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History of Candles.
Wicked candles have been around for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians are known to have used rolled papyrus dipped into animal fat called tallow or beeswax. Waxes were also made from plants and insects in ancient times. In India wax was extracted from cinnamon by boiling it. The Ancient Chinese used whale fat.
Tallow based candles would have had an awful smell and given off smokey fumes. Beeswax candles have a sweeter scent and don't have the noxious fumes. Beeswax candles started to become popular in the Middle ages in Europe as monasteries grew in numbers and started keeping bees.
In the 18th century the whaling industry started its golden era, providing candlemakers with a new source for wax - crystallised whale oil. This new wax was available in huge quantities and candles were made on large scales using machines.
In the middle of the 19th century parafin wax was invented. It was produced very cheaply from coal and gave good quality consistant candles. As electricity became a standard in the Western world candles stopped being necessary as the primary source of light.
Candles became decorative items. Candles are used for visual decorations and are made in a wide range of shapes sizes and colours. They are also used as mood enhancers and room scenters.
In the last decade of the 20th century new waxes were developed from palm, coconut and soybean oils. These candles were combined with aromatherapy scents to create aromatherapy candles. Natural wax scented candles are now readily available.
In the UK natural wax candles that use natural scents from essential oils have gradually started to become available since 2002. Many candles that are sold as natural mention only natural wax. The majority of natural candles in the UK are made from soy wax as the main constituent. Some manufacturers like I Conjure Candles use a small percentage of beeswax with the soy wax to create a wax blend that enhances the natural essential oil scents.
Originally published at I Conjure Candles
Written by LizzyJ
