What is the difference between stearin and paraffin. How to distinguish stearic candles from paraffin candles? How to make do-it-yourself stearin candles

Stearin, paraffin

Obtaining stearin from soap for making candles.

Shave with a knife laundry soap and place in a clean metal dish. Pour in excess water, put the mixture in a water bath. Stir the mixture of water and soap from time to time with a wooden stick to help the soap dissolve in the water. After the soap has dissolved, remove our container and pour vinegar into the solution. Under the action of acid, a thick white mass - stearin- a translucent mixture of several substances, mainly stearic C 17 H 35 COOH and palmitic C 15 H 31 COOH acids. The exact composition depends on the substances that were used to make the soap.

You can make candles from stearin, as was done before. Currently, the industry makes paraffin candles, because paraffin made from petroleum is cheaper.

When the container has cooled, scoop up the candle-making stearin from the surface with a spoon and transfer it to a clean container. Rinse the stearin two to three times with water and wrap it in a clean white cloth or filter paper to absorb excess moisture. When the stearin is dry, let's start making a candle.

First way: Dip a thick twisted thread repeatedly in slightly heated melted stearin, each time allowing the stearin to harden on the wick. Repeat this operation until a candle of sufficient thickness grows on the wick. good way, albeit somewhat tedious.

Making candles according to the second method easier than the first: Immediately coat the wick with stearin heated to softening (you can even just cook it, not yet cooled down). But in this case, the wick will be impregnated with the melting mass worse and the candle will not turn out very good, although it will burn.

Stearic and paraffin candles. Stearin candles are prepared from a mixture of 88 g of stearin, 10-20 g of paraffin and 2-6 g of wax, and paraffin candles - from 85-97 g of paraffin, 3-15 g of stearin or ceresin. The mixture of these components is melted with stirring and the melt is poured into a well-polished metal cylinder or mold with a wick stretched along the axis. When the melt has solidified, the finished candle can be pushed out of metal mold round wooden rod.

Paraffin, a product of the distillation of oil, is the most popular material for candles and is included in one form or another in most candles. In the 19th century, stearin was significantly replaced as a candle material.

Cast paraffin candles are the most popular. Paraffin melted up to 70 degrees in a water bath is poured into a previously prepared mold with a fixed wick. Depending on the thickness, the candle freezes from 3 to 6 hours. Finished paraffin candles often bend during storage; to eliminate this drawback and increase the melting point, from 3 to 15% stearin is often added to the paraffin. The forms can be very diverse.

Voschina

To make the candles look beautiful, you need to use a light yellow foundation. When selecting sheets of foundation, make sure that there are no dirt on them, otherwise the candle will crack or burn unevenly.
A candle with a height of 26 cm and a diameter of 2.5-3 cm can be twisted from a sheet of foundation. raw material very thin, then when burning, the candle quickly warps and loses its shape. If the foundation is too thick, it is difficult to roll it.

The best place to work is in the kitchen. For safety reasons, the wax must be melted in a water bath. This will require two containers: one for wax (it is very practical to use a jug with a spout for this), the other (a large saucepan) for a water bath. For wax, the dishes must be enameled so that when heated it does not turn gray. You will also need scissors or a sharp knife, and a board to cool and dry the wicks.

Twisting a candle from foundation does not require any tools. All you need to do is have a clean tabletop near the stove or stove, a straight-edged knife, a long drawing ruler, and a cutting pad.

When casting candles from wax, the table should be covered with a cardboard or an old tablecloth, or aluminum foil, prepare grease, a brush, a stick for attaching wicks and various forms for casting.

When working with fused wax, follow simple safety rules: liquid wax ignites at a temperature of 180 ° C, so the container with it cannot be placed directly on the stove; make sure that drops of wax do not fall on it; the wax should be melted only in a water bath, since the water temperature will never exceed 100 ° C; take care of your eyes; do not extinguish burning wax with water, but use damp rags for this; workplace ventilate from time to time, as prolonged inhalation of wax fumes can cause headaches; do not allow children to work with hot wax.

If drops of wax get on the fabric, they can be removed with a heated iron by placing a clean sheet of white paper underneath. If they get on the table or floor, remove them with a cloth soaked in hot water.

The central element of the candle is the wick, which is woven from thin cotton threads. Phillies are of round or flat cross-section. Round wicks have the best hygroscopic properties, which is why I prefer them. The thickness of the wick is chosen depending on the diameter of the candle, but there are no exact recommendations and I can only give an approximate correspondence of these indicators.

For thin Christmas tree candles, use the finest wick. Candles rolled from foundation tend to require a thinner wick than cast candles.

