Wax For Pillar Candles: 8 Best Options For Perfect Homemade Candles
Pillar candles add elegance and warmth to any space, but choosing the right wax is crucial for creating beautiful, long-lasting candles. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced candle maker, selecting the appropriate wax will determine your pillar candle’s burn time, appearance, scent throw, and overall quality.
The ideal pillar candle wax needs specific properties – it must be firm enough to stand independently without container support, have a high enough melting point to maintain its shape, and create a clean, even burn. With numerous wax options available today, from traditional paraffin to natural alternatives like soy and palm, it’s important to understand the unique characteristics of each.
In this article, we’ll explore the best wax options for pillar candles, examining their pros and cons, and helping you decide which is best suited for your specific candle-making needs. Let’s dive into the world of pillar candle waxes to help you create stunning, professional-quality candles.
1. Paraffin Wax
Paraffin wax remains one of the most traditional and widely used options for pillar candles. This petroleum-derived wax has been the industry standard for decades due to its reliability and versatility.
Paraffin pillar waxes typically have a high melting point (130-150°F) which helps candles maintain their shape even in warmer environments. They’re known for excellent color retention, making them ideal for vibrant, richly colored pillar candles like those found in Target’s Room Essentials™ collection.
Key features:
– Excellent hardness and stability for free-standing candles
– Superior color retention for vibrant pillar candles
– Good scent throw for fragrance distribution
– Relatively inexpensive compared to natural alternatives
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Holds color beautifully | Petroleum-based (not eco-friendly) |
| Excellent hardness for pillars | May produce more soot than natural waxes |
| Good scent throw | Not renewable resource |
| Affordable and widely available | Some concerns about indoor air quality |
2. Soy Pillar Wax
Soy pillar wax has gained tremendous popularity as a natural alternative to paraffin. Derived from soybean oil, this renewable resource creates beautiful pillar candles with a clean, slow burn. Standard soy wax is too soft for pillars, but specialized soy pillar blends have been developed with added hardeners.
According to Myka Candles & Moulds, soy pillar wax “exudes a clean and eco-friendly burn,” making it increasingly popular with environmentally conscious consumers. These specialized formulations provide the hardness needed for free-standing candles while maintaining soy’s natural benefits.
Key features:
– Natural, renewable resource
– Slower, cleaner burning than paraffin
– Good for those seeking eco-friendly options
– Often creates a creamy, opaque appearance
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Renewable, natural resource | May not hold color as vibrantly as paraffin |
| Clean burning with minimal soot | Typically more expensive than paraffin |
| Biodegradable | May have frosting or wet spots |
| Good for eco-conscious consumers | Requires proper pillar-specific formulation |
3. Palm Wax
Palm wax is gaining recognition as an excellent natural option for pillar candles. Made from palm oil, this wax creates distinctive crystalline patterns that give pillar candles a unique, feathered appearance that many candle enthusiasts love.
According to recent discussions on r/candlemaking, “palm waxes take color beautifully and also usually have a crystalline pattern” that makes them stand out from other wax types. This natural characteristic creates visually striking candles without any additives.
Key features:
– Creates unique crystalline patterns
– Excellent color retention capabilities
– Natural, plant-based alternative
– Higher melting point than soy (good for pillars)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unique crystalline appearance | Sustainability concerns with some palm sources |
| Takes color beautifully | More expensive than paraffin |
| Good hardness for pillars | Pattern can be unpredictable |
| Natural alternative | Limited availability compared to other waxes |
4. Beeswax
Beeswax is perhaps the oldest natural candle wax, prized for its subtle honey scent and naturally golden color. This 100% natural wax burns cleanly and is often considered the premium choice for pillar candles.
Beeswax has a naturally high melting point (145-147°F), making it ideal for free-standing pillar candles. Its natural golden color creates warm, inviting candles, though it can also be bleached for a more neutral appearance.
Key features:
– 100% natural product from honeybees
– Natural honey scent without added fragrance
– Longest burn time of natural waxes
– Naturally air-purifying properties
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely natural product | Most expensive wax option |
| Natural honey scent | Limited color options (natural yellow unless bleached) |
| Long burn time | Can be difficult to work with |
| Naturally air-purifying | May not hold added fragrances well |
5. Blended Waxes (BW-921)
Blended waxes offer the best of multiple wax types, combining their benefits while minimizing drawbacks. BW-921 from Blended Waxes is specifically mentioned in r/candlemaking as an excellent option for natural pillar candles.
According to candlemakers, BW-921 provides “natural pillar wax (soy blend) but still hard and high melt point (no paraffin),” making it ideal for those wanting natural ingredients without sacrificing the structural integrity needed for pillars.
