In short, soy wax is not hard enough in it pure form to hold its shape as a pillar candle. Candle companies often say that their soy pillar candles contain pure soy wax. On the surface this is true. However, they do not contain only pure soy wax. This can be misleading, although it’s not inherently negative.

Despite popular belief, it is not currently possible for a soy pillar candle to hold its shape if it is made with 100% pure soy bean oil. If a company advertises that their soy pillar candles are made with 100% pure soy, they likely are not aware that the wax they’re using is actually a blend.

All this being said, most soy pillar blends are in fact made from all natural ingredients. The majority of these waxes are made from mostly soy wax with the addition of other natural botanical oils that serve to harden the soy wax so it can hold its shape as a free standing pillar candle. Just because soy pillar candles aren’t pure soy wax doesn’t mean they’re not all natural.

Botanical oils, by definition, are oils that are derived from plant sources. The word botanical is derived from the word botany which involves the scientific study of plant life. The most common botanical oil in the United States is soy bean oil. However, soy bean oil is too viscous to completely hold its shape when it is made into soy wax, so other, less viscous botanical oils have to be added to the soy bean oil to help it hold its shape.

EcoSoya won’t say exactly what is in their soy pillar blend because it’s an industry secret. However, most soy pillar blends contain palm oil to assist in helping the soy wax hold its shape. Palm oil, as opposed to soy bean oil, is naturally hard and can easily hold its shape as a free standing candle.

Although the vast majority of soy pillar wax does not contain paraffin, if you are concerned about the natural quality of your soy candle, it’s important to make sure this is the case. Just a few years ago, many companies added paraffin to soy wax and some companies still do this today.

All natural candles have become very popular over the past decade since people are becoming more health conscious. For many years, people have been watching what they eat. Now, more and more people are watching what they breathe.

When you use soy candles as opposed to paraffin candles, you’re not breathing in harmful carcinogens that are normally produced by paraffin candles. Some people go even further and are buying essential oil candles or unscented soy candles because they believe that synthetic fragrances can be harmful. There is still much more research to be done concerning this, but if you’re concerned, it’s best to be on the safe side.

For more information on pillar candles, handmade candles and many other natural products, come visit our Promethean Candle Boutique online shop.