Waxing Lyrical

Let's take a look at the history and science of all things wax and candles! How they first came about and what they were used for.

Did you know that wax has been made from many different fats, wax-like subtances and oils extracted from insects, animals, rocks and plants? Scientists believe all materials that have the following features can be considered as wax;

~Mainly hydrocarbon in nature.

~Solid at normal room temperature and liquid at temperatures above that.

~Water repellent, which makes them water insoluble.

~Low odour.

~Low reactivity.

~Low toxicity. ~Smooth in texture.

~Can be buffed up if pressure is applied.

"Back in the day" raw materials were relied upon by early civilisations to create candle wax. Romans and Egyptians used tallow - derived from animals (beef/mutton). Members of the Ting dynasty in China used beeswax during the 12th Century. Extracts derived from tree nuts was a method used in Japan, while people in India boiled fruit from the cinnamon tree. In the middle ages, people of Europe were introduced to the magnificent beeswax. Due to expensive prices however, it rarely got used at home.

The Americas and Europe used Tallow to make wax until the 18th Century, when Spermaceti was introduced and became a 'popular' raw material. Spermaceti is a low-odour clean-burning wax extracted from the head oil of a sperm whale. Spermaceti was around until the mid 18th Century, that's when Paraffin and Stearin was introduced.

Stearin Wax is made from stearic acid extracted from the fatty acids of animals, and it is used all over Europe. Chemists discovered a method of removing the natural waxy substance produced when petroleum is refined, therefore developing paraffin wax. It became the main wax for candles in the Western Hemisphere.

**Interesting random facts about candle wax**

~Wax candles were referred to as beeswax candles before the 19th century.

~The basic chemical composition of all the various waxes employed in manufacturing candles is quite similar, as they are majorly hydrocarbons. In addition all candle waxes normally burn in a similar manner. ~Approximately 1 billion pounds (453,592,370kgs) of wax is used to make candles that are sold every year in the USA alone.

~Paraffin wax is used to make the majority of candles used worldwide.

~You see a yellowish flame due to the presence of carbon.

~There is no 'best candle wax', because all kinds of waxes are equally as good. They all burn safely and cleanly when you take them in the pure form.

~No such thing as soot-free wax, as all organic compounds emit some carbon because of incomplete combustion. Someone is lying if they claim they are using "soot-free" wax.