Soy vs. Beeswax Candles: What's the Difference?

I've spent years on both sides of the candle shelf. First selling candles in my gift shop, and now keeping bees and working with our own beeswax. So I get this question a lot: which is better, soy or beeswax?

The honest answer is that they're good at different things.

Soy candles

Soy wax is made from soybean oil. It's soft, melts at a low temperature, and burns slowly and evenly.

• Best at: holding fragrance. Soy carries scent beautifully, which is why most scented candles you love are soy or a soy blend.
• Look: creamy and opaque, usually poured into jars or tins.
• Price: affordable, which makes soy candles great gifts.

Beeswax candles

Beeswax is made by honeybees to build their comb. When we harvest honey, we cut off the wax caps that seal each cell, then melt and filter that wax.

• Best at: a long, bright, steady burn. Beeswax has a higher melting point, so a beeswax candle usually lasts longer than a soy candle the same size.
• Scent: beeswax already smells faintly of honey when it burns. That's why most beeswax candles are left unscented. Adding fragrance tends to cover up that natural warmth, and it doesn't blend into beeswax as well as it does into soy.
• Look: golden color, a soft glow, and classic shapes like tapers, pillars, and tea lights.
• Price: more expensive. A colony only makes a small amount of wax each year, and it takes a lot of work to clean it.

So which should you choose?

Choose soy when you want your home to smell like something: lavender, citrus, fresh linen, a holiday spice.

Choose beeswax when you want warm, natural light with just a hint of honey. Beeswax tapers are perfect for a dinner table, where a strong fragrance would compete with the food.

Honestly? I keep both. Soy candles in the living room and bathroom, and beeswax on the table when people come over.

Shop: Try our hand-poured Wanderlust soy candle, or pick up a natural beeswax bar from our hives for your own projects. New to candles? Start with Candle Care 101.