The desire to know how to make soy candles is on the rise.  They have exciting characteristics that make them attractive to candle enthusiasts.  Soy wax candles burn very cleanly and have a naturally occurring pleasant aroma.  Both of these features make them popular with chandlers.  Another factor makes them appealing to the environmentally conscious. Soy wax is derived from hydrogenated oils taken from soy bean flakes.  Soy beans are a domestically produced product and its derivatives are petroleum free.

The number one wax used to make candles today is paraffin wax.  Paraffin is a petroleum derivative made from by-products of crude oil refinement and coal processing.  With the addition of stearic acid to paraffin it becomes and excellent candle wax which is economical, easy to work with and clean burning.  All these characteristics were great improvements over tallow and other waxes used in the past and this helped make paraffin wax the most widely used.  Soy wax is a very good alternative that will give paraffin wax a challenge for number one status with candle makers.

Procedurally speaking the production process for making soy candles is similar to that of paraffin wax candles.  To make soy candles you will need the following:

1.  Double boiler
2.  A good thermometer
3.  Molds
4.  Colors and scents
5.  Wicks

The wax must be heated in a double boiler because direct heat will ruin the wax.  Double boiler devices are available from craft suppliers that will adequately melt the candle wax but the function can be successfully accomplished with two different sized pots.  Just heat water in the larger of the two and put the wax to be melted in the smaller vessel.  Place the smaller pot in the water of the larger and monitor the temperature of the wax as it heats.  Even for experienced candle makers a good quality thermometer is essential to insure a superior finished product.

For best results the wax should be heated to 150 to 170 degrees and then poured into the molds as quickly as possible because overexposure to heat can cause the wax to become yellowed.  If the temperature of the heated wax is allowed to fall below 150 degrees prior to being transferred to the mold the candles could develop cracks.

If you decide to enhance the candles with colors or aromas they should be added just prior to the wax being put in the molds.  Doing this will capture the maximum effect from the scenting agent.  The amount of agent added should be no more than one ounce  per pound of wax.  It would seem that more scents applied to the mix would produce greater aromas but the opposite is true.  Too much scenting agent added to the wax spoils the aroma and will mar the finished candle so it is essential to add the correct amount.

Another consideration is treatment of the candles after the wax is poured into the molds.  It is best to let the candles cool at room temperature at their own pace.  Rapid cooling either by refrigeration or cold water immersion can cause the candles to crack.

If these steps are followed the candle maker can assure themselves of the satisfaction gained from making superior soy candles.

Peggy Devereaux is an expert candle maker.  For more great information on how to make soy candles, visit http://www.candlemakeranswers.com
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