Paraffin wax is a heavy hydrocarbon that comes from crude oil. Paraffin waxes are produced by refining or separating the waxes out of crude mineral oils. Obtained from the ground, crude oil is a compositionally varied product, consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons. Another name for crude oil is fossil fuel. Cruide oil is transported to refneries where it is refined into finished products by complex processes. One of the many products derived from refining is lubricating oil. It is from the lube oil refining process that petroleum waxes are derived. There are three general categories of petroleum wax that are obtained from lube oil refining. They include paraffin, microcrystalline and petrolatum. Paraffin waxes are derived from the light lubricating oil distillates. Paraffin waxes contain predominatly straight-chain hydrocarbons with an average chain length od 20 - 30 carbon atoms. Paraffin wax has a typical melting point between about 47 °C and 64 °C.
Soy wax on the other hand is made from vegtable matter. Soy was is a vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled and rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated. The hydrogenation process converts some of the fatty acids in the oil from unsaturated to saturated. This process dramatically alters the melting point of the oil, making it a solid at room temperature. The leftover bean husks are commonly used as animal feed. Soy was is white in color and comes in pellet and flake forms. This was is mainly used in container candles as it has a lower melting temperature than other waxes such as paraffin and beeswax.
Amorouscents candles are 100% soy wax.
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