How we chose the wax for our candles — and why rapeseed and coconut is the one

There are many types of candle wax — but only one passed all our tests. The choice of the wax affects everything: the scent throw, the burn time, the aesthetics, and even the environmental footprint of a candle.

What makes a wax truly special?

Wax is far more than a technical detail — it defines how a candle behaves, how it burns,

and how it releases its scent. It’s also one of the most sensitive elements when it comes to ingredients and production methods.

Finding the right wax for a high-quality scented candle is a demanding and

time-consuming process. In our case, it took months of testing, detailed notes and countless small observations before we found the perfect base for our Intentional Aromas.

During this process, we defined a few selection criteria:

• 100% plant-based and free from paraffin additives;

• Highly sustainable, with a low carbon footprint;

• High compatibility with essential oils and other natural aromatic elements;

• Strong cold and hot scent throw;

• Slow burn with minimal soot, even during long sessions.

Why vegetable wax and not paraffin?

Not all waxes are created equal — and the difference is noticeable. While paraffin is still widely used in mass-produced candles, it doesn’t align with our values. It’s a petroleum-derived, non-renewable substance that may release harmful toxins when burned.

Vegetable-based waxes, on the other hand, are a clean and safe alternative to paraffin and are biodegradable. They also tend to burn more evenly, with less soot, and offer better compatibility with natural ingredients.

A high-quality scented candle is both a delicate alchemy and a complex system — especially when made exclusively with vegetable wax and through a 100% hand-crafted process. Yes, plant wax requires more time and care to work with. But that care results in superior candle quality. That’s why we never looked for shortcuts — using vegetable wax was always the only option.

What types of vegetable wax exist — and how do they differ?

Choosing a vegetable wax isn’t just about avoiding paraffin. It means understanding that these waxes are not inert: they evolve over time and respond more sensitively to temperature, humidity and handling.

Like a fine wine, vegetable waxes need curing time to fully mature the aroma.

Let’s look at three of the most commonly used vegetable waxes:

Soy wax

Soy wax is probably the most commonly used in vegetable-based candle production. It’s biodegradable, throws scent reasonably well and is relatively easy to work with. However, it is often associated with less sustainable farming practices, such as heavy pesticide use and genetic modification. Among all plant waxes, it burns the fastest.

Rapeseed wax

Rapeseed wax is derived from the seeds of the Brassica napus plant. It’s cultivated in Europe, which helps significantly reduce its carbon footprint by avoiding long transport chains. It’s also a rotation crop, meaning it can help regenerate soil and support local biodiversity. This wax is especially valued for its European origin and eco profile.

Coconut wax

Coconut wax is made from hydrogenated coconut oil. It comes from sustainable crops and does not contribute to deforestation. It’s prized for its creamy texture, glass adhesion, excellent scent diffusion, and clean, even burn. It also has a low melting point, requiring less heat to liquefy.

Why we prefer rapeseed and coconut wax for our candles

We tested several combinations of plant waxes — both pure and blended — and none delivered results as consistent as the rapeseed and coconut blend.

This combination allows us to take advantage of the best properties of both waxes, achieving the ideal balance between scent performance, aesthetic finish and environmental impact.

Here’s what we value most:

1. Slow and even burn

Rapeseed and coconut wax has a naturally low melting point, meaning it melts smoothly and evenly at lower temperatures. This enables gradual scent release and a more controlled burn.

This burn profile extends the candle’s life, reduces soot build-up (a common issue with soy), and ensures a cleaner, more uniform performance — with no residue left clinging to the vessel walls, even after multiple uses.

In our tests, this vegetable wax blend delivered superior performance both in burn time and flame stability — even in longer sessions.

2. Strong scent throw (hot and cold)

A good candle should captivate even before the first burn and continue to do so throughout its lifetime. This is one of the main challenges with vegetable waxes.

Our rapeseed and coconut wax blend showed consistent and immersive aromatic performance: the cold scent remained stable over time, while the hot scent released gradually, intensely and envelopingly.

This ability to diffuse is directly related to the wax’s compatibility with essential oils, natural extracts, and other plant-based ingredients. Even in the most delicate or complex formulas, this blend preserved the integrity of the aroma.

3. Sustainability and European origin

Choosing vegetable wax isn’t just about performance. We care about where it comes from, how it’s produced, and its impact on the planet. The rapeseed and coconut wax we use is entirely produced in Europe — with rapeseed grown locally and coconut wax sourced from sustainable plantations.

This gives the blend an ethical origin and a reduced environmental footprint — values we’re not willing to compromise on.

4. Creamy texture and aesthetic finish

Getting a smooth finish with plant wax isn’t easy: cracks, crystallisation, and other imperfections are common, especially when exposed to temperature and humidity changes over time. This is because the molecular structure of plant wax reacts to its environment — and changes over time. But for us, that’s not a flaw — it’s character.

What impressed us most was this wax’s aesthetic performance: a naturally creamy texture that gives smooth, uniform tops with a subtly satin finish. Even with aroma ingredients that tint the wax (like essential oils), it maintains a consistent tone — without darkening much or losing clarity, as soy wax often does. Between uses, some surface variation may appear, but for us, that’s proof of purity.

5. Supports a high fragrance load

The scent of our candles is intense — and that’s no accident. A strong scent throw starts with the formula, but it also depends on the wax’s ability to absorb and stabilise a generous scent load.

During testing, the rapeseed and coconut blend proved especially effective: it supports a high scent load — especially of essential oils and botanical extracts (which are denser) — without compromising the candle’s stability or causing sweating (visible oil separation on the wax surface).

The right foundation for everything else

Choosing the right wax for our Intentional Aromas was a long, demanding and often frustrating journey. But it was essential to ensure that every Scentir candle delivers what it promises: aromatic presence, slow, clean burn, sensorial quality, and respect — both for you and for the planet.

The rapeseed and coconut wax we use embodies everything we believe in: natural origin, high performance, and environmental consciousness.