Decoding Candles: What does "clean burning" really mean?
Alright, confession time— who here goes straight to the clearance section to shop for candles? There's no shame (at all) in looking for a bargain, but there are a few items you really don't want to skimp on. And believe it or not, candles are one of them— here's why.
There are several things to check before purchasing such as the type of wick or fragrance used, but one is by far the most important: the type of wax used to make the candle.
Soy versus paraffin wax
This is probably the most important thing you need to pay attention to while candle shopping. If you take one thing away from this post, it's this: stick to soy wax! Soy wax burns clean, meaning does not produce soot while burning. It's also naturally derived from vegetable oil, so when you burn it, you aren't releasing harmful chemicals and toxins in your home. Paraffin wax on the other hand is a byproduct of petroleum oil, therefore it releases toxins while you burn it.
"This makes soy wax not only a safer product to use and burn in your home (especially if you have kids), but it's also a renewable sourced product, so you can feel better about helping the environment too." – Kayla Ross, Director of Operations and in-house bath and body expert
What is soot?
If you're not sure if the candles in your home produce soot, check the rim and walls of the inside of the jar— is it black? If you touch it, does it come off onto your fingers? If it produces heavy soot, it will also discolor lighter objects within close proximity (white curtains, bookshelves, walls, etc.).
As frustrating as the soot can be aesthetically, what's more worrying is the risk it poses to you and your family's health. Studies show that the soot produced by burning paraffin wax is the same as a diesel truck's exhaust or second-hand smoke from a cigarette.
Our candles are 100% soy, so they burn clean with a strong, unaltered scent. Since they are clean, a vegetable byproduct and have a lower burning temperature, you can also use the heated wax as a massage balm!
Bonus insider tip: There's a right (and wrong) way to burn a soy candle
If you burn a soy candle for a short amount of time, you might notice that it burns unevenly, with a really deep indention in the center. Here's the trick— the first time you burn a new soy candle, you need to let it burn long enough for the wax to melt evenly along the rim. Once you get that first, long burn out of the way, your candle will burn evenly!
Still have burning questions? See what we did there? 😉 Drop us a line, we're always happy to chat!