parrafin wax bashing

[tamsoycandles]

Yes the fro has been posted here or on the old board at some time. BUT just for fun......

Quite impressive...

[Terrie]

Hey, my wax is 70% soy and 30% paraffin. 70% is safe to burn, but the other 30% will give you cancer, clog your fireplace, soot up your house, make you impotent and/or infertile, make you grow hair on your chest AND cause you to hallucinate.

The soy/paraffin debate is so lame. A candle is a candle. It has a flame. If not burned properly, it will soot. I've tested 100% soy that put off more soot than any paraffin I've ever saw. If you make a good product that burns clean and smells nice, thats all that matters. Why must some people try to trash other products to try and make a sell? :undecided

[Di_in_AZ]

Go to epa.gov. They have done studies. It is the fragrances added to the wax that puts toxins in the air. The wax is not what does it. They did a study, same thing that lbennis posted about. 30 candles burning for 3-4 hours in one room. The paraffin emitted less toxins than one cigarette. Your furnace emits more than that. If you have a paraffin candle doing that, it is made incorrectly or being burned incorrectly. The same thing happens with soy candles. If you are promoting this, you are TWISTING the truth, which is the same as lying in my book.

I have asked this on several soy vs paraffin threads. The soy followers (or EWWY paraffin people) DO YOU EAT APPLES? DO YOU EAT CHOCOLATES? Most of the major paraffin producers for candles use FOOD GRADE PARAFFIN. Do you not eat fresh fruits and candies? Do you not have heat in your house in the winter? I mean really, if you are so particular over the delivery system of your toxic fragrances, do you ban these as well? Do you burn your soy candles as you inhale that great after-dinner cigarette????

Editing to add this PS - To the people who make these outrageous claims on your soy candles, I hope you get your pants sued off one day. By claiming that you are selling a "clean burning" candle, you are misleading people to believe that. The minute you add FO or color, you are NOT. I have had more than one misled consumer come to my stall telling me that they burn soy candles because they have asthma or some other medical condition. I tell these people they shouldn't burn any candle, but some idiot soy maker has told them they can, just in the name of a sale. It is sick and disgusting and really drags down the industry as a whole. If you are selling unscented candles with no color, feel free to talk about your clean burning candles. Otherwise you are misleading people just to make a sale and I sure hope you sleep at night, then again if you do that in the first place, I guess you don't really care about anything but money anyway.

[Candle Man]

You can just as well put that on a paraffin candle. It's meaningless.

Yes you could, but from the tests of the paraffin I did use, verses the soy I now use, I do get a little bit longer burn time with my soy.

I'm only stating this about my candles, because of the tests, not soy candles in general.

I'm not trying to mis-lead my customers just give them facts about my candles from my tests. These are the test results you will get when burned properly. I have had soy jars returned that were black with soot, it was because they did not trim the wick & possible other factors.

I also test other brand candles and have a display set-up, with my candles and the others, for the customers to see. The info I put beside each one is the name brand, where it came from and the test results. It's just to show the customer how these perform verses my candles. I show actual results instead of putting down other candles.

[lsbennis]

This has to be the oldest information we have seen posted here in a LONG time. When was this quote originated... like 1970? I bet I still had my afro when this information came out! I wouldnt trust any of the information to be up to date from that site.

I don't think it is that old they are referrencing info from as late as 2003 but who knows...but you all asked for unbiased information so perhaps you can find a more recent article instead of complaining about the one that is here.

[Candle Makin Momma]

Love the Fro!!!

PS YOu look just like my brother in law.

[topofmurrayhill]

Why is that lame? Personally if I was going to buy a quality candle whether Paraffin or Soy and that was some of the additional benefits of that candle I would be more inclined to buy it if I knew it was more then just a great smelling candle!

Certainly it's lame. "Natural, non-toxic and biodegradeable" is true of all major candle wax ingredients (with the arguable exception of vegetable shortening) but it doesn't speak to the quality of the end product.

