Wizard Candles

How to make your own soy candles 

For those interested in candle-making, but who want to remain environmentally-conscious, soy candles are a fun craft option.

Handmade soy candles:
• Start with soy wax flakes, and measure out the appropriate amount for the size and style of candle you’re making
• Melt your wax, in a double-boiler, wax melter or kitchen candle
• Once the wax is melted and the temperature is between 170 and 180 degrees, add the dye
• After the dye, add the fragrance (while the wax temperature is around 175 degrees), and stir with a whisk
• Reduce the heat of your wax to between 150 and 155 degrees, and pour the wax into your molds (make sure the molds are warm before you pour the wax in)
• Once a think skin has formed across the top of your soy candles, insert a wick
• Let the candles harden for approximately four hours

In a time where everything has an environmentally-friendly alternative, candles aren’t about to be left out. Soy wax candles are a healthier, greener substitute for the common paraffin candle. So, what’s the difference between them?Soy wax candles are made from hydrogenated soybean oil, and were invented in 1992 by a man looking for a cheaper alternative to beeswax. Paraffin candles are petroleum-based, and have been shown to release carcinogens into the air when burned. Soy wax doesn’t release CO2 into the atmosphere when burned, and can last up to 50 percent longer than a paraffin candle. Soy candles are also shown to release 90 percent less soot than paraffin ones, which can coat and stick to the furniture and walls in your home.

Not only are soy candles a safe choice, they are also easier to clean up than paraffin candles. Spilled soy wax can be cleaned up with soap and water. The candles also have more fragrance distribution than their paraffin counterparts.