When making candles your wax type is one of, if not the most important ingredient! It’s going to determine your scent throw and burn time but furthermore it’s also going to determine the impact it has on you and our environment. Of course your wick and fragrance oil will play a role as well but first things first: wax.
There are quite a few wax types on the market. The three most common wax blends you see when searching for natural candles are coconut, soy, and beeswax. Chances are if you’re looking for a natural alternative you already know why paraffin wax is a hard pass. Beeswax is a great alternative but doesn’t have quite the scent throw I was going for. Soy wax is better than paraffin as far as chemicals and phthalates, but after further research it was not the "natural" that I was looking for (more details below). This lead to coconut wax, specifically coconut wax blends because coconut wax is not ideal on it’s own. I found Coconut-Apricot wax and instantly loved the clean properties and sustainability. After testing it, I knew that this would be the base of Flame and Arrow, and that’s where it all began.
Coconut-Apricot wax is often described as a luxurious blend of wax designed for high-end candle making. The cost is much greater compared to soy and paraffin blends but so are the benefits which makes it worth every penny! Here are five reasons I chose this top tier blend.
1. Environmentally Sustainable
Both coconuts and apricots are renewable resources that are naturally grown. Coconuts grow quickly and every part of the tree is usable! They are considered highly sustainable while apricots are moderately sustainable.
Most soy is genetically modified. In fact, more than 90% of the soybeans grown in the US are bioengineered. In an effort to meet the high demand for soy, forests are cleared to make way for biotech farms (aka mass deforestation). Our planet should not suffer at the expense of a natural product.
2. Slow Burn
Coconut-Apricot wax has a lower viscosity. (viscous: having a thick consistency between solid and liquid states). The viscosity slows the wick burn which creates a long-lasting burn. This wax blend can burn almost twice as long as soy candles of the same size. Trimming your wick between each burn will help enhance your burn time and overall aroma experience.
3. Great Scent Throw
This wax blend offers both a great hot throw and cold throw. This means your candle will smell wonderful even before it's lit and is sure to fill your space with sensational aroma. Although majority of this wax blend is made with coconut, the apricot is what has the optimal scent bond.
With natural, plant based waxes it is best practice to burn your candle for at least two hours to release ideal fragrance. Do not burn your candle for more than four hours.
4. Strong Jar Adhesion
Coconut-Apricot wax is buttery smooth and adheses nicely to the vessel This reduces wax tunneling - the wax build up that gets left behind. No tunneling means you're able to enjoy ALL of your candle and will have a beautiful, clean wax layer to show for it. Additionally, more wax equals more burn time so this adds to the long-lasting burn. Also, this smooth wax blend makes this a one pour wonder. You likely won't have to go over the tops with a heat gun to smooth them out.
5. Clean Properties
Hydrogenated coconut and apricot oil are used to create this wax blend. Hydrogenation involves the process of adding hydrogen atoms to a saturated fats and oils to produce a harder substance. Think margarine - palm oils are hydrogenated to create vegetable oil spread.
Flame and Arrow was built on a promise to sustainability and offering a product that goes against the grain of traditional aroma. We've stripped out the unnecessary additives and placed importance on the properties that matter most, which is why you'll see the slogan "Less is More. Less is Luxury." often. I hope you've enjoyed learning more about why this wax blend was chosen and why it is a much safer choice for you and the environment.
I can't wait for you to experience the Flame and Arrow difference!