What consumers need is more appreciation for what a high quality product is and more of those to choose from, not misleading hype about wax ingredients. Quality doesn't derive from ingredients but from design, which is the hard part that candlemakers and candle companies are often unwilling or unable to excel at.

Once you have an excellent candle design, there are no additional benefits or drawbacks that derive from a particular wax ingredient.

[lsbennis]

Sorry Top but I still don't see the "lameness" of it...:undecided Most of the public do not know what we know about candles so that information may or may not be valuble to them but that is not our decision to make. I dissagree about a quality candle only being achieved by design...I think a quality candle is achieved through excellent desing and quality ingredients...I don't think you can have one without the other! JMO:smiley2:

[topofmurrayhill]

Sorry Top but I still don't see the "lameness" of it...:undecided Most of the public do not know what we know about candles so that information may or may not be valuble to them but that is not our decision to make. I dissagree about a quality candle only being achieved by design...I think a quality candle is achieved through excellent desing and quality ingredients...I don't think you can have one without the other! JMO:smiley2:

I don't see how you can hold those things up as being equal in significance.

If you wanted to use substandard wax, where would you go and what would you buy? I'd really have to think about that one myself. "Quality ingredients" is as easy as throwing a rock. Selecting waxes and wicks and containers and testing the possibilities is a lot harder.

Just about any $15/lb FO from two or three dozen suppliers qualifies as a quality ingredient, but testing 6 or 12 to find one outstanding one for your application, figuring out the best amount to use and making it burn right in the candle -- that's the real work.

I could go on, but the bottom line is it's all in how the parts come together. Look at any mediocre candle on e-Bay and they say they use only the finest ingredients. It's probably true, as I imagine the majority use the same suppliers we like. But that's nothing compared to the work that goes into designing a great product.

[lsbennis]

I don't know Top...that is just the way I see it. There is a lot of crap out there for sale some Fo's smell like chemicals while others smell like the real thing, you can use either one and properly wick it and one is going to smell great while the other will be nasty, to me that goes back to the quality of ingredients. Or you can use a great quality fo and wick it all wrong and it will soot like crazy, to me that goes back to design, so I guess I still see this as all the aspects working together with one being no more important then the other to create a great candle.

[country creek]

Good to know that there is now a gas fireplace issue out there.

You did forget that using soy wax will keep your Mona Lisa's from losing that smile ...

LMAO !!! :lipsrseal

[Bill]

Ok, I see some people bashing all the drama on here but I am a newbie and I think this is a really important topic to get straightened out before I begin any kind of selling. I am sorry for anyone who is 'tired' of this topic but it seems to be a huge factor at every craft show I go to, so if you sell candles this shouldn't be a tiring issue. It's about your competition! I think the best thing I will do is to try to educate the general consumer on candle facts and myths. So figuring out how to differentiate the two is difficult, thus why these debates are healthy.

I think it is safe to say that everyone could agree that ANY candle releases some sort of pollutant into the air, right. My goal is to try to sell a candle that burns CLEANER than most, not 100% clean. I value honesty and integrity about as high as any quality out there and I would NEVER mislead someone, thus why I am on here doing some research with other candle makers. Go talk to the general public and they don't have a clue on what we are talking about. I have heard some crazy claims like cancer causing candles and someone needing to burn soy because of asthma. They are setting themselves up for future lawsuits.

So let's try to put the soy/parrafin issue aside for just a second and look at something else. If the color and scent add toxins to the air as well then what if a (soy or parrafin) candle was produced with no color and using only natural essential oils, could a candle maker claim it burns cleaner? I am not sure and that's why I ask the question. I think it is great that so many people are responding to this thread. Like I said earlier, if you are serious about candlemaking as a business, then debate is HEALTHY.

