Are you looking for a way to spice up the scent profile in your home? Then, candles may just be the best way to go. Scented candles are a type of candles that emit pleasant aromas when they are lit, due to the essential oils and aromas that are added to them while they are being made.
The process of candle making tends to be quite uniform. However, there are slight changes which are based on the type of candles being formed and the types of materials in use.
WHAT TYPES OF MATERIALS ARE USED IN MAKING CANDLES?
Candles have been around for thousands of years, and have experienced quite a lot of changes and evolutions over the years. However, their mechanism and mode of operation has remained largely unchanged.
Since the day candles were first invented (although, nobody knows exactly when this was or the identity of the person that first made them), candles have always had two major parts, which are; the wax and the wick.
The candle wax is the part of the candle that provides its main shape, as well as its primary color (i.e. white candles are typically known to be white because their wax is white. The same thing applies to other colors, which are generally obtained through the addition of dyes to the melted raw wax; during the candle making process). However, candle wax also serves a very important function in the burning of a candle; it provides the major source of fuel that is used in running or driving the candle’s flame.
The other major part of the candle, known as the wick, is specially designed to absorb melted wax and feed it to the candle flame.
There are different types of waxes and wicks, with compositions and properties that affect the quality of the candle, and the candle burning experience. For instance, the type of candle wax and wick used in making a candle can affect factors like; how fast a candle burns, the way it melts, and the aroma given off during candle burning.
TYPES OF CANDLE WAX
Different types of materials have been used in making candle wax over the years. They include the following:
- Tallow wax
Tallow is one of the oldest forms of candle wax in the world. Some of the earliest versions of candle wax were made from tallow, which is basically melted down fat; obtained from the carcasses of cattle and other livestock.
One of the problems people had with tallow candles at that time is that they gave off the aroma of burning fat, while burning; and some people found this unpleasant. Apart from this, majority of the tallow candles made in ancient times did not burn as cleanly as they possibly could, due to incomplete combustion and the production of soot.
Tallow candles were also very expensive to make, and could only be afforded by the few rich individuals in society. A very interesting fact about tallow candles is that, because they were made from animal fat, they were edible and were sometimes consumed in times of famine.
- Beeswax
Beeswax is one of the best types of candle waxes in the world. This is because it has a very stable structure (which gives it an efficient burning time and shelf life, since it burns very well) and a very pleasant aroma. Beeswax also burns very cleanly, by producing very little soot.
Due to all these properties, and the fact that it is actually obtained from beeswax, this types of candle wax is one of the most expensive in the world.
During the Middle Ages, beeswax candles were generally used by only the rich and the church (because candles were had become more popular in religious ceremonies).
TYPES OF CANDLE WICK
The same way there are different types of candle wax with distinct properties, we also have different kinds of candle wicks. They include: flat braid wick, cored wick, performa coreless wicks, square braid wicks and so on. The type of wick used in candle making can determine the candle’s burn rate. However, the process of selecting a suitable candle wick depends on factors such as; the physical size of the candle, the fuel type (e.g. beeswax, paraffin wax etc), type of candle design and so on.
WHAT IS THE ART OF CANDLEMAKING CALLED?
The process of candle making can also be considered an art. Candle makers are called chandlers; however, the art of candle making itself is typically simply called “candle-making.”
Still, there are some who see it as more than this, particularly when the rich history of candles is considered. The term “Wax Alchemy” is something that many people have started using to describe this process (i.e. candle making).
NOTABLE CANDLE MAKERS OR CHANDLERS AROUND THE WORLD
Before the decline of candles in the 19th century, the art of candle making was so popular that it was actually a guild craft. People used to learn how to make candles through apprenticeship, and chandlers used to go from house to house, in order to make tallow candles for them; by using the fat set aside in the kitchens.
Nowadays, candle making is not as popular as it once was, but there are still some candle makers and chandlers of great renown.
Notable candle makers around the world include; Diptyque, Harlem Candle Company, Yankee Candle, LAFCO, Cire Trudon, Otherland, Aesop Candle, NEST and several others.
The biggest candle makers in the world according, however, include Private label, Newell Brands, SC Johnson and Sons, The Yankee Candle Co. Inc and so on.
Notable chandlers in the world include Alyssa Mazzella, Maya Inglis, Danielle Knot and many other candle makers across the world, who have begun to make new waves in the world of candle making. Although, the world is just going back to its candle making roots – due to the recent rise in the popularity of scented candles – a lot of people still have great love for candles, and are always open to discovering something new.
