Has Anyone Left Soy and went back to Pariffin?

[mickosmom]

I have been using CBL-129 for many years now. I started testing Soy. Nice burn but still can't compare to the great throw of the 129 I am testing soy using Ecosoya CB135. Had some OK results but now asking myself is if really worth it, should I throw in the towel with soy and stay with the 129?? Now I see they also have a CBL-130 that is a soy/pariffin blend and I am wondering that since they make such a great 129 will the 130 be as great? Is there really any benefit to trying it, does it burn all that much cleaner seeing that it isn't all soy? Can anyone help me out?? PLEASE

[topofmurrayhill]

It's about time somebody experienced existential angst.

I say screw the CB-135. It was one of my favorites that I tested and it was still crap.

Making candles out of all-soy or almost-all-soy waxes is the lunatic fringe of candlemaking. It may seem mainstream because of all the hype right now, but it's basically silly if you care about what makes the best candle wax. Also silly if you don't really care about soybean industry trade associations, who own most of the patents and spread most of the propaganda. I'm a candlemaker. There are lots of causes in the world and soybean farmers aren't my cause. I figure if they ever really need help, a bunch of rock stars will do a benefit concert.

On the other hand, soy shortening and other vegetable-derived products are among many ingredients that can be very useful in wax blends. No reason not to try the CBL-130. It's fun to try new stuff and the parasoy blends are often very good. In the meantime, keep using the CBL-129 and you won't need to have angst. Why give up making candles that you already know how to make well?

[PurpleHippie]

For the most part I agree with Top! I've made both soy and paraffin and I have never thought any wax was perfect but soy can be a major PIA! I just couldn't devote the extra time for constant

re-testing that I discovered was necessary for soy. I do still offer some soy candles for those customers that are really interested in having a "soy candle" but I have really cut back on the scents I offer in the soy line. I vote for sticking with the product you have already tested and works for you. Maybe you can order a small test size of the other to see how it compares if you just want to experiment. Good luck!

[fredron]

AMEN to Top. I've tried the 100% soys, and have been greatly disappointed by the performance. I was going to try to become all things to all people, so I played with the soys, and finally realized my customers loved my paraffin candles, so why change? Now I'm back to the wax I started with, and happy with the decision.

Fredron

[Simple Pleasures]

My first candle making experience was with soy and boy was I in for a headache. After many trips to the candle distributor with unsatisfactory scent throws, etc. they suggested I move on to wax. What a relief! I believe if I had stayed with soy, I would no longer me making candles.

[candlelady]

Hi! I started with paraffin 6 years ago and thought I'd give soy a try. Figure I'd tap into that candle industry. Bought all the right stuff, tested, tested and tested and you know what? All of people didn't know what soy was or what the big hoopla was all about! I had to explain to them the story. I had a sale and reduced my soy candles and sold "some" and asked my customers to burn them and report back to me what they thought. They didn't like them at all! No scent, burned way too fast and was still smoking.... Needless to say I've stayed with my paraffin and only make soy for one of my customers. Plus, I sell way too many to put up with curing times! Give me a break! Just my 2 cents.

[pixisprkl]

I started with soy as well.... got fed up with it, switched to paraffin, and haven't looked back since.

And I haven't been happier.

[so-soy]

You guys are serious??? GB 415 soywax is the simplest wax out there to use...I can't see even bothering with a parrafin wax and having to save wax to do re-pours etc...heating up your jars in the oven before pouring...what a total pain in the butt! I have nothing against parrafin candles, I've also never poured them before, I haven't wanted to get into all that pre heating and re pouring junk! I get awesome scent throw in 415 also...the one thing I will give to parrafin is color, yes it looks better if you want colored, but for nice creamy natural colored candles, you can't beat soywax! I often hear people complain that soy was a pain for them when testing, and I just haven't found that...415 is simple to use, and the cheapest to buy, and makes a great looking and smelling candle! Just my 2cents worth! LOL

[candlesprite7]

What's that old saying? If it ain't broke why fix it? LOL

I use mainly paraffin, always have. I do use a blend for containers (tealights and small votive size jars) Some people around here wont even talk to me because I dont use pure soy. I dont care. I make what I want to make. I am making candles to make myself happy. I know I'll never be big business because of how I feel about.

Just my 2 cents!

Top that is hilarious, but soo true!

