Types of Wax

Candle waxes generally fall into two categories: natural and synthetic. More specifically:

Types of Wax

Synthetic Waxes:

Paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct, is one of the most commonly used types due to its affordability and excellent scent and color retention. Paraffin wax is synthetic.

Gel wax, a translucent, jelly-like wax made from mineral oil and polymer resin, often used for decorative candles and melts. 

Natural Waxes:

Soy wax, made from soybeans, is a popular choice for its renewable and biodegradable nature, soy wax is a natural alternative to paraffin. It's known for producing a cleaner burn and longer scent throw. 

Bees wax, this wax, secreted by bees, is a classic choice with a natural honey scent and air-purifying properties. It burns slowly and cleanly but tends to be more expensive. 

Palm wax, derived from palm oil, this wax is known for its natural crystalline appearance and longer burn time. It's often used in decorative candles.

Coconut wax, A relatively new natural wax, coconut wax is known for its slow burn, clean flame, and excellent fragrance-holding qualities. 

Rapeseed wax, a sustainable and eco-friendly wax, rapeseed wax is also known for its clean burning qualities. 

Coconut Apricot wax, a blend of coconut and apricot waxes, often used in container candles, known for its user-friendly properties and ability to hold a strong fragrance. 

Blended Waxes:

Blending different waxes can optimize your candles for specific characteristics such as scent throw, burn time, and surface finish. For instance, a mix of soy and paraffin can enhance the scent throw while maintaining the eco-friendly aspect of soy wax. Experimentation with ratios can lead to a customized blend that meets your specific needs.

Other blended waxes used are coconut-apricot, coconut-soy, and coconut-paraffin.  When it comes to selecting the wax or a specific wax blend, one needs to take into consideration factors such as the type of vessel being used for your candle, along with the benefits of the wax itself (i.e., burn time, fragrance throw - both hot and cold, the stability & performance, eco-friendliness, and the general aesthetics one is hoping to attain).  Shadowman Candles uses a soy blend for all of its solid candles and melts. This blend also enhances the intricate details of our molded candles. We also use gel wax, which has a translucent appearance and is used in some of our specialty candles, like those containing embeds or 'candle scenes'.

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Uses

Container candles: Waxes like soy, coconut, and some paraffin blends are commonly used for container candles, as they adhere to the container walls. 

Pillar and votive candles: Waxes like palm, beeswax, and certain paraffin blends are suitable for making free-standing candles that hold their shape. 

Decorative candles: Gel wax and waxes with unique textures like palm wax are often used for decorative candles. 

Molded candles: Choosing the right type of candle wax for silicone molds is crucial for both amateur and professional candle makers aiming to achieve the perfect candle. The flexibility and non-stick nature of silicone molds make them ideal for intricate designs and easy demolding, but not all waxes perform equally in these molds.