Coconut wax is a popular choice for making scented candles and for making container candles. Even with the popularity of coconut wax for candle making, it is probably even more popular as a blend to use with other types of wax. The name probably makes it pretty obvious where coconut wax comes from, but let’s take a close look anyway.
What is coconut wax? Coconut wax is derived from refined coconut oil. They extract the oil from the coconut meat and with the help of the hydrogenation process, coconut oil is converted into a creamy white wax. This hardens it and increases the melting point.
The hydrogenation process increases the melting point from 75 F to about 100 F. Natural vegetable waxes like soy wax are added to the coconut wax to increase the melting point further and avoiding liquefying problems. The bottom line is that coconut wax refers to a hardened form of coconut oil with a high melt point.
Coconut Wax and Candle Making
Is coconut wax good for candle making? Coconut wax is perfect for making candles. It has a great scent throw, a slow and clean burn. This type of wax doesn’t produce a lot of soot. Sustainability is another aspect that makes coconut wax good for candle making. Moreover, the durability is 50% higher than traditional candles.
What kind of candles can you make with coconut wax? You can use coconut wax to make scented candles. Coconut candle waxes are an ideal choice for those people who love to use candles for aromatherapy. It produces a captivating, strong, and long-lasting scent to make your space more inviting.
That is to say, you can make strongly scented candles using coconut wax.
If you want to see what coconut wax options are available in your area check out our candle making supplies page.
How Do You Make Coconut Wax Candles?
- Prepapre ingredients in a double boiler.
- Heat the wax to no more than 200F.
- Add dye and fragrance oil at approximately 175F.
- Gently stir the mixture.
- Pour the coconut wax at approximately 145F.
- Space candles out for even cooling.
- Let harden for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Trim the wicks and cure for two weeks.
You can melt the wax in a presto pot or a stove with a double boiler. Remember to gently stir the wax to avoid the inclusion of air bubbles and it is also a good idea to preheat the containers so that you do not get candles that are sinking-in in the middle.
Coconut wax hardens quite fast and if your containers are too cool it can cause issues with the candles, even creating sinkholes, voids, bubbles, and surface flaws.
When this happens you will have to reheat the candles in an oven or using a heat gun in order to make them look as they should. The drawback of doing this is that you are also reheating the fragrance oil potentially causing some of it to evaporate. That can reduce the scent throw of the candles.
Cost Of Coconut Wax
Cost is a potential problem limiting the widespread use of coconut wax. Coconuts are not quite as easy to grow and harvest as soybeans or as easily produced as paraffin wax.
Is coconut wax expensive? Coconut wax is expensive. Coconut wax can cost 30% and more than soy wax. This price can change depending on which supplier you use and the quantity you are purchasing. Some suppliers do not offer coconut wax and you will always get a greater discount when you are buying in bulk.
Make sure you shop around and account for the price of shipping when deciding to buy coconut wax for making candles. In addition, try a small batch to make some candles before buying in bulk. This is to make sure you know what you are getting and it works well for the project you have in mind.
Coconut Wax Sustainability and Environmental Impacts
If you want to produce environmentally-friendly candles, you can use this wax. Environmental protection is the responsibility of all individuals who care about the planet.
As an eco-friendly, smoke-free, and soot-free wax, it makes an ideal choice for natural and non-toxic candles. Coconut wax is a popular choice to make spa travel candles. You can find them in a wide range of scents, including wild rose and cucumber-melon.
Is coconut wax environmentally friendly? Coconut wax is environmentally friendly and sustainable. This wax is made using a completely natural process. With minimal environmental impact, it ensures sustainable ecological preservation. You don’t need to worry about the health of your dear and near ones when using coconut wax candles.
Compared to soy and paraffin waxes, coconut wax candles offer the cleanest burn. With almost zero soot, these products don’t create a negative impact on the environment.
Is coconut wax vegan and cruelty-free? Coconut wax is vegan and cruelty-free. However, in some countries coconuts are harvested through questionable labor conditions including child labor, low wages, and even the use of monkeys to help harvest them. Avoid coconut products from Thailand.
Pros and Cons of Coconut Wax
| Pros of Coconut Wax | Cons of Coconut Wax |
| All-natural | Source concerns |
| Vegan and Cruelty-free | Limited applications |
| Sustainable | Low melting point |
| Non toxic | Expensive |
| Clean burning | Limited Supply |
Benefits of Coconut Wax
Coconut wax candles offer excellent benefits for users. Incredible aesthetics is a remarkable advantage of these candles. Available in different colors ranging from cream to pure white, these beautiful candles satisfy every mood and personality.
Many traditional wax candles leave a trace of burning to create an uncomfortable atmosphere. These wax candles don’t come with the smell of coconuts. That is to say, coconut wax candles are odorless.
Without generating any toxic substances or soot, these candles protect the environment. The hydrogenation process does not use any harmful materials to create any negative impact on the environment. As a responsible citizen, you can use these candles without harming the planet.
Coconut waxes do not burn fast. With a slow-burning mechanism, they offer a superior scent throw. The fragrance-holding capability of these candles is highly appreciable. You can always expect a long-lasting scent while burning wax candles made using coconut. The duration of traditional waxes is a couple of hours. By offering long burn hours, coconut waxes let you relax and unwind for hours.
With improved jar adhesion, these wax candles provide a captivating sensual aroma. When you use soy wax or beeswax candles, you have to preheat your jar. There is no need to preheat your jar when using coconut wax candles. You just need to place your candle in a jar at any temperature to experience the sensual aroma.
You can make coconut wax candles with effortless ease. It melts fast and pours easily to keep the task of making candles simple. With superior quality, longevity, aroma, and ease of ease, this wax stands taller among other options available today.
Drawbacks of Coconut Wax
Coconut wax is a relatively new wax available for candle making. It is also the most expensive wax type. Further, these waxes are hard to find at different melting levels.
The pure version of coconut wax (without any additives) is extremely soft compared to other options like soy wax, paraffin wax, and beeswax.
The low melt point of this wax (Between 100F and 107F) makes shipping a challenging task, particularly in warmer months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coconut wax has an excellent hot throw. The hot throw from coconut wax candles is as good, if not better than any other natural wax on the market. A candle’s hot throw is how well the candle distributes its fragrance while it is lit and the wax is hot and has a molten wax pool.
Coconut wax does not smell like coconut. In making coconut wax, coconut oil is refined and hydrogenated. This process eliminates any smell of coconut. The result is a colorless and odorless wax that you can use to color and fragrance as desired.
Coconut wax and coconut oil are not the same. Coconut oil is pressed and extracted from the coconut and then the oil is hydrogenated which increases the melting point of the wax. This allows it to stay solid at room temperature which essentially creates a semi-solid we know as wax.
Coconut wax has an excellent cold throw. The cold throw from coconut wax is as good, if not better than any other natural wax available. A candle scold throw is how well the candle distributes its fragrance while it is not lit and the wax is at room temperature.
Conclusion
In conclusion, coconut wax is one of the best waxes available on the market to make candles. However, that quality comes with a price and a few negatives.
You may struggle to ship candles across the United States in the summer months when using coconut wax candles because of the extremely low melting point of coconut wax. However, if you do most of your business seasonally for the holidays, coconut wax might be an option for you.
As always, test test test before committing to using coconut wax for your business. Ship a few test candles to a friend that lives in the south or southwest and see how your candles hold up to the heat.
The more testing you do upfront, the less chance you will have a problem later.