I have been doing a lot of consumer research and I have come up with a few conclusions that I have come to while talking with customers and other candle makers. The absolute hands down number 1 reason someone buys a candle is the scent. The second reason was almost split even, half concerned with how the candle looked and the other half concerned with price. Now as far as I am concerned those will be the most important two things that I will be considering in my candle making process. This of course takes a lot of time and testing but I know that I am persistent enough to get there. So basically if every good candle maker produces a candle that has a great cold and hot scent throw, looks great and is offered at an affordable price, what's left to seperate one from the other? Marketing, marketing, marketing.

Ok, this post is waaaaaay too long and I don't even think I said all that is on my mind or respond to anyone that directed a comment to me. But for anyone that did, thank you for your input, I appreciate all comments, critical or not!

Ps, the more I get into this hobby (business) and what is involved in it I love more and more!

[country creek]

Not sure if this article is legitimate but here it is........................

There are a lot of myths surrounding soy candles. Most of these are designed to sell soy candles better, and have very little truth in them. A great example is the great "no soot" myth. Sites that sell soy candles love to say that there is absolutely no soot produced with a soy candle. However, there is no truth and all hype to that claim. Absolutely, positively, and most importantly, scientifically, all organic compounds when burned will emit some carbon (soot) due to incomplete combustion. Sooting is primarily a factor of wick length and disturbance of the flame's steady teardrop shape. There is no such thing as a soot-free candle. Further, while soy wax is all-natural and will not produce the thick black soot that you see on some paraffin containers, it does produce soot. An important fact to remember is that not all soot is black. Soot can be a "white soot" that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Soy wax will produce little black soot - unless the candle is improperly wicked, made, or burnt, but it may produce white soot.

But before you get scared of soot, let me tell you, that soot is in fact not harmful to you. Candle soot is composed primarily of elemental carbon particles, and is similar to the soot given off by kitchen toasters and cooking oils. These everyday household sources of soot are not considered a health concern, and are chemically different from the soot formed by the burning of diesel fuel, coal, gasoline, etc. So the myth of "soot free soy candles" is not only inaccurate, but simply an effort by some companies to scare the general public into buying their candles.

With that being said, there are some benefits to purchasing soy wax candles. While petroleum based paraffin wax is a limited resource, soy wax is a renewable resource that is limited only by how many soybeans we can grow. It is also beneficial to farmers who sell soybean crops, as well as lasting almost twice as long as paraffin wax.

However, soy wax is naturally a "soft" wax. While container candles, tealights, and small tarts may be made entirely of soy, it is extremely difficult to make good pillar candles and votives out of 100% pure soy wax. Additives are used to make them better, but in most cases, paraffin wax is still a much better solution for those types of candles. In my own company, Mystickal Incense & More, we use a blend of 50% soy wax and 50% paraffin wax for our free-standing candles.

In the end, both paraffin wax and soy wax are both good choices for candle wax. Neither is more "environmentally friendly" than the other, as there has never been scientific evidence that paraffin wax is harmful to your health in any way at all. It is a personal choice of which type you prefer to use, and both types hold scent and dye just as well. The only benefit that there is in all reality, is that container candles using soy wax do burn longer. And it does benefit the farmers of the Mid-western United States. However, most other claims regarding soy wax are false and/or misleading.

To read the whole article......

http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/soy-vs-paraffin-candles--the-great-debate-39919.html

[HeavenScentU]

Well not matter what everyone says about paraffin it is still the number one selling candle, look at Yankee a multi-billion dollar business. I have been making both soy and paraffin for 8 years and I still sell more paraffin candles than ever before, because so many candle people just sell soy. I don't care and I find alot of customers don't care either. Paraffin is found in so many of food products and ladies still use paraffin to use for canning, so if it so bad than why are we eating it. I love those wax bottles filled with Koolaid and those red wax lips and chewing gum. I would think digesting it would be more harmful than smelling it. Just my opinion.

[BruceCarvesWax]

Bill, you might get a natural candle using EO's but they dont throw worth a damn. Most EO's dont anyway. Hard to wick too. You come up with a good line of EO candles that can each fill the house and I'll buy one of everything! Bruce.

