Fall is a natural time to bring warmer scents and candlelight into your home. Explore some of our favorite seasonal scents and learn about the differences between soy wax, beeswax, and plant-based wax blends.

Fall Candle Scents: A Guide to Soy, Beeswax & Seasonal Favorites

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall is a natural time to bring a little more candlelight into your home. Warm woods, apple, pumpkin, cinnamon and spice can complement the season, while the soft glow of unscented beeswax adds warmth without competing with food or other scents in the room.

At Sunbeam Candles, we make candles from several different waxes, including pure beeswax, soy wax, and an apricot-coconut-soy wax blend. Each has its own qualities, and we choose the wax that works best for the type of candle we're making.

Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy candles this fall, along with a closer look at soy wax, beeswax, and why we don't believe there is one "best" wax for every candle.

Fall Scents from Ash + Amber

Our Ash + Amber collection is made with soy wax and comes in reusable amber glass jars. The collection includes several scents that feel especially at home during the cooler months.

Autumn Porridge brings together the comforting scents of the season, while Pumpkin & Spice offers a classic fall fragrance and Farmhouse Cider brings the warmth of the orchard indoors.

Our year-round Ash + Amber scents also include choices that work beautifully in fall, including Grandpa's Pipe, Cinnamon Vanilla Latte, Beach Fire, Fresh Cut, and Trailblaze.

Like all of our scented candles, Ash + Amber candles are scented with pure essential oils and natural botanical fragrance, never synthetic fragrance.

Unscented Beeswax for a Warm Fall Glow

Sometimes fall calls for candlelight without added fragrance.

Our Beeswax Basics collection includes pure beeswax pillars, tapers, votives and tealights. Beeswax has its own naturally subtle honey aroma and a beautiful warm glow, making it an especially good choice for dining tables and other places where you don't want a scented candle competing with food.

Our beeswax candles are made from domestically sourced beeswax and use 100% cotton wicks that are free from lead and zinc.

Beeswax also works particularly well for freestanding candles because its higher melting point helps pillars and tapers hold their shape as they burn.

What Is Soy Wax?

Soy wax is a plant-based wax made from soybean oil and has become one of the most widely used waxes for container candles.

One reason soy works particularly well in jars is that it is softer than beeswax. When properly paired with the right wick and vessel, it can create an even melt pool and provide good scent throw.

Soy wax also burns at a relatively low temperature, making it well suited to container candles.

Like any candle wax, soy has its own characteristics. It can sometimes develop a frosted or slightly matte appearance over time. This is a natural characteristic of soy wax and doesn't affect how the candle burns.

Wick selection is also important. The wax, wick, vessel and fragrance all work together, which is why a well-made candle is about more than simply choosing one type of wax.

Are 100% Soy Candles Better?

Not necessarily.

Different waxes are well suited to different types of candles. We don't believe one wax needs to be considered better than all the others.

For our Ash + Amber candles, we use soy wax. It works beautifully in the amber glass containers and with the fragrances we've developed for the collection.

For our SunCatcher collection, we use a blend of apricot, coconut and soy wax. These candles are poured into iridescent glass vessels and are available in Pearl, Nectar, Bloom and Dusk.

For our Beeswax Basics, Specialty Shapes and Heirloom Aromatherapy candles, beeswax provides the structure, burn characteristics and warm natural appearance we're looking for.

Rather than choosing a candle based solely on the wax, consider how and where you'll use it.

Beeswax vs. Soy Wax

Both beeswax and soy wax can make beautiful candles, but they have different characteristics.

Beeswax is a firmer wax with a relatively high melting point. That makes it particularly well suited to pillars, tapers, votives, tealights and sculpted candles. Pure beeswax also has a naturally subtle honey aroma even when no fragrance is added.

Soy wax is softer and works especially well in containers. It can hold fragrance well and produce a consistent melt pool when paired with the appropriate wick and vessel.

For us, the question isn't which wax is better. It's which wax is best suited to the candle we're making.

What About SunCatcher?

Our SunCatcher collection offers another approach to plant-based container candles.

SunCatcher candles are made from an apricot-coconut-soy wax blend and poured into iridescent glass vessels. The collection includes four fragrances: Pearl, Nectar, Bloom and Dusk.

Like Ash + Amber, SunCatcher candles are scented with pure essential oils and natural botanical fragrance, never synthetic fragrance.

They're a good choice when you're looking for a scented container candle with a more elevated look, whether for your own home or as a gift.

Heirloom Aromatherapy Candles

For those who prefer candles scented exclusively with essential oils, our Heirloom Aromatherapy collection combines pure beeswax with 100% pure essential oils.

The collection is available in pillars and votives and offers a different scent experience from our naturally fragranced container candles.

Candle Care for a Better Burn

Whichever type of candle you choose, a little care can help it burn more evenly and cleanly.

Trim the wick to approximately 1/4 inch before lighting. For container candles, allow the wax to melt toward the edges of the vessel, particularly during the first burn, to help encourage an even melt pool.

Always burn candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface away from drafts, children, pets and anything flammable, and never leave a burning candle unattended.

Frequently Asked Questions About Soy and Beeswax Candles

What are popular candle scents for fall?

Warm woods, apple, pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla and spice are perennial fall favorites. Our seasonal Ash + Amber collection includes Autumn Porridge, Pumpkin & Spice and Farmhouse Cider, along with year-round fragrances that pair beautifully with cooler weather.

Are 100% soy candles better?

There isn't one wax that's best for every type of candle. Soy works particularly well for container candles, while beeswax is an excellent choice for pillars, tapers and sculpted candles. The quality of the wax, wick, fragrance and overall candle construction all contribute to how a candle performs.

What are the disadvantages of soy wax candles?

Soy is a relatively soft wax and can sometimes develop frosting or a matte appearance. It also requires careful wick selection to burn properly. These characteristics don't necessarily indicate a problem with the candle.

What Sunbeam Candles are made with soy wax?

Our Ash + Amber candles are made with soy wax. Our SunCatcher candles use an apricot-coconut-soy wax blend.

Are beeswax candles scented?

Pure beeswax naturally has a subtle honey aroma, but our Beeswax Basics and Specialty Shapes have no added fragrance. Our Heirloom Aromatherapy candles combine beeswax with 100% pure essential oils.

Choosing a Candle for Fall

There's no single candle that's right for every room or occasion.

For warm seasonal fragrance, explore our Ash + Amber fall scents. For an unscented glow at the dinner table, choose Beeswax Basics pillars, tapers, votives or tealights. For a scented candle in an iridescent glass vessel, explore SunCatcher.

And if you're interested in receiving different candles throughout the year, our Candle Club offers an easy way to discover seasonal Sunbeam favorites.

However you choose to welcome the season, a little candlelight goes a long way toward making the shorter days of fall feel warmer.

Recommended Internal Links:

• Sunbeam Candles: https://www.sunbeamcandles.com

• Beeswax Basics: https://www.sunbeamcandles.com/collections/beeswax-basics

• Container Candles: https://www.sunbeamcandles.com/collections/container-candles

• Candle Club: https://www.sunbeamcandles.com/apps/subscriptions/bb/EEsUztmH