The Wonderful World of Wax Susan Lowenthal, Editor

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Articles of Interest

Candle variety is as endless as the imagination..

The Wonderful Wolrd of Wax

An Introduction to Candle Crafting

Susan Lowenthal
Executive Editor

Candles are still hot, hot, hot.... The diversity of styles, materials, fragrances and color contribute to their continuing popularity. Walk through any trade show, and the number and variety of candles available will surprise you. Excellent accessories for home decor, candles create ambiance and set a mood, from romantic to reflective, from festive to somber.

While candle crafting is the most popular and familiar way to use wax, there are many other uses, which we will cover in future articles. Scented room fresheners, cosmetics, ornaments, seals, fire starters and encoustic painting (painting with wax) to name just a few.

Candle Crafting as an Art & Science: Candle crafting is both an art and a science. Creating an evenly burning candle with the proper throw (the way the scent permeates the air) requires familiarity with the characteristics of the wax; melt point, additives, using the appropriate wick, scent, container, etc.

Sounds complicated? Not really. It just takes a bit of knowledge, careful measuring, experimentation and testing. That’s the science. The art is in the design and the many combinations you can create. You can even create works of art using ready-made candles and embellishing them in a multitude of ways. The only limitation to what one can create is the imagination.

The Container Candle:

An easy entry into candle crafting is the container container candle. Container candles are much more forgiving than pillars and give you a chance to recycle most any type of container to create your work of art.

The possiblities for containers are really endless.

cups, mugs, steins
tumblers, wine, champaign or martini glasses - most any type of glass
tins, small vases
of course - traditional candle jars

You will soon find yourself looking at any object with a hole in a totally new light.

Wax: One major factor in the creation of a candle is the type of wax used. There are many types of wax, each with its own properties. There are also several types of container waxes. Characteristics in common to most of the container waxes are that they are softer, stickier and tend to shrink less than pillar waxes.

The term “wax” is used to describe a wide variety of materials that have similar properties but vary in chemical composition. All of the materials share some common characteristics, such as thermo plasticity, which means solid at room temperature and liquid when heated.

Waxes, whether pillar or container, can be categorized as follows for candle making:

Natural waxes: include soy wax, palm wax, vegetable blend waxes, beeswax and bayberry wax. Beeswax is available in sheets, which can be rolled into tapers and pillars as well as blocks to be melted. All of these waxes share the characteristic of being manufactured from renewable resources.
Paraffin waxes: are derivatives of crude oil production. They have varying degrees of refinement as well as differing melt points.
Gel “waxes”: produced from a hydrocarbon base combined with polymers, gel is really not a wax. Gel “wax” is a clear, jello-like substance that can be used only for containers. Candles made with gel perform differently than those made with paraffin. They are available in 3 densities, varying in the scents load they can carry.
Clear waxes: the newest addition to the candle market. Clear wax is a polyamide based candle gel, created with patented technology. It enables you to create clear container candles without the bubbles associated with the gel wax. Clear wax is available for both containers and pillars, while the gel can only be used for containers

More candle styles. The Candle as a Hamburger: Is it any wonder that there are such a vast variety of finished candles from which to choose? There are candles to suit every mood and decor. Prices vary just as widely - from fairly inexpensive to works of art that sell for hundreds of dollars.

You can even create a candle Hamburger!!!

The key to candle crafting is experimentation. Don't be afraid. Wax is inexpensive. Experiment, experiment, experiment! Oh, by the way, did I mention - experiment - especially if you want to craft candles as a business. Before your know it you will be crafting away - creating your very own works of art to sell or to keep.

This is the first in a series of article in which we will regularly explore the Wonderful World of Candles & Wax by delving into interesting and informative topics. Join me and enjoy this Wonderful World of Wax.