Are candles vegan? Soy wax candles, beeswax and stearin explained
If you live a vegan life, you probably read food and cosmetics labels carefully. Candles are easy to forget, yet many of them are not vegan. Soy wax candles are the simple answer, and here is why.
Which candles contain animal products
- Beeswax. A natural material, but made by bees, so most vegans avoid it, as they avoid honey.
- Stearin. Often used in classic dinner and pillar candles. It can be made from plants (usually palm oil) or from animal fat (tallow). Labels rarely say which.
- Paraffin. Not made from animals, but from petroleum. Some vegans avoid it for environmental reasons.
Soy wax candles: a plant-based choice
Soy wax is made from soybean oil. It contains no animal ingredients and no petroleum. It also burns more slowly than paraffin: a laboratory study of hydrogenated soy candles found a slower burn and less soot than paraffin.
Vilma Candles are unscented 100% soy wax, with no beeswax, no stearin and no paraffin. We pour and finish them by hand in Riga, almost all from our own designs and moulds. That is why every one of our candles is vegan.
How to check a candle yourself
- Look for the exact wax type. “Natural wax” can also mean beeswax.
- If stearin is listed, ask the maker where it comes from.
- Don’t forget scents and dyes; ask about them too, if the label doesn’t say.
- A small maker can always tell you exactly what is in the candle. Just ask.
A gift for vegan friends
Finding a gift for a vegan friend can be surprisingly tricky. A candle is a safe choice, as long as you know what it is made of. With Vilma Candles, you do.
We deliver across Europe: free in the Baltics from €48, half-price delivery elsewhere from €48. Order by 10 December for delivery before Christmas in most of Europe.