When making candles from foundation, the following ratios of the diameters of the candle and wick can be proposed: candles with a diameter of up to 30 mm must have a wick with a diameter of 2 mm; up to 45 - 4 mm; over 45 - 6-8 mm; over 60 - 10 mm.

The tip of the wick of a burning candle should be as short as possible - this prolongs its burning period. Therefore, a lit candle is constantly pruned.

Wax

Before pouring the wax, the molds must be heated, and their cooling must take place slowly, for this they are wrapped with a towel.

It makes sense to make wax candles at home if you have a large supply of wax. Such candles are made by the "twisting" method: the wick is pulled horizontally and evenly covered with wax, softened in warm water... When the workpiece reaches the desired thickness, they begin to roll it on a smooth board with a flat board to give the future candle a cylindrical shape. Then the candle is cut from the bottom and its top is pulled out.

Before placing the wick into the mold, do not forget to lubricate its inner surface with a substance that will ensure the separation of the wax from the walls. For example, dishwashing liquid. The form is immersed in a mixture of this liquid with warm water. Taking out, they are convinced of the absence soap bubbles on its surface and wipe it with a damp cloth, but not dry. I do not recommend changing the vegetable oil, as it leaves a greasy layer that is difficult to remove on the surface. However, if the mold is wooden, then it can be oiled. In this case, it is not necessary to impregnate the wick with wax, its upper end can be processed after casting.

It is important that the wick is exactly in the middle of the mold and taut. If the form has a bottom (for example, a tin can), then a hole must be made in it and a wick passed through it, tying it in a knot from the outside. Put, for example, a pencil on the upper edge of the mold and tie the other end of the wick to it with tension. If a hole cannot be made in the bottom of the mold, then the wick is glued to the bottom. If the mold does not have a bottom, then it is glued with wax to a plastic surface (for example, to a cutting board) so that there are no gaps at the bottom. When doing this, forget to grease the bottom of the form. The wick is also glued to the bottom, and fixed on top.

The wax melts at a temperature of 64 ° C. It is best to pour it into molds at a temperature of 80 ° C in one go to avoid the formation of seams. The scoop is only used when working with small forms. After pouring, the wax cools from the outer surface towards the center. At this time, a hole is formed around the wick, which must be filled with wax before it hardens. When casting thick candles, as the wax cools, it must be pierced several times with a knitting needle along the length of the wick to avoid the formation of air bubbles. The wax must cool slowly, otherwise the candle may crack.

Tin candles from the collapsible mold can be carefully removed when the wax is half solid. With the help of a heated knife, the growths formed at the junction of the mold are cut from the surface of the product. Then the candle is placed on the table to cool down further. In this case, sharp fluctuations in air temperature and shock should be avoided. The mold is cleaned of wax and rinsed with dishwashing liquid. If a non-collapsible form is used, then you should wait until the wax is completely cooled and hardened, which sometimes takes a whole day.

Since the wax shrinks slightly, the cooled finished candle is pulled out by the wick, while not forgetting to untie the knot from below. If the candle is not removed, you can gently knock the mold on the table. If this does not help, then it is briefly dipped in hot water... It is easier to remove a candle from a form without a bottom; for this, use a knife or squeeze it out with some object.

There is also a way to make wax candles by dipping the wick in wax several times and gradually building up the candle. This method is the oldest. In this case, the dishes for melting must be high and narrow, which will allow you to get long candles. However, the container should not be filled with wax to the very brim, and the water in the second pot should not boil. Work takes patience. The wick is tied to a stick and dipped in molten wax several times. The dipping should be short to avoid melting the previous build-up. Then the workpiece is kept in air until each new wax layer hardens. Thus, a gradual growth of the candle occurs.

Wax candles are made from beeswax, Japanese, Chinese, carnauba wax and other methods of pouring, twisting, stretching, dipping, rolling, molding (rarely) and pressing on special machines. When pouring, the wick is held over the cauldron, turning it around its axis and pouring wax melted in a water bath, and the first pouring is the "hottest" so that the wick is saturated with wax, then portions of wax are taken from the edges of the cauldron.

Upon reaching the desired thickness, the candle is allowed to cool and rolled on a marble board with magel - a special board with a handle, cut and leveled. When twisting, the wick is evenly covered with wax melted in a water bath, rolled on a board with magel, giving desired shape and diameter.

When pulled, the wick is passed through a bath of molten wax, thus making tapers and wax threads. Dipping is a process when the wick is dipped into molten wax, for the first time the wick is lowered for three minutes so that it is soaked in wax, roll the candle, then lower it a quarter of its length into wax for 4 seconds - remove it for 2 minutes, then lower it by half length - take out for 3 minutes, lower it by three quarters of the length - take it out for 3 minutes, then lower the whole candle in wax - take it out for 3 minutes, lower it by a third - take it out, by two thirds - take it out, and again whole. The process continues until the desired thickness is reached. Rolled wax candles made of wax, rolling it with a cylinder with a fillet inside.

