxes such as paraffin are a byproduct of petroleum that directly affects the environment negatively. This is because petroleum production is extremely harmful to the environment.
Soy wax doesn’t contain anything artificial, so you know what you’re getting. When you buy from The Dirty Candle, you’re getting an eco-friendly sustainable product you can feel good about using!
Soy wax burns slower than other types of wax, so the candles will last longer! That’s more bang for your buck right there. The reason for this is that soy wax will melt at a lower temperature. So, you get a candle that will last longer even if it’s the same size as a paraffin wax candle.
Have you ever lit a candle for sexy time and the fragrance disappears almost immediately? Many cheaper waxes don’t hold fragrances very well. Since soy wax burns at a slower rate, the scents are also released slowly. You won’t be slapped in the face with the scent, but a soy wax candle will fill the room with a delicious aroma in a reasonable time frame. This makes a soy wax candle perfect for setting the mood.
If you are practicing the vegan lifestyle, trying to navigate the world of candle wax can be a minefield. For example, beeswax is a natural option but the way it’s produced may be harmful to the bees. Buying at big box stores means running the risk of purchasing a candle with false advertising on the label. The good news is that soy wax is 100% vegan and you can typically find it made with organic non-GMO soy oil. There are no animal products used, so you can rest easy by enjoying your vegan candles.
On the manufacturing side of things, soy wax is very easy to work with. It’s easy to clean up, it’s adaptable and it holds fragrances and color extremely well. If you are starting as a beginner it’s the perfect wax to get your feet wet. Soy wax can also easily be blended with other types of wax to create lovely candles, so you can play scientist and experiment.
Most soy farmers are located in the Midwestern United States, so buying soy candles directly supports the economy. When you buy from a local source, you’re also stimulating the local economy and helping out local businesses. What could be better than that?
Many soy wax candle makers are also running small businesses. When you purchase a candle from a business like The Dirty Candle, you’re supporting local craftsmanship. You can light your candle and enjoy the sexy aromas knowing they were handmade with love and care. You don’t get that kind of energy from a candle you ordered from a big box store.
We’ve all dealt with a power outage before. The worst is when you dig around in the junk drawer only to find that your flashlight is out of batteries. This is another reason why keeping soy candles on hand is a good idea! Your candles won’t run out of batteries, and since they burn slowly they will last you a while. Soy candles are the perfect thing to keep in your emergency kit.
The bottom line is that there are several great benefits to soy wax candles. It provides a natural, vegan alternative to other types of wax. You can also rest easy burning your soy wax candles knowing they aren’t emitting harmful chemicals into the air like paraffin wax.
Soy wax is a natural vegan option that is a great alternative to other waxes. We can thank Michael Richards for wanting to move away from beeswax and inventing it! Soy wax is also something you can easily make at home and experiment with if you feel so inspired after enjoying one of our candles. It could even make a sexy date night activity!
We want you to know that when you buy from The Dirty Candle, you’re getting a quality product. We don’t need to know what you’re doing while it’s lit, but we want you to enjoy it.