Which is better: Soy vs paraffin wax candles?

Soy wax is made of a more sustainable material.

Before we can discuss the pros and cons of these candle waxes, you might be curious as to what exactly soy wax and paraffin wax are. A typical candle (that is unmarked) is usually made from paraffin wax. This type of wax is petroleum based and created using crude oil. As crude oil is a fossil fuel, this obviously isn’t the best for the environment. On top of that, the oil extracted needs to be refined before it can be turned into a candle. This adds more insult to the earth. In comparison, soy wax is derived from the soybean. While growing soybeans (and then having to process them) does have an impact, it is not nearly as much as paraffin wax.

Paraffin wax can release dangerous chemicals as it burns.

The next topic in this soy vs. paraffin wax discussion is the health of burning these candles. Obviously “soot” is released when you burn any type of candle. But, did you know that some paraffin candles give off benzene, a carcinogen?They can also release other harmful emissions into your home that can affect air quality… But, these amounts are minimal so they shouldn’t impact you negatively. On the flip side, it has also been proven that soy wax candles can also emit things when burning. Because many farmers use pesticides when growing soybeans, low amounts of these chemicals can be released into the air if the soybean oil wasn’t filtered properly.