What Is Soy Wax?

What is soy wax and how is soy wax made?

Soy wax is vegetable wax derived from the oil of soybeans and is primarily used in candles. After they are harvested, the soy beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes. It is from these flakes that the oil is extracted to then be hydrogenated. Hydrogenating oil is the process of converting some of its fatty acids from unsaturated to saturated, which raises the melting point of the oil to where it can remain solid at room temperature. The end result is soy wax! If you’d like to learn more about how soy wax is made, check out this article from Soya.

Did you know.... the U.S. grows the vast majority of the world's soybeans!

100% Soy Wax Candles

Why do we use soy wax?

Our Happy Wax melts and candles are all made with soy wax. Many other soy candles and melts have some amount of paraffin or beeswax in them because of soy wax’s relatively lower melting point. By using all natural soy, our melts and their production are eco-friendly, non-toxic, and vegan! Additionally, soybean plants are not scarce in the least, so soy wax is completely renewable. Finally, the majority of soybeans in the world are grown right here in the U.S., so our melts are American-made! For more information on the benefits of using soy wax, see this article from CandleScience.

All Natural Soy Wax Melts

Why is soy wax better than paraffin wax?

Soy wax contains nothing artificial, which makes it a better alternative. Scented candles are traditionally made of paraffin wax, which is made from petroleum and can release harmful toxins into the air when burned or melted. Soy wax also burns cleaner than traditional wax. Because paraffin is made from petroleum, it tends to produce a black soot when it burns that can stain carpets and curtains. There are also a handful of health hazards posed by paraffin wax. Check out our other blog post that details these hazards. 

Soy is superior! Check out our variety of all natural soy wax melts & candles!