"I figure if they ever really need help, a bunch of rock stars will do a benefit concert."

[topofmurrayhill]

GB415 is a perfect example of the lunatic fringe mentality that's suddenly become normal. "Pure soy wax" in this case is a euphemism for flaked vegetable shortening made for baking cookies or deep-frying stuff in the fast food joints. "Pure soy candle" just sounds better than "tub of scented grease with a wick". Using that stuff at 100% for making candles is pointless.

Combine it with other ingredients, especially petroleum products, and you can make real soy candle wax that's suitable for quality products. Candles that don't refuse to throw your fragrance oil or require using 50% more (there goes the cost savings). Candles that don't swell up or discolor like stale chocolate while sitting around and don't set up like snot. Better yet, if you like the natural creamy color you can still have it in a wax that really works.

[Lightning Bug]

I agree that 415 can give a great throw and burn...alas, the consistency of batches seems to be lacking. Right now I started mixing 50/50 to get rid of the 415 (a htp 1212 wouldn't melt an unscented/uncolored jj) and think the preblend might be the way to go in the future. I'm just getting into pillars and canes, so have paraffin here and coming. I think there is room for all types. My soy votive is working great...up to 2 hrs. plus on a floater. As far as sooting, I think most candles can be wicked not to soot. My blend takes a smaller wick, throws great and seems to be burning cleanly. Each person has to find what they really enjoy making. To me, variety makes it more fun. Beth

[Fern]

I didn't think soy was so great. I started out using it when I first started making candles. I got all caught up in the propaganda and felt it was the right type of product to use since I was environmentally conscious. There's nothing wrong with it, if you don't mind waiting for a long period of time to cure in order to get any throw, or in some cases, when it won't throw certain scents at all...which is just the nature of soy. When I switched over to paraffin, I rarely had problems with throw, and with the pillar blend, I could make interesting candles with it. The soy pillar wax was alright, but was not versatile at all. The most you could do with it was make different colored layers and I believe some people did some marbling. I preferred to make mottled and rustic pillars, which you can't do with soy. Anyway, there are many people who use soy and love it. So I guess it all depends on what you're looking to do with it and how patient you are for it to cure.

[PurpleHippie]

If you have already tested a soy that you like and feel comfortable with then I think it's great if you want to stick with it. The main problem I had with soy was that I would test one(and I have tested many brands)that worked well for my needs. I would get a good decent throw, test and get all of my wick sizes for the products I sell, order more wax. The next batch would be different resulting in a change in either scent throw or wick sizes. Which meant I had to start test all over! You can't run a business if you are constantly testing. At least I can't! I still make a few "soy" candles but very few. Top said it the best and I couldn't agree more but whatever works for you and your customers is the bottom line!

[so-soy]

GB415 is a perfect example of the lunatic fringe mentality that's suddenly become normal. "Pure soy wax" in this case is a euphemism for flaked vegetable shortening made for baking cookies or deep-frying stuff in the fast food joints. "Pure soy candle" just sounds better than "tub of scented grease with a wick". Using that stuff at 100% for making candles is pointless.

Combine it with other ingredients, especially petroleum products, and you can make real soy candle wax that's suitable for quality products. Candles that don't refuse to throw your fragrance oil or require using 50% more (there goes the cost savings). Candles that don't swell up or discolor like stale chocolate while sitting around and don't set up like snot. Better yet, if you like the natural creamy color you can still have it in a wax that really works.

Gee top, tell us how you really feel!:rolleyes2 If you want to call it a tub of scented grease, so be it, but it sure throws a damn good scent out there! I DON'T have to use more fo to get just as good a throw or better than a parrafin candle. I don't have to wait for long periods of time for a cure before I get a great throw....I don't have to add anything else to get this great smelling, great burning candle..I don't have to add any additives to get a great candle...so I have found this tub of scented grease to be a very good thing...to each their own I guess...I'm just glad to know there is someone out there who has such intelligent knowledge about this grease we are using! I will certainly sleep better! Thanks Top, for being there! :neener:

[mickosmom]

THANKS YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT...

I had mad up my mind to stick with Pariffin.

Not even sure if I want to try and add a soy to it or not, I mean to really get the benifit of the so called clean burn, I am thinking you would have to have a lot of soy in there and then you taking away the quaility and benfits of using a pariffin? Anyone agree? Or do any of you pariffin lovers like to add soy? Or use a preblend soy like the CBL-130?