[Scented]

It's a tiresome debate Bill because it's a no-win situation. As responsible individuals we should be out there with the best product we can put together, which in turn requires the dreaded testing and the dreaded researching that so many have fits about here or other places. We shouldn't be slapping a wick in something and calling it good without having the confidence in the quality of that product.

Seriously, you want an all natural candle ... turn to unscented beeswax. Hey you get a natural color with it too and a soft honeyish smell, not to forget the longest burn times.

So you can ask, but there are no cutting corners, short cuts etc. out there to get that all-natural candle, which just isn't gonna happen because stuff begets stuff that is off-bred into other stuff.

And CC, that post of that article ... it's got a lot of BS in it too.

[The_Dallas_Texas_Dean]

For you Bill....Yes, this is long, but I think that Stefan at Island Candle Company says it well and clears up some myths and puts some much needed "Aloha" into the debate and into our responsibilites as Chandlers. Here is what Stefan had to say:

A message from Stefan Phillips, Island Candle Company's managing partner.

"Aloha. Island Candle Company is committed to providing our customers with safe, healthy and clean burning candles of the highest quality. We will never sell you a candle that we wouldn't burn in our own home. That being said, I would like to address some of the extravagant claims and misleading information that has been circulated by many of the manufacturers and distributors of soy wax, vegetable wax and palm wax candles. Scare tactic marketing is wrong folks, and we believe you deserve the truth. There is no such thing as a smoke and soot free candle. We can't say it enough, the most important thing that you can do to ensure that your candles burn cleanly is trim your wicks, avoid drafts and don't allow your candle to smolder after extinguishing. This applies to all candles, no matter what kind of wax was used in their making. Candles are meant to be a source of joy, romance and relaxation, not needless worry and stress. We do our homework when designing new formulations so that you don't have to. We believe that you have the right to know the truth about the products that you consume. The parties who are claiming their candles products are 100% smoke and soot free are doing the public a great disservice and putting candle consumers at risk. We would invite you to boycott those manufacturers until such time as they can either produce an independent study to support their claims or demonstrate that soy, vegetable and palm wax smoke is less of a health risk to the consumer than paraffin."

Rumor 1. Paraffin is a by product of gasoline production.

Yes, the paraffin used in our candles comes from petroleum. HOWEVER, it is NOT loaded with carcinogens, solvents, gasoline, diesel or kerosene residues as many alternate wax proponents would like you to believe. Paraffin is a naturally occurring, non toxic, non reactive solid which naturally exists in petroleum oil. Man does not artificially add or subtract atoms from the molecular chain to create paraffin. It is refined from the light lubricating oil portion of petroleum. It is separated from oil and distilled to remove any impurities or solvent residues, much like you would separate cream into butter and buttermilk. The Paraffin we use in our candles is fully refined FOOD GRADE paraffin, which means that ALL traces of distillates, solvents, residues and oil have been removed. It is completely non toxic and believe it or not, edible. As a matter of fact, you eat paraffin on your produce. fresh fish is shipped in paraffin boxes, and many medicines use paraffin in their formulas. Given the choice of eating paraffin or burning soy wax, I personally would prefer to eat the paraffin until substantial studies are done which can document the levels of impurities contained in soy wax. Other naturally occurring substances related to paraffin are petroleum jelly and mineral oil, both of which have been widely and safely used in the medical, cosmetic and food industries for many many years. Paraffin comes from a completely different side of the chemical chain than gasoline. If it were toxic, I find it hard to believe that almost every hospital in the country would continue using petroleum jelly and mineral oil on a daily basis. Statements such as "burning paraffin candles produce emissions more toxic than cigarette smoke" "burning paraffin candles will fill your home with thick black soot" and "burning paraffin candles produces the same amount of particulates as diesel trucks" are completely ignorant and ridiculous. It's all about proper combustion folks, trim your wicks.

Rumor 2. Soy, palm and vegetable waxes are 100% natural.

