Why Choose Scented Soy Wax Candles?

As more and more people are choosing home fragrances and, in particular, scented candles for their home, soy wax candles are increasing becoming the candle of choice for discerning homeowners, replacing the traditional type of candles which tend to be paraffin based. As the name suggests, soy wax candles are derived from the ubiquitous soya bean. So how exactly do you get wax from a soya bean and what makes soy wax the best choice for home fragrances?

Well, soy wax is actually made from hydrogenated soya bean oil. This may sound a little strange, but it is essentially the same process which is used to convert seed and plant oils into everyday products such as food spreads and butter substitutes.

Available since the early 1990′s soy wax candles can now be found in a bewildering range of shapes, sizes and fragrances. If you have never used soy wax candles before there area number of very good reasons why you should consider them when you next choose scented candles.

Firstly there is the small matter of cost.  Let’s face it, we are all influenced to an extent by budget and the good news is that scented soy wax candles are less expensive than the traditional alternatives, meaning you can afford to indulge your scented candle habit more regularly with soy candles!

These days we are all acutely aware of our carbon footprint and soy candles are undoubtedly the environmentally-friendly choice. Most traditional candles are made from paraffin wax, which in turn is derived from crude oil, a non-renewable resource and major contributor to global warming. Soy wax candles are made from soya bean – a sustainable product – so whn you choose soy wax candles over the traditional alternative you need not worry about damaging the environment.

Soy wax candles are better value for money than traditional alternatives for the simple reason that they burn for longer. High quality, hand-poured soy candles should burn for up to 50% longer than traditional wax candles, so you get better value-for-money from soy candles and you will not need to replace them as often.

However, notwithstanding this, most folk buy scented candles simply because they want to fill their living pace with delightful aromas. Soy wax candles also have the advantage here. Scented soy wax candles are more effective at diffusing their fragrance throughout your home and since they offer a cleaner burn than paraffin wax alternatives, they help create a better indoor environment for you and your family.

Here’s the science bit: soy wax burns at a lower temperature than paraffin wax which means that your chosen fragrance will fill your living space more quickly once the candle has been lit. Soy wax also has a lower melting point than traditional wax which means that soy candles quickly produce a large reservoir of molten wax, and because it is from this molten wax that the fragrance is dispersed, you will receive a better fragrance ”throw” with soy wax than the alternatives.

All candles emit some soot when they are lit, but soy candles emit approximately 90% less soot than traditional candles, which helps to keep your home cleaner and the indoor atmosphere fresher.

Scented soy wax candles are the ideal choice when you want to envelope your home in beautiful aromas. To recap, not only are they more cost-effective than their traditional counterparts, they are the environmentally responsible choice and, from a purely practical point of view, they will  get the job done of fragrancing your living space more quickly and effectively than traditional candles – what more could you ask for?

Reed Diffusers – How To Fill Your Home With Fragrance

It is obvious to anybody that you are using a fragrance reed diffuser in your home the minute they step over the door. Reed diffusers allow you to enjoy the scent of your chosen essential oil in its purest form, unaffected by heat or smoke.

Many people use scented candles, and these are also a fabulous way of giving your home a marvelous smell, but many prefer the pure smell of a reed diffuser. So what is a fragrance reed diffuser, and how does it differ from a candle or an oil burner or evaporator?They work in a similar way to a conventional oil evaporator except that reeds are used to retain the aromatic oils.

The diffuser consists of a number of reeds that act as the wicks. Reeds, such as rattan, are essential since they have an absorbent honeycomb structure, unlike wood or bamboo. Neither wood nor bamboo are suitable for use as diffusers, because their structure is too dense and does not permit sufficient absorbance of the oil.Trying to take shortcuts by using cheaper alternative sticks, such as wooden skewers, will not yield the desired results.

The oil itself should be specifically intended as fragrance oil for reed diffusers and will generally have a low molecular weight so that the size of the molecule doesn’t prevent it absorption in to the structure of the reed. You cannot use any old oil for a reed diffuser, nor can use use a neutral oil to dilute fragrant essential oils in an attempt to make them last longer.

Around 10-12 narrow reeds are normally used, and placed into a bottle containing the light fragrant oil.  The oil is absorbed by the reeds, diffuses through them and is then evaporated at room temperature into your room. Because there is no candle to be lit or smoke emitted, you are left with the pure fragrance of the oil itself, with nothing taken away or added. The fragrance is delightfully fresh as long as you use oils designed specifically for reed diffusers – normal fragrance oils, such as you would use in an evaporator or burner, are too heavy and thick to be of much use in such a diffuser.

It was stated earlier that you cannot dilute fragrant oils with other cheap oils in order, and in the same way you also cannot add some fragrant light aromatherapy carrier oil to them to achieve the same thing:  that does not reduce the molecular size of the oil molecules, just dilutes it so that the reed acts as a filter allowing the lighter scent-free oil to be absorbed but not the fragrant essential oil. The oils used for reed diffusers are selected not only for their fragrance, but also for their ability to be easily absorbed via the reeds.

You can use a relatively low molecular weight substance that is compatible with oils, such as dipropylene glycol, but you will need to make sure of this and that you don’t ruin your oil with anything that will clog up the pores of the reeds.  It requires an experienced fragrance chemist, familiar with the chemical nature of fragrant oils, to properly formulate oils suitable for fragrance reed diffusers.

