Candle Wax Comparison Chart
The wax you choose affects everything about your candle — burn time, scent throw, appearance, and environmental impact. Each wax has different melting points, shrinkage behaviour, and fragrance-holding capacity. This guide compares the five most popular candle waxes available in the UK, so you can choose the right one for your candle-making project.
Wax Properties Comparison
| Property | Soy | Paraffin | Beeswax | Coconut | Rapeseed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melt Point | 46–52°C | 46–68°C | 62–65°C | 36–40°C | 52–58°C |
| Hot Throw | Moderate | Excellent | Mild (natural honey) | Very good | Good |
| Cold Throw | Moderate | Very good | Mild | Good | Good |
| Burn Time | Good (slow burn) | Moderate | Excellent (slowest) | Good | Good |
| Shrinkage | Moderate–high | Low–moderate | Low | Very low | Low |
| Frosting | Common | Rare | None | Rare | Occasional |
| Container Candles | Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Pillar Candles | Poor (too soft) | Excellent | Excellent | Poor (too soft) | Moderate (needs hardener) |
| Fragrance Load | 6–10% | 6–12% | 2–5% | 6–10% | 6–10% |
| Eco Rating | Good (renewable) | Poor (petroleum) | Excellent (natural) | Good (renewable) | Excellent (EU-grown) |
| UK Price (per kg) | £8–14 | £5–10 | £15–25 | £12–18 | £10–16 |
Choosing the Right Wax
For beginners: Soy wax is the easiest to work with for container candles — it's forgiving, cleans up with warm soapy water, and is widely available. For maximum scent: Paraffin holds the most fragrance and gives the strongest throw, but it's petroleum-based. For eco-conscious makers: Rapeseed wax is grown in Europe (often in the UK itself) and has a lower carbon footprint than soy, which is typically imported. For luxury candles: Coconut or coconut-soy blends give a beautiful smooth finish and excellent burn quality.
Many candle makers use wax blends (e.g. soy/coconut 80:20) to combine the best properties of each wax. Blending can improve scent throw, reduce frosting, and fine-tune the melt pool.
Calculate Your Wax Needs
Use our candle-making calculators to work out wax quantities, fragrance amounts, and wick sizing:
- Candle Making Calculators — calculate wax weight, fragrance oil quantity, dye amounts, and wick recommendations
Wax properties vary between suppliers and blends. The figures above are typical ranges for pure, unblended waxes. Always conduct test burns with your specific wax, fragrance, and wick combination before producing candles for sale. Prices are approximate UK retail (2025) and may vary with order quantity.