While we are excited about the possibility and potential for a renewable resource such as soy and palm wax, we also believe that it doesn't have to be at the expense of paraffin candles. You deserve to know the truth. Did you know that many of the "natural" soy wax and palm wax candles being sold in health food stores are actually hybrid blends of soy wax and paraffin or palm wax and paraffin? Those ratios can vary between 90/10 to 49/47 with 2% fragrance. This is done to help the candle burn better. Soy wax is very soft and soap like. It burns poorly in it's pure state. Palm wax is VERY brittle and plastic like in it's pure state and has a tendency to fracture unless blended. Adding paraffin stabilizes the alternative waxes to produce better quality candles. You should also know how this stuff is made. You can't squeeze soybeans or palm kernels and make wax. These wax like substances are created by man via a process commonly known as hydrogenation. These waxes are not simply extracted and separated from natural oils as the manufacturers would like you to believe. They are created by manipulating molecules into chemical chains that don't exist in nature, very similar to the way margarine is made. Unlike paraffin which is essentially distilled from it's base oil, soy wax is created by manipulating the base oil into a new substance by forcefully attaching an extra hydrogen atom to the chemical chain. Palm and soy oils are hydrogenated at temperatures around 80 degrees Celsius. Hydrogen is forced through the oil under extreme pressure along with reactive metals such as nickle, which are added as a catalyst to cause the molecular changes necessary to transform the oil into a "wax" like state. Various solvents are then used to extract the reactive metal and unwanted byproducts from the wax. Many candle makers represent these waxes as 100% natural alternatives to paraffin. We don't question that being able to grow more is potentially a good thing, however we DO question the purity of the refining process and the levels and nature of impurities left in the wax. This is especially a concern about the palm wax production industry which primarily comes from Malaysia and is therefore not subject to US candle industry standards. Very little is known about the properties and combustion by products of these so called "natural" waxes, until more is known and scientific studies are done to determine the exact nature of the combustion by products of these candles you certainly will not find them burning in our house. The 25 different soy wax candles that we tested smoked horribly and in our opinion burned about as efficiently as soap.

Rumor 3. Paraffin candles are full of thick black smoke and soot.

A well-made candle, whether scented or unscented, will primarily produce water vapor and carbon dioxide when burning properly. The bottom line for consumers is that all properly formulated scented candles from reputable manufacturers are safe when used and burning properly. Reputable candle makers do extensive testing to ensure that the wicks used are properly sized for the candle formula used. Beware of homemade candles, as they may not have undergone this research. Fire is fire. All fires will produce smoke if they are not burning properly. Paraffin candles, when not burning properly, can emit black smoke and soot. This smoke contains primarily pure carbon and trace amounts of fragrance. Contrary to what the alternative wax industry would like you to believe, SOY AND PALM WAX CANDLES ALSO PRODUCE SMOKE AND SOOT WHEN NOT BURNING PROPERLY! The difference is that it is less apparent visually because it is usually a light tan color. A CLEAN BURNING CANDLE IS ENTIRELY DEPENDANT UPON PROPER COMBUSTION, NOT THE WAX IT IS MADE FROM. Regardless of your choice of wax, please trim your wick and keep your candle out of drafts to ensure proper combustion!

[The_Dallas_Texas_Dean]

More:

What about the claims that paraffin candles producing carcinogens when they burn?

Folks, if you were to drink 5 gallons of water in a period five minutes or less, you would throw your electrolyte levels way out of whack, probably go into shock and need immediate medical attention. Does this mean you should stop drinking water? Of course not.

Many proponents of alternative waxes have been incorrectly citing and manipulating information from the EPA study on candles and incense as sources of indoor air pollution to scare you away from purchasing paraffin candles. Why would they do such a thing? To sell more of their products, that's why.