The air quaility thing really didn't sit too well with me as a selling point. Because the way I see it is if you have a flame, then something has to be fueling that flame, and weather you see a soot or smoke from it or it burns off a clear feul, it is still burning off something. I understand about wanting to surport farming etc etc. Hey that sounds great and all. I am a farm girl myself, don't plant soy beans but I have a horse farm and other animals..

And yes I am against "Animal Tesing" I think it is CRUEL!! The animals get all upset and nervous then end up writing down the wrong answers!!

[so-soy]

And yes I am against "Animal Tesing" I think it is CRUEL!! The animals get all upset and nervous then end up writing down the wrong answers!!

[mystical_angel1219]

I did paraffin long before soy. But soy is my market.

I still do paraffin for certain customers, hurricanes, pillars- etc.

Occasionally Palm wax, as I do love the texture, but not the throw.

I have an appreciation for each wax as they are truly different.

Paraffin is a stablized wax. You will never experience the variables that soy has with this wax. Especially plain 415. I have experimented with about every soy wax out there, and plain 415 to me is a raw material. It has too many issues for me to consider it a staple. The variations are endless. Throw, colors, the wicking, even the batch lots all seem to change with each box. I do not have the time to babysit soy wax. Thus I came up with my own formula. It is all natural, but stablized. Candles need to be consistent if you sell, period. With certain brands of soy, this cannot be achieved.

Soy is very hot in the market now as people are becoming more environmentally aware. However, I do not feel that people research or basically dig deep enough into the whole soy mystique to know exactly what soy is and what it can or cannot do. Soy does have it's pros against paraffin. However in IMO, the learning curve with soy is a steep one. If you do not constantly test and research ways to stabilize this wax, it will always turn funky colors, morph into other scents, have white rings on the top and over time will change into something not so pretty. This is the nature of the beast. Paraffin candles may fade in color over time, but never look like a soy candle after a year. Especially with plain 415.

Riding the soy train as a marketing ploy is nothing but pure garbage, IMO. Soy is processed with some harsh chemicals like hexane, etc- and those chemicals are not friendly to the earth. So in essence, labeling a candle made of soy as pure, natural, environmentally friendly, helping american farmers, and so on, isn't really the truth. Unless you sell your candles without dye or FO, they are not even close to all natural. FO alone has harsh chemicals. Just about every thing we touch in everyday life has chemicals. It's the American way.

Now before anyone has the idea of jumping on me, I do sell soy candles, primarily. My statement does not make me "anti-soy" by any means. But I believe that a realistic approach to this medium is a smart one. Soy has it's limitations. The better you understand the variations and what soy actually is, the better your product will be. If you are looking to learn to make candles quickly, with less fuss and headache, pure soy is not the wax for you. There are many parasoy blends out there that are much easier to work with.

[7 Pawz]

And to think I thought about switching to soy:D Considering there are more cons than pros, think I'll stay with paraffin,palm, or beeswax. But, thats not to say that i won't try soy anyway, I like to play with different types of wax, just because i love to make candles in a variety of ways.

[Crafty1_AJ]

I started making paraffin candles when I was a kid. By the time I started experimenting with soy, I was already getting established paraffin customers. But I guess I must be a glutton for punishment, because I forged on ahead, determined to conquer (or at least partially subdue) the soy beast.

Now I have loyal customers for both types, so I make BOTH kinds of candles. Scary. Keeps me hopping. But for me, it's too late to turn back now!

I agree that both have limitations/pros/cons. But paraffin is less finicky in many respects, I'll grant you that much. All the more reason to hail those of us who make soy candles demi-deities.

[candlesprite7]

All the more reason to hail those of us who make soy candles demi-deities.

:bow: All Hail Soy Chandlers!

[ladysj]

I myself have tried soy for containers with no success. I am currently try to find a good blend of the 2 for containers. Or for those of you that use just paraffin how do you keep the wax from pulling away from the sides of the container. I've not played with paraffin in containers much I do mostly pillars but am wanting to get back in to container candles.

[malaki]

i used parriffin for 7 years of my candle making life and one day i said i think im going to try soy , and i did and never looked back. i love my soy candles. the only problem i ever really had with soy was wicking and frosting and i got that under control. never had a problem with FO throw you just have to buy from suppliers that test their FO in soy and i never had one problem. just my 2 cents.