Are Bath And Body Candles Soy?

Bath and body candles have become increasingly popular home fragrance products over the last decade. Unlike traditional candles that are purely for lighting, bath and body candles are designed to fill a room with a pleasant fragrance when burned. Brands like Bath & Body Works, Yankee Candle, and Village Candle have led the growth in this candle segment.

The ingredients used to make bath and body candles can vary widely between brands and even specific candle scents. However, the wax is the main component that determines the quality and performance of the candle. Soy wax, paraffin wax, palm wax, and vegetable-based waxes are common ingredients found in many bath and body candles today.

This article will provide an overview of the most popular candle wax types and discuss whether major bath and body candle brands are using soy wax or other ingredients in their products.

Popularity of Soy Candles

Soy wax has become an increasingly popular candle wax in recent years. According to The Rise of Soy Candles with Wood Wicks, the popularity of soy candles with wood wicks has contributed to the growth of local economies in the US and UK. The rise in popularity coincides with rising gas prices and a demand for more sustainable products, as soy is a renewable and environmentally-friendly crop.

Soy wax is often preferred for its long burn time, strong fragrance throw, and clean burn. It’s commonly believed that soy candles are non-toxic and emit less soot. As In candles, mind your beeswax – or soy explains, the popularity of soy coincides with consumer demand for natural and non-toxic products. Soy is biodegradable and made from vegetable oils rather than paraffin wax from petroleum. Overall, the popularity of soy wax reflects consumer interest in renewable, sustainable candle ingredients.

Benefits of Soy Wax

Soy wax is popular among candle makers and consumers because it offers several advantages over paraffin and other waxes. Some of the key benefits of soy wax include:

Longer Burn Time

Soy wax candles tend to burn longer than paraffin candles, providing up to 50% more burn time per candle. The Candle Studio states soy candles can burn over 50 hours compared to 30-35 for paraffin.

Natural Wax

Soy wax is made from soybeans, a renewable and sustainable crop. Many consumers prefer soy wax candles because they are made from a natural material rather than petroleum-based paraffin.

Renewable Resource

As a plant-based wax, soy wax relies on a renewable and abundant crop, soybeans. This makes producing soy wax more sustainable long-term versus paraffin wax which depends on finite petroleum reserves.

Other Common Candle Waxes

Beyond soy wax, there are several other types of wax commonly used to make candles:

Paraffin Wax

Paraffin wax is a petroleum-based wax made from crude oil. It is the most widely used candle wax due to its low cost and ability to hold fragrance. However, paraffin wax produces more soot than other waxes when burned and is not biodegradable or as environmentally-friendly as natural waxes (https://www.marthastewart.com/8061950/candle-wax-type-guide).

Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural wax made by honey bees. It has a natural honey aroma and produces less smoke and soot than paraffin. However, beeswax is more expensive and harder to work with due to its high melting point (https://www.marthastewart.com/8061950/candle-wax-type-guide).

Palm Wax

Palm wax comes from the fruit of palm trees. It is harder than soy wax but produces a smooth burn. However, harvesting palm oil can be environmentally damaging if not sustainably sourced (https://www.marthastewart.com/8061950/candle-wax-type-guide).

Bath & Body Works Candle Ingredients

Bath & Body Works uses a blend of different waxes in their candles depending on the type. For their popular 3-wick candles, Bath & Body Works uses a soy wax blend as the main wax ingredient. Soy wax burns cleaner than paraffin wax and is derived from soybeans, making it a renewable and environmentally-friendly option. The soy wax blend allows the fragrances to throw stronger and provides a smooth pool of liquid wax as the candle burns, according to Bath & Body Works.

For Bath & Body Works’ single wick candles, the main wax is paraffin based. Paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct made from refined crude oil. Though not as eco-friendly as soy wax, paraffin wax is very effective at holding fragrances and allows single wick candles to burn evenly. The single wick candles may also contain smaller amounts of vegetable-based waxes.

So in summary, Bath & Body Works uses primarily soy wax for their popular 3-wick candles and paraffin wax for the single wick varieties. The soy wax makes the 3-wick candles an environmentally-friendly option that still delivers on performance.

Source: https://remotestylist.com/are-bath-and-body-works-candles-safe-for-cats/

Yankee Candle Ingredients

Yankee Candles are made from a blend of paraffin wax, stearic acid, fragrances, dyes, and other ingredients. According to the Yankee Candle website, many of their candles contain some soy wax, but paraffin wax is still the primary ingredient (Source). Paraffin wax is a petroleum-based wax made from crude oil that is inexpensive and easy to work with. However, paraffin wax releases compounds like toluene and benzene when burned, which some consider toxic (Source). Soy wax, on the other hand, is made from soybeans and is a cleaner burning, renewable resource.

Goose Creek Candle Ingredients

Goose Creek Candles uses high quality ingredients in its candles, including soy wax blends (source: https://goosecreekcandle.com/blogs/candle-blog/what-is-candle-wax-made-of). According to the company’s website, for some of their richly scented three-wick candles, they use a top-quality soy wax blend to create a highly fragrant result.

Goose Creek states that they use soy wax because it is a renewable resource that burns cleaner and longer than paraffin wax. Soy wax candles are also praised for having excellent scent throw and being better for the environment (source: https://goosecreekcandle.com/collections/3-wick-candles/gourmand-and-edible).

In summary, Goose Creek predominantly uses soy wax in their candle blends, citing benefits such as clean burning, renewable materials, and excellent scent throw.

Village Candle Ingredients

Village Candle primarily uses soy wax in their candles. According to their website, “It renders Village Candle ingredients including mulled cider and patchouli, the Candle is manufactured with 100% mulled cider and patchouli and presents a natural soy wax candles.”

They tout the benefits of soy wax, stating it “burns clean, without producing smoke or residue” and that it “holds fragrances better than paraffin wax.” Village Candle says their soy wax candles are an “eco-friendly, healthy alternative to paraffin wax candles.”

In addition to soy wax, Village Candle candles contain essential oils and other natural ingredients like beeswax. They avoid artificial dyes, going for a natural off-white color. Their focus on soy wax and natural ingredients makes Village Candle a good option for those looking for bath and body candles made from soy.

Source: https://village-candle.beeswaxcandles.biz/

Other Brands

In addition to Bath & Body Works, Yankee Candle, Goose Creek, and Village Candle, there are some other major candle brands to consider when evaluating soy wax use.

WoodWick Candles is another popular brand that offers a range of candle scents and designs. According to their website, WoodWick uses a proprietary natural wax blend that contains soy wax as a core ingredient. They promote the use of natural ingredients and essential oils in their candles (Source).

NEST Fragrances is a high-end home fragrance brand. Their candles are made from a blend of cosmetic-grade paraffin wax and natural soy wax. They emphasize using clean, non-toxic ingredients in their products (Source).

In summary, many major candle brands today incorporate soy wax into their products due to its natural, clean-burning properties and popularity with consumers seeking non-toxic ingredients.

Conclusion

In summary, most of the major bath and body candle brands offer soy wax candle options among their product lines. Brands like Bath & Body Works, Yankee Candle, Goose Creek, and Village Candle all sell candles made from soy wax, often promoting the benefits of soy over other waxes. Soy wax is marketed as an eco-friendly, clean burning, and long lasting option compared to paraffin or other petroleum-based waxes. Many customers seek out soy candles specifically for these perceived benefits. While not all candles from the major brands contain soy wax, most have soy varieties to appeal to customer preferences. In conclusion, soy wax candles have a strong presence across most major bath and body candle brands.