The reeds you use should be cut to about twice the height of the bottle so that half the reed is in the bottle and half out of it, and your bottle can be anything from half full to full of oil. Do not be tempted to stint on the amount of oil you use as this may mean the fragrance is not properly absorbed by the reeds. So a 10 inch bottle can be filled from 5 inches up to 10 inches with oil and the reeds should be cut to 20 inches. A six inch bottle should contain 12 inch reeds, and so on.

A final tip is never to reuse reeds. Although it might appear that you should be able to do that, oils thicken with time and the air in your room can also contain dust, so the reeds can become clogged up with oil and dust and prevent proper absorption.

Among the advantages that a reed diffuser offers over scented candles is the fact there is no flame, and hence no fire hazard, and it therefore cannot go out. Because they operate without the need for heat or power they are more convenient than electrical diffusers which need an electric socket to work properly.There is also no need to heat the oil in a reed diffuser. The diffuser works by capillary action so you enjoy the fragrant oil in its purest form.

What are the benefits of fragrance diffusers; why do people use them? One of the main benefits of using a reed diffuser at home is it’s ability to freshen a room’s atmosphere, masking any lingering stale odours..  However, they are also calming and soothing. People will use fragrance reed diffusers in the same way that others will use incense sticks or cones. They are a simple pleasure of life just as a hot relaxing bath is after a hard day at work.  You don’t have to justify it, just enjoy it.

Using a fragrant reed diffuser in your home can provide a relaxing and satisfying end to a long day.Armed with a chilled glass of your favourite wine and an enjoyable read, what better way could you imagine to end a busy day?

Reed Diffusers – How To Fill Your Home With Fragrance

It is obvious to anybody that you are using a fragrance reed diffuser in your home the minute they step over the door. Reed diffusers allow you to enjoy the scent of your chosen essential oil in its purest form, unaffected by heat or smoke.

Many people use scented candles, and these are also a fabulous way of giving your home a marvelous smell, but many prefer the pure smell of a reed diffuser. So what is a fragrance reed diffuser, and how does it differ from a candle or an oil burner or evaporator?They work in a similar way to a conventional oil evaporator except that reeds are used to retain the aromatic oils.

The diffuser consists of a number of reeds that act as the wicks. Reeds, such as rattan, are essential since they have an absorbent honeycomb structure, unlike wood or bamboo. Neither wood nor bamboo are suitable for use as diffusers, because their structure is too dense and does not permit sufficient absorbance of the oil.Trying to take shortcuts by using cheaper alternative sticks, such as wooden skewers, will not yield the desired results.

The oil itself should be specifically intended as fragrance oil for reed diffusers and will generally have a low molecular weight so that the size of the molecule doesn’t prevent it absorption in to the structure of the reed. You cannot use any old oil for a reed diffuser, nor can use use a neutral oil to dilute fragrant essential oils in an attempt to make them last longer.

Around 10-12 narrow reeds are normally used, and placed into a bottle containing the light fragrant oil.  The oil is absorbed by the reeds, diffuses through them and is then evaporated at room temperature into your room. Because there is no candle to be lit or smoke emitted, you are left with the pure fragrance of the oil itself, with nothing taken away or added. The fragrance is delightfully fresh as long as you use oils designed specifically for reed diffusers – normal fragrance oils, such as you would use in an evaporator or burner, are too heavy and thick to be of much use in such a diffuser.

It was stated earlier that you cannot dilute fragrant oils with other cheap oils in order, and in the same way you also cannot add some fragrant light aromatherapy carrier oil to them to achieve the same thing:  that does not reduce the molecular size of the oil molecules, just dilutes it so that the reed acts as a filter allowing the lighter scent-free oil to be absorbed but not the fragrant essential oil. The oils used for reed diffusers are selected not only for their fragrance, but also for their ability to be easily absorbed via the reeds.

You can use a relatively low molecular weight substance that is compatible with oils, such as dipropylene glycol, but you will need to make sure of this and that you don’t ruin your oil with anything that will clog up the pores of the reeds.  It requires an experienced fragrance chemist, familiar with the chemical nature of fragrant oils, to properly formulate oils suitable for fragrance reed diffusers.

The reeds you use should be cut to about twice the height of the bottle so that half the reed is in the bottle and half out of it, and your bottle can be anything from half full to full of oil. Do not be tempted to stint on the amount of oil you use as this may mean the fragrance is not properly absorbed by the reeds. So a 10 inch bottle can be filled from 5 inches up to 10 inches with oil and the reeds should be cut to 20 inches. A six inch bottle should contain 12 inch reeds, and so on.

A final tip is never to reuse reeds. Although it might appear that you should be able to do that, oils thicken with time and the air in your room can also contain dust, so the reeds can become clogged up with oil and dust and prevent proper absorption.

Among the advantages that a reed diffuser offers over scented candles is the fact there is no flame, and hence no fire hazard, and it therefore cannot go out. Because they operate without the need for heat or power they are more convenient than electrical diffusers which need an electric socket to work properly.There is also no need to heat the oil in a reed diffuser. The diffuser works by capillary action so you enjoy the fragrant oil in its purest form.

What are the benefits of fragrance diffusers; why do people use them? One of the main benefits of using a reed diffuser at home is it’s ability to freshen a room’s atmosphere, masking any lingering stale odours..  However, they are also calming and soothing. People will use fragrance reed diffusers in the same way that others will use incense sticks or cones. They are a simple pleasure of life just as a hot relaxing bath is after a hard day at work.  You don’t have to justify it, just enjoy it.

Using a fragrant reed diffuser in your home can provide a relaxing and satisfying end to a long day.Armed with a chilled glass of your favourite wine and an enjoyable read, what better way could you imagine to end a busy day?