Are Your Candles Vegan?

Are Your Candles Vegan? Why You Should Switch To Soy

A contribution from freelance writer Jess Walters...

Most of the candles that you find on the market are paraffin, which is a vegan ingredient extracted from petroleum. Now, that may sound like great news for vegans, but 10 percent of paraffin wax is usually made up of stearic acid, which is an animal-derived ingredient used to harden the wax. Paraffin candles aren’t just (usually) made from animals, they can also be pretty bad for you. Here’s why you should be switching to soy candles.

What’s Wrong With Paraffin Wax?

Not all paraffin waxes use stearic acid from animals. Some use plant oils — though if a paraffin candle isn’t labeled “vegan,” it’s safe to assume that it’s using animal products. It’s easy to see why some vegans still use paraffin candles. After all, because paraffin candles are the most accessible in the market, they’re often cheaper (at least, it seems that way initially — more on this later).

Paraffin candles — even vegan variants — have been proven to emit toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene, which have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption. This can be especially harmful to people who enjoy keeping their candles lit for hours at a time, as breathing in large amounts of soot from a paraffin candle is similar to breathing in fumes from burning diesel. Meanwhile, soy candles don’t emit these toxic fumes.

Why Choose Soy Candles?

Each of our choices leaves a mark on the planet, but some make bigger environmental footprints than others. Paraffin wax comes from crude oil. Unlike soy, crude oil is a non-renewable resource — one that’s a known cause of environmental calamities such as oil spills and damage to natural habitats. While soybean agriculture has been singled out for causing widespread deforestation, organisations around the globe have been placing measures to prevent further damage.

It’s also important to note that paraffin candles burn 50 percent quicker than their denser soy counterparts. This is what makes paraffin candles so great at dispersing strong scents. However, some would say that a slow burn that gradually releases fragrance is much better than an overpowering scent from the get-go. Even though soy candles may seem more expensive than their paraffin counterparts, they last longer, which means that they’re often the more economical choice in the long run. In other words, soy candles aren’t just good for animals, they’re better for your health, the environment, and your pocket.