Straight Wax for Candle Making

Straight waxes, also known as paraffin wax, do not have any additives and are what many blends start with. These are used in many other applications and in most instances the most cost-effective product. The type of candles you make will dictate the melt point of the wax you use.

For containers a melt point of 121-129 °F is ideal for this application. You can make a very good container by using any waxes with these melt points and then adding a very small (no more then 1%) of Vybar 260. To enhance the wax you can even add 5% of Micro 180 to this wax.

For votives the ideal wax melt point would be 130-142°F. You can make a nice votive by adding some Vybar 103 (no more then 1%) and maybe something like 5% Stearic Acid.

For pillars it is best to use waxes 137-150°F. If you plan on putting a great deal of fragrance adding something like vybar and Micro will make for an excellent formulation. The nice thing about using straight waxes is that you can constantly tweak your formula and find that special look. The other added advantage is that in most instances this will allow you to purchase at the most economical means.

Candle Wax Blends

If you are starting out and want to simplify your process then blends are the best way to go for your operation. Blends are a combination of the paraffin waxes and then various components such as Micro’s and Petrolatum’s are used. In most instances the manufacturer will not provide the formulation to the end user. Blends are an excellent option in that all you will need to do is add your color, fragrance and UV inhibitors.

The short comings of blends are that in most instances they have to be developed for a wide range of applications so if you are adding a little less fragrance then the manufacturer is recommending, you may not get the exact results you desire. Another flaw with blends is that if problems develop, it can be difficult to troubleshoot without knowing what the components of the particular blend.

The next category would be the Natural Waxes and we include in this selection Soy, Palm, Beeswax and Bayberry. Without doubt Soy wax is continuing to grow in popularity.