Best Frosted Jar: Chesapeake Bay Soy Blend Candle
Although this candle jar isn’t designed to be washed and reused, you’ll want to keep it around until its wax has fully burned. The attractive frosted glass jar and wooden lid complement each other nicely to function as a piece of home decor. With a partnership through TerraCycle, not all is lost because you can recycle the jar.
Key Features
Water lily and pear scent 12.5-ounce size 70-hour burn time Lead-free wick
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers appreciated the aesthetics and fragrance of this Chesapeake Bay soy candle. Though they liked the scent, unsatisfied customers found it to be too faint to fill a room—even a small one.
Best Mission: Benevolence LA Soy Candle
Elegantly packaged in a matte black jar, this clean-burning candle quickly fills a room with a powerful essential oil scent. The aroma blend is designed to be therapeutic to help with meditation, stress relief, sleep, prayer, and other relaxing activities. With each purchase you make from this company, part of the profit goes to an organization that fights human trafficking.
Key Features
Bergamot and jasmine scent Eight-ounce size 45-hour burn time Cotton wick
What Customers Are Saying
Customers praised the look and smell of this candle. They also thought that the 45-hour burn time was long for a candle of its size. However, other customers found the odor to be pungent and unpleasant. Some also received a candle that had the wick buried in the wax, which complicated the lighting process.
Best For Small Rooms: Lulu Candles Soy Candle
If you’re looking for a slow, clean-burning soy candle with a subtle scent and jar, give this one some thought. It’s hand-poured in the United States and packaged in a giftable box if you want to give it as a thoughtful present for a loved one instead of keeping it for yourself.
Key Features
Fresh linen scent Six-ounce size Cotton wick
What Customers Are Saying
Despite the small six-ounce size of this soy candle, customers were impressed that it filled entire rooms with its scent in a matter of minutes. They also appreciated how little room it took up on their table, desk, or counter. Unhappy customers found the odor to be either too faint or unpleasant. Some also had issues with the wick and wax burning unevenly.
Best Mason Jar: Nika’s Home Soy Candle
Sustainability is top of mind with this soy candle, as you can reuse its mason jar and screw-on lid as a drinking cup, storage container, or flower vase. While the jar isn’t as attractive as other candle containers, the vanilla-scented wax offers a good burn time that’s backed by all-natural, quality ingredients.
Key Features
Vanilla bean scent 12-ounce size 50-to-60-hour burn time Lead- and zinc-free cotton wick
What Customers Are Saying
Vanilla lovers thought that the scent of this soy candle genuinely smelled like vanilla bean. They also enjoyed the candle’s clean burn. However, even happy customers experienced a larger-than-normal flame as the wax got low. Other customers had complaints about the fragrance’s potency, sharing that they had to be within a few feet of the candle to smell it.
Longest Burn Time: Milkhouse Candle Company Soy Candle
Ideal for those who want long-lasting fragrance, this oversized butter jar candle can last for multiple months when it’s burned at normal intervals. With the built-in carrying handle, you can also move the candle from one area to another without touching the hot jar.
Key Features
Oatmeal, milk, and honey scent 22-ounce size 120-hour burn time Lead-free cotton wick
What Customers Are Saying
Positively, customers liked the large size and impressive burn time of this candle, which filled large rooms with a lasting scent that wasn’t overbearing. To their surprise, some customers even had success getting rid of mosquitoes using the candle. Negatively, customers experienced durability issues with the glass jar, reporting that it cracked or shattered just sitting on a surface.
Buyer’s Guide
Your primary consideration when you’re buying a soy candle is your desired fragrance. However, size, quantity, packaging, burn time, and potency are also important to keep in mind. We’ve outlined these factors in more detail below.
Scent
You probably have certain fragrance profiles that you prefer. They likely fit into one of these categories:
Floral (jasmine, lavender) Citrus (orange, grapefruit) Sweet (vanilla, almond) Fresh (linen, cotton) Musky (tobacco, bourbon) Spicy (cinnamon, ginger)
Size
Soy candles are usually measured in ounces. They range from half an ounce to over 25 ounces. Depending on how often you burn your candle, a large one could last you several months or even years. Conversely, burning a half-ounce candle continuously may only last you a day or two. If you’re purchasing a candle from a new manufacturer or with a new scent, it’s best to stick with a smaller size until you’re sure that you like it.
Quantity
Larger candles are more likely to come in a one-pack. If you like a particular soy candle, see if you can buy it in bulk to fill multiple areas of your home with its scent.
Packaging
Some candles serve as a nice living room or bedroom decoration, featuring frosted, colored, or patterned jars. The containers often have a metal or wooden lid with a rubber seal. Others use a screw-on lid.
Burn Time
The burn time is usually related to the size of the candle. The type and number of wicks inside of the candle also determine how long it burns. A small candle with several cotton wicks is going to burn faster than a large candle with one wooden wick. Burn times vary from 10 to over 100 hours, but the average burn time is usually around 40 or 50 hours.
Potency
Most soy candles contain drops of one or more essential oils to get their fragrance. Intense candles have numerous drops of concentrated oils to create a strong smell. Generally, potent candles are better for living rooms and other large areas, while milder candles are suited for smaller spaces, such as bathrooms.
Getting the Most Out of Your Soy Candle
Whether you want to purify the air, create an intentional space for devotion, or keep insects at bay, a soy candle is a useful addition to your home. Lighting and extinguishing your soy candle is straightforward, but we’ve included several pointers below to help you maximize the longevity and enjoyment of it.
To prevent excess smoke from wafting around your home, use a dedicated candle snuffer to extinguish your soy candle. As with any open flame in your home, it’s never safe to leave a candle unattended for any amount of time. If you need to move the candle from one location to another, do so slowly and carefully. Make sure the outside of the candle isn’t hot to the touch before grabbing it. Place the lid on top of your soy candle when it’s not in use. This extends the life of the fragrance. After you extinguish the flame and let the wax cool, trim the wick. The wick should be a quarter-inch above the wax. If you want to make your own soy candle, all you need is soy wax, a wick, a container, and your favorite essential oils.
How long can I let a soy candle continually burn?
It’s best to burn a candle for a minimum of one hour and a maximum of four hours. That’s long enough for the top layer of wax to melt but not so long that the wick gets too long or the wax starts to evaporate.
Are citronella candles made with soy wax?
Yes. Many citronella candles use a soy-based wax that’s infused with citronella, lemongrass, and other essential oils that are known to repel insects. Most citronella candles are designed to burn in outdoor living spaces, such as decks and patios, but they also work well in transitional areas, such as sunrooms.
Is it safe to burn a soy candle if I have respiratory issues?
Most candles won’t irritate you if you have asthma, allergies, or other respiratory issues. However, if you’re sensitive to particular smells, stay away from candles with those fragrances.
When should I stop burning my candle?
Stop burning your candle when there’s a half an inch of wax left in the container. If you continue to burn your candle at this stage, it could start a fire or shatter the container.
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