We believe you deserve to know the truth. Here's what the study found. Information was taken from three different studies and summarized to reach the EPA's conclusions. The study was conducted by using a worst case scenario to determine the potential for harmful emissions from candles by burning 30 candles in a closed, 40 cubic meter room (roughly the size of an average bedroom) for a period of three hours, without trimming the wicks and with very minute amounts of air exchange which would approximate a bedroom with it's windows and doors shut. The study measured the total accumulated emissions. The study used jar and pillar candles, from many different manufacturers and countries of manufacture many of which use less than fully refined food grade paraffin, are usually saturated with large amounts of industrial grade scent and much more prone to smoke while burning. While many organic compounds were found in trace amounts, according to the EPA's findings, the emissions were not found in quantities large enough to pose significant health concern. In fact many of the organic compounds detected fell WELL below the EPA guidelines for what would be considered a normal level occurring in everyday homes. The EPA found that under normal use, candles did not pose a significant risk to the health of the consumer. The EPA study did however state that their primary health concern in relation to candles, was the importation of candles WITH LEAD CORED WICKS, and that lead cored wicks posed a significant risk to health and should be disposed of. The study also stated that Zinc core wicks posed no significant impact on health. Additionally we found it interesting that the EPA found incense to be a significant health risk and source of harmful emissions and large amounts of harmful particulate matter. For those of you who are health conscious consumers, stop burning incense, buy candles made in the USA, trim your wicks and enjoy them safely.

Are candles with essential oils safer?

No. A natural ingredient, as opposed to a manufactured or synthesized ingredient, is not necessarily any safer. In fact, scores of "natural" ingredients are known to be extremely toxic to humans in very small amounts when they are manipulated or burned. Poppy seeds and poison ivy are classic examples. Poppy seeds make great bagels. They are also the primary ingredient in Heroine. Poison Ivy is an annoying topical irritant for many people, however when Poison Ivy burns, it becomes extremely toxic and if ingested into the lungs it is nearly 100% fatal. Many essential oils break down and undergo property changes at the temperatures required for candle manufacturing. We are committed to manufacturing candles that use ingredients known to be safely rated for candle use and which burn cleanly and completely. Beware of the homemade candle maker who is using essential oils with out doing his/her homework.

What sort of chemical reaction is created by burning a candle?

When a candle burns, the flame "consumes" the wax to produce water vapor and carbon dioxide, the same harmless byproducts humans produce when exhaling. This is true for all types of candle waxes. Proper combustion is essential to a clean burning candle. Keep your wick trimmed and avoid burning your candle in drafty conditions.

Are certain candle waxes better than others?

No. All types of quality candle waxes perform well, burning cleanly and safely when formulated and used properly. Candle manufacturers select waxes or blends of waxes based on their characteristics and their suitability for specific types of candles.

Where can you find more information on the subject of candle safety?

We would invite any and all concerned candle consumers to visit the National Candle Association's website at www.candles.org.

In summary, we hope that this information has put to rest some of the fears and scare tactic marketing which is being very actively thrown around on the internet. Candles should be a source of joy and relaxation, not fear. As a candle consumer you should know that most candles made by reputable US candle makers should burn safely and cleanly provided that you, the consumer, take proper care to trim your wicks, keep the candle out of drafts and enjoy your candles responsibly. Please be sure to buy candles which are made in the USA. The decision to use paraffin, soy, palm, vegetable, beeswax or hybrid wax candles is a very personal one. Each of these waxes has it's own unique properties, advantages and disadvantages and when formulated in certain combinations can improve the overall burning characteristics of the candle. We believe there is room for everyone in the market place. We are also of the opinion that the makers and proponents of alternative waxes and candles would do a far greater service to the public by educating consumers as to the importance of proper candle care and combustion instead of perpetuating bad candle burning habits based upon false claims of smokeless and soot free products.

[candlebug]

Great information Dean!