Before the process, the foundation must be warmed up, for example, with a hairdryer; it is recommended to keep the finished rolled candles in the refrigerator before use. The shape and size of the candle depends on the original size of the sheet of foundation, for example, a cone-shaped candle is obtained from a sheet of foundation cut diagonally. Rolled candles are extraordinarily beautiful and fragrant; they keep the warmth of the hands that made them. Wax candles are colored by immersing the candles in melted colored wax or already cold with a brush. Gilding is applied using special gilded sheets by stamping.

Lard (lard candles)

To make the tallow candles harder, it is recommended to dip the candles in succession in the following three mixtures:

1) Melt 4 white resin, 88 good lard, 6 camphor, 20 stearic acid, 2 dammar resin.
2) Melt 48 lard, 6 camphor, 20 stearic acid, 4 white resin, 10 dammar resin.
3) Melt 20 stearic acid, 4 white wax, 10 lard, 6 camphor.

Fat (candles from fat)

To make fat candles, take 450 g of alum, 450 g of saltpeter, dissolve in 2 liters of water, add 5400 g of fat (for example, beef) and cook over low heat, preventing the fat from darkening.

1) Dissolve 450 g of alum and 450 g of nitrate in 2 liters of water over low heat. Add 5400 g of fat, stirring constantly, until all the fat is dissolved. Do not leave on the fire for too long, as the fat may darken.

2) Cut 8 kg of fat into small pieces, put in a pot together with 250 g of alum and 250 g of saltpeter, previously dissolved in 0.5 water over low heat. Stir constantly over low heat until all the fat is dissolved. Leave over the extinguishing heat. until steam stops rising, then remove from heat.

Glycerol

Glycerin candles burn quietly, without spreading any smell. Mix dissolved in 20 weight.h. water colorless gelatin with 26 parts by weight of glycerin, add 2 parts by weight. tannin, diluted in 10 parts by weight of glycerol, on. Boil until the turbidity disappears, poured into a container with a wick.

Glycerin candles according to Laroche

Dissolve 5 colorless gelatin in 20 water, add 26 glycerol and heat until a completely clear solution is formed. To this solution are added 2 tannins, dissolved by heating in 10 glycerol. A turbidity appears, which disappears with further boiling. The boiling continues until all the water has evaporated. Candles made from such a composition are transparent like water and burn quietly without spreading any smell.

Glycerin candles ordinary

They are made as follows: 5 g of gelatin, 25 ml of glycerin and 20 ml of water are mixed with heating until a clear solution is obtained, then 2 g of tannin, previously dissolved in 10 ml of glycerin by heating, are added. The resulting solution is heated to boiling; the turbidity that appeared at the beginning gradually disappears. The solution is boiled until all the water has evaporated. Then candles are cast from the resulting mass. Glycerin candles are transparent like glass, burn quietly and without smoke, without spreading any smell.

Gel ( gel candles)

Making gel candles is available to anyone, even a child. Take a suitable container, play with decorative elements, fill in the gel, stick in the wick. The gel does not tolerate overheating, after 120 degrees it becomes cloudy and does not acquire the desired consistency when solidified, also during manufacturing try not to reach the bottom of the wick so that the container you have chosen does not burst from fire. The ability to use a variety of decorative elements and unusual shapes containers make gel candles the most exotic of the whole range of candle products.

Candles changed their appearance and composition at all times. Both a primitive torch and a kerosene lamp were used as a light source. But in the age of electric lighting, candles remained the same in demand and popular. I wonder if they will become more perfect a millennium later? And how then will wax, scented, stearic candles look like?

The history of the origin of candles

Around 5,000 years ago, the candle was first mentioned in Egypt and has been used as lighting ever since. The Romans were the first to become world famous for the production of such light sources. They impregnated papyrus with flammable agents with the addition of fat, rolled up a paper wick and set it on fire.

The Chinese made candles from high-density paper, the Japanese from the wax of walnut trees, and the Indians boiled the fruit of the cinnamon tree. Less costly methods developed, and rare ones ceased to exist.

In the 12th century, tallow candles were burned in Russia, for the manufacture of which the wick was repeatedly immersed in melted fat. And thus they increased the required diameter.

In the 13th century in Europe, candles became the main way to illuminate rooms. They were realized in any locality, city and village, there were many masters. The smoking tallow candle is depicted as a prototype of poverty and despair.

