What's the Difference Between Soy and Beeswax Candles?

The main difference between soy and beeswax candles is where the wax comes from and how it behaves: soy wax is made from soybean oil, burns at a lower temperature, and carries added fragrance well, while beeswax comes from honeybees, burns hotter and longer, and has its own soft honey scent. Coconut wax, often blended with soy, sits somewhere in between, with a creamy look and an even burn. Each has its fans, and the right one mostly depends on what you want from your candle.

Candle season is officially here, and if you've ever stood in front of a shelf wondering why one candle costs twice as much as the one next to it, the wax is a big part of the answer. Here's how soy, beeswax, and coconut wax compare, what to look for, and how to get the longest, cleanest burn from whichever one you choose.

What Is Soy Wax?

Soy wax is made from soybean oil that's been processed into a solid. It's soft, creamy, and opaque, and it melts at a fairly low temperature. That lower melt point means the candle tends to burn slowly and evenly, and the wax pool forms without the flame needing to run especially hot.

Soy is popular with candle makers for a few reasons. It holds fragrance well, so scented soy candles can fill a room nicely once they're lit. It's plant-based and renewable. And it cleans up with warm, soapy water, which is handy if you've ever spilled a little wax on a countertop.

It does have a few quirks. Pure soy wax is soft, so it can look a little uneven on top after burning. It also sometimes develops a white, crystal-like coating called frosting. That's purely cosmetic and doesn't affect how the candle burns or smells.

What Is Beeswax?

Beeswax is made by honeybees, who use it to build their honeycomb. Beekeepers collect it as part of harvesting honey, then filter and melt it down. Natural beeswax ranges from pale yellow to deep gold and carries a gentle, sweet honey aroma all on its own.

Because beeswax is much harder than soy and melts at a higher temperature, beeswax candles tend to burn longer and drip less. That's why you'll often see beeswax in tapers and pillars, which need to stand up on their own.

The tradeoffs are mostly about scent and cost. Beeswax doesn't hold added fragrance as easily as soy, so beeswax candles are often unscented or very lightly scented, letting that natural honey note shine. It's also more expensive to produce, since bees make a limited amount of wax, so beeswax candles usually cost more.

Where Coconut Wax Fits In

Coconut wax is the newer member of the family. It's made from coconut oil and is very soft and smooth on its own, so it's almost always blended with another wax, most often soy.

A coconut soy blend brings together the strengths of both. The coconut adds a creamy, smooth appearance and helps the candle burn evenly, while the soy adds structure and helps carry fragrance through the room. Blends also tend to frost less than pure soy, so the candle keeps looking nice as it burns down.

That combination is a big reason coconut soy blends have become a favorite for scented container candles, the kind you keep in a jar on a side table or kitchen counter.

Soy vs. Beeswax vs. Coconut Soy: A Quick Comparison

Scent: Soy and coconut soy blends carry added fragrance well. Beeswax has a natural honey scent and is usually left unscented or lightly scented.

Burn: Beeswax burns hotter and slower, which makes it great for tapers and pillars. Soy and coconut soy burn cooler and more gently, which suits jar candles.

Look: Beeswax is golden and glows warmly. Soy is creamy white and can frost. Coconut soy is smooth and creamy with less frosting.

Cost: Beeswax is usually the priciest. Soy and coconut soy blends tend to be more budget-friendly for everyday use.

Plant-based: Soy and coconut wax are plant-based. Beeswax is a natural animal product, so it's not vegan.

Paraffin, the wax in many conventional candles, is made from petroleum. Plenty of people still enjoy paraffin candles, but if you prefer plant-based products in your home, soy and coconut waxes are a natural fit.

Our Classic Coconut Soy Candles

For our Classic Coconut Soy Candle, we use a coconut soy wax blend, hand-poured in small batches. It gives you that smooth, even burn and lets the fragrance fill the room. Each candle holds 7.5 ounces of wax and burns for about 40 to 50 hours.

It comes in an amber glass jar with a gold lid that looks lovely on a shelf, and once the candle is finished, the jar is easy to clean out and reuse for cotton balls, pens, or a little succulent.

How to Get a Long, Even Burn From Any Candle

No matter which wax you choose, a few simple habits make a big difference in how long your candle lasts and how well it burns.

Make the first burn count. Let the wax melt all the way to the edges of the jar the first time you light it, which usually takes a couple of hours for a jar candle. Wax has a memory, and a short first burn can lead to tunneling down the middle.

Trim the wick. Keep the wick trimmed to about a quarter inch before each burn. A long wick burns too hot, smokes, and leaves soot on the jar.

Don't burn too long. Blow it out after about four hours, let it cool, trim the wick, and relight. Our Candle Care Kit makes trimming and snuffing easy, especially when the wick sits low in a jar.

For more tips, our post on candle care tips for natural wax candles covers everything from tunneling to storage.

Soy, beeswax, and coconut soy each bring something different to the table, and there's room for all of them in a cozy home. If you're ready to light something new this fall, our candles and wax collection is a warm place to start.