Walk into any supermarket and you'll find candles at every price point, in every scent, in every shape imaginable. But flip one over and look at the ingredients, and chances are you'll find the same thing: paraffin wax. It's the industry standard, and for good reason - it's cheap, widely available, and easy to work with at scale.
But cheap and easy aren't the same as good. And if you've ever wondered why your candle from a small independent maker burns differently to one from a big retailer, the wax is almost certainly why.
Here's what you actually need to know.
What is paraffin wax?
Paraffin is a by-product of petroleum refining - the same process that gives us petrol, diesel, and kerosene. It's derived from crude oil, which makes it a non-renewable resource, and when it burns, it releases a cocktail of compounds including benzene and toluene, both of which are classified as known carcinogens.
To be clear: burning a paraffin candle occasionally in a well-ventilated room is unlikely to cause you harm. But if you burn candles regularly - and most candle lovers do - it's worth knowing what you're putting into the air in your home.
The other telltale sign of paraffin? The black soot. If you've ever noticed dark marks forming above a candle jar or on a nearby wall, that's paraffin burning. It's not just unsightly - it's what incomplete combustion looks like.
What is soy wax?
Soy wax is made from hydrogenated soybean oil - a renewable, plant-based resource that's fully biodegradable. It was developed in the late 1980s as a natural alternative to paraffin, and it's now the wax of choice for most independent candle makers who care about what they're putting into their products.
It burns cleaner. It burns cooler. And because it burns at a lower temperature, it melts more slowly - which means a longer burn time from the same amount of wax. A well-made soy candle will typically outlast its paraffin equivalent by 30–50%.
How does it affect the scent?
This is where it gets interesting. Soy wax has a lower melting point than paraffin, which means the fragrance oils held within it are released more gradually as the candle burns. The result is a softer, more consistent scent throw - one that fills a room without being overwhelming.
Paraffin candles can actually smell stronger on first sniff, which is partly why they're used so widely in retail settings where that immediate impact matters. But that initial punch tends to fade quickly, and the underlying scent can become sharp or synthetic over a longer burn.
With soy, the scent evolves more gently and tends to stay truer to the original fragrance throughout the life of the candle. For complex, layered scents - a bergamot and sandalwood, for example, or a lychee and peony - that consistency really shows.
What about blended waxes?
Worth mentioning: a lot of candles marketed as "natural" or "soy" are actually blends - soy mixed with paraffin, or with coconut wax, or with other additives. There's nothing inherently wrong with blending, but it's worth reading the small print. A candle that's 30% soy and 70% paraffin isn't really a soy candle.
At Three Trees, we use 100% natural soy wax. No blending, no fillers. It's been that way since the very first batch poured on our kitchen table, and it's not something we're likely to change.
Does it matter for sculptural candles?
Yes - and this is something people don't always think about. Sculptural candles require a wax that holds detail well and sets firmly enough to keep its shape. Paraffin actually does this reasonably well, which is why it's common in moulded candles.
Soy wax is softer and can be trickier to work with for detailed shapes - but when you get it right, the finish has a beautiful matte quality that paraffin simply can't match. Our dice, dragons, houses, and ghosts are all made from the same natural soy wax as our scented range. It just takes a little more patience to get there.
The bottom line
Paraffin isn't evil, and we're not here to tell you every candle you've ever owned was a mistake. But when you're choosing a candle to burn regularly in your home, it's worth knowing what it's made of - and why the better option costs a little more.
Soy wax burns cleaner, lasts longer, throws scent more consistently, and comes from a renewable source. For us, it was never really a question.
Ready to make the switch? Browse our full soy wax collection and find something worth burning.
Have a question about what goes into our candles? Drop it in the comments below - we always write back.