In the 15th century, a conical shape was invented, and the fat was replaced with beeswax. These candles emitted a minimum of smoke and odor.

In the 18th century, spermaceti, a substance from the body of a whale that does not melt at high temperatures, became the main suppository remedy.

Stearic acid began to be used in candles in the 19th century. It is about this substance that will be discussed in the article.

How stearic acid appeared

In 1820, a method for extracting animal fats from animal fats was invented in France, as a result of which a formula for stearic wax appeared, which is quite hard and cleanly burning. And in 1825, chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul, in collaboration with Joseph Gay-Lussac, created a stearin candle.

When did the stearicum candle appear? The development of its production in Russia began in 1837. And in 1851, it was established in the United States, thanks to the immigrant Antonio Meucci. Until now, stearic candles are still in demand in Europe.

In the XX century, paraffin and stearin became the primary components in the manufacture of products in this direction. Since the 1980s, other types of candles have begun to fill the market: scented, transparent, made from mineral oil and polymer additives, palm, soy wax.

Differences between the main components

How to distinguish from stearic acid? Both substances are different in chemical and physical characteristics... Paraffin is a composition of oil-refined substances, and stearin is a combination of processed fats and stearic acid with the addition of glycerin.

Stearin candles consist of only 4% paraffin and, in addition, contain palm oil, and paraffin candles include about 3-15% stearin to give strength to the product.
To melt paraffin, a temperature of + 36-55 degrees is needed, and for stearin - 55-72.
The flame temperature of a stearic candle reaches 1500 degrees, and a paraffin one - 1400 degrees.
Stearin, in reaction with an alkaline substance, forms a soap foam, and paraffin does not interact with it in any way.
Stearin candles burn longer than paraffin candles and do not deform, unlike them.

Is stearin harmful

The smoke of a low quality paraffin candle is toxic, which is important to remember while in closed room... Entering the atmosphere: toluene, which provokes dizziness, and benzene. The second substance is distinguished by carcinogenic properties, it is dangerously mutagenic, teratogenic, gonadotoxic, allergic, embryotoxic effects. With allergies, the combustion products of a paraffin product can provoke a spasm in the respiratory tract, and if a metal thread is visible in the wick, then this is lead, harmful to the heart.

If stearic suppositories are harmful, then it is completely insignificant in comparison with their counterparts. Unfortunately, they are not widely used in Russia. And the most environmentally safe are relatively expensive candles made from natural wax: soy, bees. No harmful components are released during their combustion. An inexpensive candle is the first reason to think about its chemical composition.

Aroma candles

Scented candles are extremely harmful to health if burned daily and for a long time in a closed room. Prolonged exposure to artificial scent vapors is sometimes tantamount to nicotine poisoning. This should be taken into account by people who prefer meditation by candlelight and use it as a fragrance.

If diethyl phthalate is used for the odor fixer, its effect is fraught with a mass of side reactions of the body, up to nausea. Even essential oil, when heated, loses its original structure, so its pleasant aroma is distorted.

Stearic acid in cosmetics

A number of fats and oils contain stearic acid. It is used in the manufacture of:

candles;
soap;
toothpaste;
creams;
hair dyes;
rubber compounds.

In pharmaceuticals, analytical chemistry, this white crystalline substance is used. Stearin is an odorless ingredient and is therefore highly regarded in the cosmetic field.

In cosmetic products, it acts as a thickener and stabilizer, which inhibits the stratification of unstable ingredients into separate substances. Thanks to stearin, the cream looks homogeneous and opaque.

Stearin Benefits

Stearin suppositories are not produced in their pure form. Only a fraction of the substance is added to the base material of candles, and manufacturers value it for the following benefits:

economical combustion;
brighter candle flame;
products with stearin go out of shape without coercion;
stearin does not form soot (for paraffin candles, soaking the wick in sodium nitrate is required);
stearin protects products from bending when heated.

Market

In Europe, 90% of candles are made from paraffin. Consider the size of the constituent components of an industrial line. Household stearic candles account for about 4% of production, 0.5% of production is made from bee wax, the rest of the market is accounted for by products made from wax of soybeans and palm plants. In Sweden, Norway, stearin as a raw material for candles is much more widespread. Sometimes paraffin products contain up to a quarter of stearin. Composite candles are also common, consisting of stearin, spermacet, solid fats with bismuth and the addition of arsenic for strength.

You can buy multi-colored stearic candles on the market or in the online store. Their cost is higher than that of paraffinic counterparts, but the quality, service life and impressions of them are worth it.