[Di_in_AZ]

Kudos Dean! I have been spouting off about that EPA study on this board for sometime now. Even directing people there has not stopped this nonsense, although given the facts, I don't see how it wouldn't. As soon as I started coming to boards and saw this argument, I researched it at EPA. I have had this same debate here and on other boards. I have always posted their test results. That is why I always ask the people who believe these myths if they eat fruits, chocolates, have heat, etc. If they are so upset by paraffin, they should be avoiding those things as well. Not one of them has ever answered. I know why--because it would show the obvious, that they are blowing things out of proportion. No where have I ever seen the facts laid out and put to rest as the individual who wrote that has done.

To the candlemakers who spew these soy myths, please don't say you are merely touting the "benefits" of soy and not degrading paraffin. When you say something is a benefit, you are claiming that it has properties that are advantageous over similar items--benefit means an advantage. So even if you don't say paraffin, you are IMPLYING it. It is ridiculous. Stand on the merits of your product. If your products don't have anything selling points other than to bash another product, then you should not be in the business.

[Crowded House]

Yes the fro has been posted here or on the old board at some time. BUT just for fun......

Okay, I'm late to this debate but I just wanted to add that immediately to the left of Bruce's 'fro is one cool looking candle!

I'm looking forward to trying that carving stuff someday.

[Crowded House]

If your products don't have anything selling points other than to bash another product, then you should not be in the business.

Oh, I don't know...saying your candles are hella better than the ones at the dollar store is bashing another product, but it would be true for many people here who should be in the business.

Of course that's been said many times in this thread, I think.

[Di_in_AZ]

I was referring to the soy/paraffin issue, which is what the thread was discussing.

[funnygirl]

Ok, I just gotta say my peace about this. First of all, I make candles with lots of different kinds of wax. I have a pure soy I use for containers, as well as a parasoy blend that I use for my colored container candles. I use palm wax and paraffin wax for my pillars. I use to use only J-223 for my containers, cause they were just for me and they smelled good. Now, I stopped useing J-223 when my 2 asthmatic children where laying in their rooms each night gasping for breath and I couldnt figure out why. I dont care what anyone says, and Im not bashing paraffin cause I use it and love, I just cant burn it in my house because my children are DEFINATLY very sensitive to it. It's not the FO they are sensitive to, cause I burn my pure soy all day with the same FO's I use in my paraffin candles and it doesnt bother them a bit. Even my parasoy blend messes up their breathing. I dont need written scientific evidence to know what we experiance in our home. I have had to work REALLY hard to get my soy candles to throw like my J-223 candles did. If I didnt have kids that were sensitive to the paraffin, I would probably burn it because it smells good and is pretty easy to work with. But the fact of the matter is, there is definatly something that is happening when paraffin wax is burning that affects people with breathing problems that doesnt seem to be occuring in pure soy.

I will say that paraffin and soy can both produce soot, BUT I have definatly noticed the soot to be different. I havent seen any "white soot" either, so I dont know about that. But on soy candles that I have had soot, I have had to work hard to get them to do it, by not trimming the wick or by overwicking them majorly. The soot I have gotten out of soy is very different than what I have gotten from paraffin. It is a powdery black film that I can wipe off with my finger or a dry cloth. The soot from the paraffin is thick, sticky and tacky black soot that can not be wiped clean with just a dry cloth. So anyway, Im gonna run and hide now cause Im sure someone is going to feel like I am bashing their paraffin candles now even though I am not, LOL! Im just stating the facts as they are in my home. If anyone would like to come to my home and conduct a study on paraffin VS soy around asthmatics, I wont charge ya too much!

[Crowded House]

I was referring to the soy/paraffin issue, which is what the thread was discussing.

I still disagree. Every product out there "bashes" the other products by default when they say that theirs are "better" for whatever reason.

I see the problem not being "bashing" another product but using hyperbole to artificially elevate your own product. "The production of soy candles helps to support American soy farmers" doesn't bash parrafin nor is it neccessarily hyperbole. "The production of soy candles keeps coca farming to a minimum in Brazil - Soy Candles: The Anti-Drug Candle!" doesn't bash paraffin but it is hyperbole.