The type of wax used has a profound effect on the resulting candle

The type of wax determines how the candle will look, how stable it will be, how it will burn, and much more. Despite this, the choice of wax seems to always take a backseat to other considerations. Observing how different waxes act and react to different situations is crucial for mastery. Wax isn’t something to be memorized and looked up in a reference book; it should be observed and understood.

The melting and solidification points of a wax dictate how well a candle will set up. Some waxes will produce a glass-like clarity in a cooled candle, while others may result in a more dull and cloudy finish. Rather than trying to tweak a wax into acting like something it’s not, the right wax should be chosen for the job. This will reduce the need to correct for it in the future.

The type of wax used will also affect how a fragrance throw is and how a color will look. Some waxes will allow a scent to throw very well, while others may not allow it to come through as much. Some waxes may cause color to swirl and pool, while others may mix more consistently. Understanding how a wax interacts with a fragrance or color will reduce the need to tweak and correct the wax in the future.

As a wax cools, it can exhibit a variety of different characteristics. It may crack, frost, or form imperfections on the surface. Rather than trying to fight these effects and make the wax something it’s not, they should be used as an indicator of what to correct. If a candle forms a crack as it cools, this may indicate that the wax is cooling too quickly. The pour may need to be slowed, or it may need to be insulated as it cools.

Learning to correctly identify and correct issues as they arise will help the craftsman rely less and less on a recipe. Rather than strictly adhering to a set of guidelines and rules, they will learn to simply… make a candle. The correct wax for a project should always be selected. This will help reduce the amount of correction that will be needed in the future, and will also help the craftsman produce a much more consistent product.