If you're just starting your candle journey, one question keeps coming back: which candle wax should you choose? Store shelves are full of similar-sounding names. However, the differences are real—they affect scent, appearance, safety, and ease of use. This guide is designed to help you learn about the most popular types of candle wax without stress, understand what candle wax is made of, and choose the right material for your creative style. Think of wax as a pizza base: the base determines whether you end up with a crispy Neapolitan or a flat, homemade crust. So let's try to bake the perfect "base" for your candle.
Soy wax: an eco-friendly choice to start with
Soy wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil. It's plant-based, biodegradable, and popular with those who value natural solutions. It produces a creamy, smooth finish and works well in containers ranging from glass jars to ceramics. It burns cooler than paraffin, so the candle typically burns longer and more evenly. Scent? It has a distinct scent when cold, while the "warm fragrance" is pleasant, though more subtle than paraffin. This is a plus for those who appreciate a delicate touch in their living room, but a minus if you dream of intense aromatherapy in a large space.
Soy wax also has its quirks. It can "freeze" on the sides of the vessel and cause slight discoloration, which is natural for plant-based waxes. Proper heating, the appropriate pouring temperature, and patient curing of the candle (leave it for 3–14 days) improve its appearance and fragrance. If you're planning to use molds without a vessel (pillars, figurines), look for special soy blends for casting or consider a different wax, as pure soy can be too brittle.
Pros: herbal composition, long burning time, easy to learn in jars.
Cons: aesthetic vagaries, moderate fragrance projection when burning, sensitivity to ambient temperature.
Beeswax: natural and traditional
Beeswax is a classic from the hive. It's created during the construction of honeycombs, so even in the cube, it has a delicate, honey-wax aroma, which is beautiful in itself. Beeswax candles burn with a calm, bright flame and are known for their long, clean burn. They're an excellent choice for table candles, classic pillar candles, and decorative castings – beeswax is malleable and mechanically durable.
However, it is aromatically heavier than neutral waxes: if you want to showcase perfumed compositions, remember that the natural honey note may "blend" with the oils. Beeswax has a higher melting point, requiring stronger wicks and more thorough testing. It is also more expensive – you pay a bit more for quality and provenance.
Pros: naturalness, beautiful golden shade, long-lasting candles, great work in forms.
Cons: price, own base scent, higher demands on the wick.
Coconut wax: a modern alternative
Coconut wax is made from fractions of oils extracted from coconut flesh (often blended with other plant waxes). It has a low melting point, a velvety texture, and excellent fragrance absorption. In practice, this translates into very smooth surfaces and a pleasant aroma projection in the room. In the "coconut vs. soy wax" debate, many people choose coconut for its appearance and scent, while soy wax is more readily available and affordable.
Coconut loves containers – it can be too soft in containerless candles, so manufacturers often combine it with soy or rapeseed to increase hardness. It's slightly more expensive than soy, but it provides a "premium effect": a beautiful creamy frosting, minimal shrinkage, and an elegant sheen when poured.
Pros: very smooth finish, great fragrance retention, low melting point.
Cons: higher price, usually for containers, often in the form of mixtures (must read specifications).
Paraffin wax: classic and versatile
Paraffin is a purified fraction derived from the petroleum industry. It's predictable, hard, and delivers a strong "fragrance-on-heat" effect. That's why it's long been the king of candlemaking: it allows for the creation of both containers and pillars, releases easily from molds, colors evenly, and the finished product has a distinct, intense aroma.
Challenges? It's an unnatural material, which some makers consider a drawback. It also burns hotter, therefore faster, and can smoke if the wick is not chosen correctly. However, if you value strong fragrance projection and sharp, pure colors, paraffin is still a great, budget-friendly workhorse.
Pros: very good fragrance intensity, versatility, great work in forms.
Cons: petrochemical origin, faster combustion, potential soot emissions if incorrectly configured.
What is candle wax made of? Quick clarification
Soybean: from hydrogenated soybean oil.
Beeswax: from wax combs produced by bees.
Coconut: from the oil fractions of coconut flesh (often a blend).
Paraffin: from refined petroleum fractions.
You'll also encounter palm wax (characteristic crystals after hardening). The question "soy or palm wax?" often comes up – palm wax offers an interesting aesthetic, but requires conscious selection of suppliers and control of the raw material's origin. For beginners, soy or coconut will be easier.
How to choose the right candle wax?
First, decide what you want to make and for whom. If you dream of a jar candle with a delicate aroma and natural history, start with soy. If you value tradition and a subtle, honeyed atmosphere without additional scents, choose bee wax. If you crave a creamy "wow" effect and good fragrance retention in containers, reach for coconut. And if you're looking for intense aroma projection and vibrant colors, and the origin of the material isn't crucial to you, paraffin will do the trick.
Practical tips to get you started:
Matching the wick to the wax and vessel diameter is the most important technical decision. Test one parameter at a time and record the results. Monitor the temperatures: wax likes it (heating, stirring, and pouring within the manufacturer's recommended ranges). Give the candle time to mature – plant-based waxes, in particular, reward you with a fuller fragrance after a few days. Don't be afraid of blends: a soy-coconut blend combines a creamy appearance with a pleasant fragrance projection, and adding a small amount of a harder wax helps with molded candles.
A quick comparison in a nutshell
Application:
soy - containers, decorative candles with a soft appearance
pszczy - pillars, classic candles, natural aroma without oils
coconut - "premium" containers, high smoothness, good fragrance carrying capacity
paraffin - containers, pillars, castings with a sharp contour and a strong odor
Appearance and performance:
soy - creamy, can be capricious, requires patience
pszczy - golden, plastic, solid
coconut - velvety, very smooth, low melting point
paraffin - hard, predictable, easy to dye
Smell:
soy - naturally delicate when smoked
pszczy - its own note of honey, oils play more quietly
coconut - very good projection in containers
paraffin - the strongest warm projection
Summary: Which wax will be "yours"?
There's no single winner—everyone's needs and styles vary. If you're just starting out and wondering "which candle wax should I choose?", the easiest route is soy or coconut wax. You'll love beeswax, when you embrace nature in its purest form and classic candles without strong perfumes. And if you dream of intense scents and bold colors, paraffin will shine. Start with small batches, test wicks, fragrance doses, and temperatures. After a few tries, you'll find your own recipe—and your candles will burn exactly as you imagine.