Soy is nothing but hydrogenated soybean oil form which candles can be made. These candles are fast becoming very popular in the household, as they are environment friendly. Though soy candles are readily available in the market, they can also be made at home by combining soy wax with various fragrances and dyes. The procedure of making soy candles is relatively very simple and involves use of material that is readily available at home.

To start with, you just require a pound of soy wax which is readily available in the market, a mason jar and an ounce of fragrance oil along with the wax dye of your favorite color. The first step to make your first soy candle is to place this wax in a container and warm it slowly, applying medium heat. When the soy wax melts completely, take out the pan from the burner. Now put in the fragrance oil and blend the contents till the fragrance is absorbed by the wax. Also add wax dye to the container and follow instructions on its label so that your candles get the desired color.

Now transfer the contents slowly to the container keeping the wick in the central position. You can do this by using a small stick or rod. To ensure smooth burning of your soy candle, use a larger diameter wick. Soon you will see that the wax is slowly solidifying. As soon as the melted wax solidifies, just cut off the excess wick and your candle is ready.

Just a couple of handy tips: When you buy fragrances from the market, it is important to ensure that that they are compatible with soy wax. The same holds true, with the dye you are using. It is necessary to have a dye that melts with the soy wax.

Soy Candle Materials

Soy candle wax was only invented in 1991 but it has already become a very popular wax. There are a number of advantages to using soy wax. First, soy is a natural and long lasting. Soy wax is much less expensive than other natural waxes like bees wax. Soy candles also produce less soot than synthetic candle waxes.

A man named Michael Richards invented soy candle wax in 1991. He had recently entered the candle making supply business earlier in the year. Richards noticed that there was a large consumer demand for natural waxes, but most people could not afford them.

He experimented with the waxes and oils of many different plants before realizing that mixing soybean oil with palm oil and coconut oil made a great wax. He also mixed a small amount of bees wax into the mixture to make it an even better candle-making wax. By 1995 he had perfected the mix, when soy candle-making supply stores first appeared.

Soy wax has many advantages over other types of candle-making wax. Soy wax is natural -- it does not include petroleum or other environmentally unsafe ingredients that synthetic waxes may contain. Many soy candle-making supply shops only sell wax made with soybeans grown in the United States. Purchasing these supplies helps the farmers that grow the soybeans.

Another advantage of soy wax over synthetic wax is that it gives off much less soot. There is less of a need to clean up after burning a soy wax candle, and there is no risk of the soot starting a fire.

Soy wax is much less expensive than other natural waxes. It can cost less than half as much as beeswax. Candle makers who want to use a natural wax but can't afford bees wax are advised to try soy wax.

Soy wax is a great alternative to synthetic wax. It is all-natural and is much less expensive than bees wax.