How much do you tolerate?

[TxGirl]

I don't tolerate soot either. A little tiny bit that's hardly noticable I can live with. It's not a very pretty candle when the jar is turning black.

I have found that I get the least amount of soot from a soy paraffin blend. I've also found that I have a lot less issues with wicking with my wax blend.

[Di_in_AZ]

The sooting has a lot to do with the FO. If you search under EPA, I posted a study they conducted (or had a company conduct for them)--the fragrance is what contributes to the sooting, and they said that a properly wicked candle, burned under the appropriate conditions, would soot little to none. The amount of toxins released by candles are LESS than one cigarette. You get more toxins from your furnace, which also blows soot.

We just renovated our house and after six years of living here burning candles, five of which I have been making candles, after we stripped everything, we did not have soot on our walls. I have been known on an occasion to accidentally let a candle burn longer than it should, resulting in soot:D and still--no sooty walls. I think you would have to do that constantly to get a buildup, and never trim your candles.

I think most of this is a big hype since the discovery of the negative health risks of lead wicks and the introduction of soy. Between the two, people have tried to run down paraffin and it is a shame. It is not the bottom of the barrel as some people claim, it is the same paraffin they use for food grade wax, the same kind that is put on your fruits--and used in a multitude of food applications. Hasn't stopped people from eating