At Grace+Love Use 100% Soy Wax - Here's Why

When it comes to wax there are a few different types.  Yes I know....variety is the spice of life 😊.  You will find that candles will either be one type of wax or they will be blended.  Typically you will find candles that have one or more of the following:  Paraffin Wax, Soy Wax, Beeswax, Coconut Wax, or Apricot Wax. 

You will find several candles that are made with Paraffin Wax as it is less expensive and can really pack a punch when releasing fragrance.  Beeswax are more of a rare candle I would say due to the preferences of consumers wanting cruelty free and vegan free candles but have really great air purifying properties.  Something that isn't completely off the table for G+L honestly.  Coconut wax and Apricot Wax are newer to the candle making seen but are quickly gaining popularity primarily for their creamy aesthetic that is typically achieved with paraffin wax candles.

As for G+L though, we currently only use 100% Soy wax in our home fragrance products.  A lot of candle makers refer to soy wax as a "stubborn child" in the sense that it can be difficult to work with.  But after much testing we learned, as with a stubborn child, if you are patient with it and show it much love you can create something beautiful......and so we did.  Candles and wax melts that are clean burning, highly fragrant but not overpowering.  Not to mention soy wax is eco-friendly, renewable, American grown, sustainable and carbon-neutral.

Let's look deeper into soy wax, its history and its advantages.

Soy wax is a vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated.  The hydrogenation process converts some of the fatty acids in the oil from unsaturated to saturated. This process dramatically alters the melting point of the oil, making it solid at room temperature. The leftover bean husks are commonly used as animal feed.

The U.S. grows the vast majority of the world's soybeans, primarily in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana.  Soy's greatest advantage is that it is completely renewable. While the global reserves of oil shrink and paraffin prices increase, the only limit to the soy supply is how much we choose to grow. 

Soy wax is much healthier for us and the environment. This planet-friendly substance doesn't emit any nasties into our atmosphere. Soy wax has a lower melting point than paraffin wax. This means that soy wax burns cooler and will last longer than paraffin candles.

So just know when you purchase G+L products you are making a purchase that has been carefully thought through with you in mind. ❤️