To dye or not to dye

To dye or not to dye

There are literally 100s of choices for candles today on the market. While most decide soy wax is the candle of their choice, they are still faced with other choices and types of soy candles.

One of these many choices is choosing a soy wax candle (regardless of the blend) with or without dye.

My personal preference is not to use dyes in candles, for the following reasons:

- Soy candles do not color well
A pure soy candle (not a soy blend) will not color well. Yes some colors will look nice, but not all. Heavy amounts of dye to get a nicer look may not be appealing at all to some.

- Color is Unnecessary
It doesn’t make the candle burn cleaner, it doesn’t help the scent. Dye has little purpose aside from making the candle “look pretty”, but sometimes doesn’t even do that.

- Does Dye Burn Well?
Honestly, I can’t say if dye effects the burning of the candle. Since it’s an additive, I would guess it does in fact put off some type of chemical release when burned. Everything puts off some type of chemical no matter if it’s natural or not. I do not know if dye puts off a bad chemical or not, but I don’t want to take the chance if it does. There’s little information on candle dyes and the effects in our home. Since they aren’t a food, little testing is required.

- Less mess
Have you ever knocked over a candle on accident? I think we all have at least once. I know I have several times, and so have my kids. I’ve got a few spots of color on my carpet thanks to the dye in the candle. They’ve come out with a little work, but who wants to spend an hour on their hands and knees cleaning up dye on the carpet? Buying a candle without dye eliminates the need to clean up accidental spills. Remember soy wax candles are supposed to be easier to clean up, and with dye it’s not as easy.

- Looks nicer burning
To me, a soy candle with dye looks “gunky” when burning. I’m not sure if that’s really a word, but that’s the best way to explain it. It looks like a mess waiting to happen!

- Room for alternatives
While it’s true, many family candle stores do welcome special orders, many candle companies only offer certain scents in certain colors. By using colored containers (see colored votive holders), you can easily change your scented candle often while keeping the same decor in your house.

- Better for Melt Burners
While it’s usually unlikely you will ever stain a melt burner, the natural beauty of your melt warmer does not need color in it. Not to mention if your melt warmer is already decorated, dye could clash with the colors of your warmer. Just like mentioned above, it’s not necessary and it only makes it “messy looking”.

Alternatives to Dyes
If you still want to add a splash of color or style to your home, see the following alternatives:

- Decorated Candle Jars
Some jars are decorated with decals, stickers, or other interesting decoration on the outside of the jar.

- Colored Candle Jars
Solid color jars can often be found, or a mix of colors creating an interesting look.

- Candle Jar Holders
Many different kinds jar holders are now available on the market. All you do is place your jar inside the decorated holder and light the candle.

- Melt Burners
If you are looking for a flame-less alternative without dye, a melt burner could be perfect for you. The decoration of the melt burner requires no additional color from the candle.

Some facts about Prairie Soy Candles:
- We use NO DYE
- Our soy wax is not a blend, we start with 100% soy
- Additives are 1% beeswax and fragrance oil - that’s it!
- All cotton wicks

Details on our candles at:
www.PrairieSoyCandles.com