So why have soy candles become so popular among those of us striving to live green? Are those paraffin wax candles really bad for you? Well, here are a few facts to help you understand the differences and similarities.
Paraffin wax is a heavy hydrocarbon produced by refining crude mineral oils. It is made from the light lubricating oil distillates obtained from the oil refining process. By contrast, soy wax is a vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans. The oil is hydrogenated which makes it solid at room temperature
Both paraffin and soy candles produce soot. All organic compounds when burned will emit some carbon (soot) due to incomplete combustion. Soot from soy candles may be white and not always obvious.
Petroleum based paraffin wax is a limited resource. Soy wax is a renewable resource. Grow more soybeans… produce more oil.
Soy candles burn longer.
Soooooo… there you have it. I tried my best to be unbiased but I prefer soy candles!