Key features:
– Combines benefits of multiple wax types
– Specifically formulated for pillar candles
– Natural ingredients with high melt point
– Good balance of hardness and burn quality
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Natural ingredients | More expensive than pure paraffin |
| Excellent hardness for pillars | May be harder to find than common waxes |
| High melt point | Specific formulations vary between manufacturers |
| Good compromise solution | May require testing to perfect techniques |
6. Coconut Wax
Coconut wax is a newer entrant to the candle-making world but is quickly gaining popularity for its excellent properties. This natural, renewable wax comes from coconut meat and creates luxurious pillar candles when properly formulated for hardness.
When blended with small amounts of other waxes to increase hardness, coconut wax creates pillars with excellent scent throw and a smooth, creamy appearance that many find appealing.
Key features:
– Renewable, sustainable resource
– Excellent scent throw
– Clean burning properties
– Creamy white appearance
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent scent throw | Pure coconut wax too soft for pillars (needs blending) |
| Renewable resource | More expensive than traditional waxes |
| Clean burning | Limited availability |
| Luxurious appearance | Requires proper formulation for pillars |
7. Soy-Paraffin Blends
Soy-paraffin blends offer a middle ground between traditional paraffin and natural soy wax. These blends typically contain varying ratios of both waxes to create a pillar candle with the hardness of paraffin and some of the eco-friendly benefits of soy.
These blends are popular for pillar candles because they combine paraffin’s excellent color retention and hardness with soy’s cleaner burning properties. The specific ratio can be adjusted depending on the desired characteristics.
Key features:
– Combines benefits of both wax types
– Better color retention than pure soy
– Harder than pure soy for better pillar stability
– More eco-friendly than pure paraffin
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good compromise solution | Not fully natural like pure soy |
| Better hardness than pure soy | Still contains some petroleum product |
| Good color retention | Properties vary widely between brands |
| Widely available | May not satisfy purists on either side |
8. Rapeseed (Canola) Wax
Rapeseed wax, derived from canola oil, is an emerging natural option for pillar candles. This plant-based wax offers good hardness for free-standing candles while providing a clean, eco-friendly burn.
Like soy, rapeseed wax needs proper formulation for pillars, but when correctly prepared, it creates beautiful candles with good scent throw and a creamy appearance.
Key features:
– Plant-based renewable resource
– Good hardness when properly formulated
– Clean burning properties
– Growing availability in candle making supplies
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Renewable resource | Less common than other waxes |
| Good eco-friendly option | May require additives for proper pillar hardness |
| Clean burning | Limited track record compared to established waxes |
| Good for those with soy allergies | Can be more expensive than traditional options |
Comparison Table: Waxes For Pillar Candles
| Wax Type | Origin | Melting Point | Hardness | Color Retention | Scent Throw | Eco-Friendly | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paraffin | Petroleum | 130-150°F | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Low | $ |
| Soy Pillar Wax | Soybean Oil | 120-130°F | Good (with additives) | Moderate | Moderate | High | $$ |
| Palm Wax | Palm Oil | 125-145°F | Very Good | Excellent | Good | Moderate | $$ |
| Beeswax | Honeybees | 145-147°F | Excellent | Limited (natural yellow) | Natural scent only | Very High | $$$ |
| Blended Waxes (BW-921) | Mixed Natural | 130-140°F | Very Good | Good | Good | High | $$ |
| Coconut Wax | Coconut Meat | 110-120°F | Poor (needs blending) | Good | Excellent | High | $$$ |
| Soy-Paraffin Blend | Mixed | 125-135°F | Very Good | Very Good | Good | Moderate | $$ |
| Rapeseed Wax | Canola Oil | 120-130°F | Good (with additives) | Good | Good | High | $$ |
Which Wax Is Best For Your Pillar Candles?
After examining the various wax options for pillar candles, it’s clear that the “best” choice depends on your specific priorities and needs:
For beginners: Paraffin or soy-paraffin blends offer forgiveness and reliability while you master pillar candle techniques.
For eco-conscious crafters: Soy pillar wax, BW-921 blended wax, or rapeseed wax provide natural alternatives with good performance.
For unique appearance: Palm wax creates distinctive crystalline patterns that make your candles stand out.
For premium, natural candles: Beeswax remains the gold standard for 100% natural, luxurious pillar candles.
For vibrant colors: Paraffin and palm wax offer superior color retention for bright, vivid pillar candles.
For best scent throw: Coconut wax blends provide excellent fragrance distribution when properly formulated for pillars.
When using silicon molds specifically, as mentioned in the r/candlemaking discussion, consider waxes with good release properties like paraffin or BW-921 blended wax. The higher melting points of these waxes also help maintain shape after demolding.
Remember that successful pillar candles require proper wicking regardless of wax choice. The right combination of wax and wick will create beautiful, long-burning pillar candles that stand proudly without container support.
Whether you choose traditional paraffin like those found in Target’s pillar candle collections or opt for natural alternatives, understanding the properties of different waxes helps you create pillar candles that meet your specific quality standards and values.