Homemade

To create a candle, use regular wax (including cinders), paraffin, available in stores, or stearin. The latter is easy to obtain by melting crushed soap, which dissolves on fire in a container with water, and then vinegar is added to it. The substance that has floated to the surface is collected with a spoon. This is stearin, which is rinsed and dried with a cloth.

A thick cotton thread is used as a wick. Artificial does not fit, as it will quickly burn out and give off bad smell... You can use a floss or remove the wick from a regular wax candle.

To give the desired shape to the product, you need to use an appropriate container in the form of a ball, can, plaster, wood, metal. The opening should be reasonably wide to fill the container with molten stearin.

In order for the candle to have a color, food coloring or crushed wax crayons must be added to the filler. The exceptions are water-based and alcohol-based dyes - they are not suitable. You can also add a fragrance - any essential oil you like.

Procedure:

dissolve laundry soap over low heat;
collect stearin from the surface;
melt stearin in a water bath;
soak the wick with melted substance;
add flavor and dye to the mass;
weight the end of the wick with a weight;
hold the wick exactly in the center of the form;
pour the mass into the mold, wait for solidification;
remove the finished candle from the mold.

To make a stearic candle a surprise, delight and create a festive atmosphere, decorate it with accessories: beads, shells, coffee beans, which can be melted into the solidifying material. And the completion of the ornamental image will be an original candlestick or an unusual candelabrum.

The saying "the game is not worth the candle" came from gamblers who used this phrase, comparing the winnings with the cost of a burned out candle while playing.
Virtual services have appeared in some churches. The cathedral of the city of Santiago de Compostel pleases parishioners with the inclusion of electronic candles for 1.4 euros.
V Pacific there are fish with a high proportion of fat in the body. Locals burn it like a candle, stretching a wick through it.
As the distributors confirm, 96% of the candles are purchased by women.
The largest candle in the world was lit in honor of a national holiday in the Kingdom of Bahrain, it weighed three tons, reached 73 m in height and had 14 thousand wicks.

DIY soap candles (stearic)

Stearin( French stearine, from the Greek. stear - fat) - an organic product obtained from fats. Consists of stearic acid with an admixture of palmitic, oleic and other saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. They are used in soap making, paper, rubber, textile industries, for making candles. A mixture of kerosene and stearin is used as a lubricant in molding work. As a component it is part of the wax used in the foundry industry.

Try to make yourself a stearic candle,

using a bar of laundry soap.

Use a knife to cut about a half piece of laundry soap and place in a clean tin can or in an old saucepan. Pour the water so that it covers the shavings with excess and place the mixture in a water bath. Stir the contents of the saucepan from time to time with a wooden stick to quickly dissolve the soap in the water.

When this happens, remove the vessel from the heat and pour the vinegar into it. Under the action of acid, a thick white mass will emerge from the solution and float to the surface. This is stearin - a translucent mixture of several substances, mainly stearic C17H35COOH and palmitic C15H31COOH acids.

It is impossible to name the exact composition, it is different and depends on the substances that went into the preparation of the soap.

As you know, candles are made from stearin. Rather, they did it before, because now most of the candles are not stearic, but paraffin - the paraffin obtained from oil is cheaper and more affordable. But since we have stearin at our disposal, let's make a candle out of it.

When the jar is completely cool, scoop up the stearin from the surface with a spoon and transfer it to a clean bowl. Rinse the stearin two to three times with water and wrap it in a clean white cloth or filter paper to absorb excess moisture.

When the stearin is completely dry, let's start with a candle. Probably the simplest technique is this: dip a thick twisted thread, for example from a kerosene wick, repeatedly in slightly heated melted stearin, each time allowing the stearin to harden on the wick. Do this until a candle of sufficient thickness grows on the wick. This is a good way, albeit somewhat tedious; in any case, in ancient times, candles were often prepared this way.

There is an easier way: immediately coat the wick with stearin heated to softening (you can even just cook it, not yet cooled down). True, in this case, the wick will be less impregnated with the melting mass, and the candle will turn out to be not very good, although it will burn.

For beautiful curly candles, the manufacturing methods are not easy. First of all, you need to make a form - wooden, plaster, metal. In this case, it is also advisable to first soak the wick with one or two layers of stearin; then it is fixed in the mold so that it passes exactly in the middle. It is desirable that the wick is slightly taut. And after that, hot stearin is poured into the mold.

Stearin(French stearine, from the Greek stear - fat) - an organic product obtained from fats. Consists of stearic acid with an admixture of palmitic, oleic and other saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. They are used in soap making, paper, rubber, textile industries, for making candles. A mixture of kerosene and stearin is used as a lubricant in molding work. As a component it is part of the wax used in the foundry industry.

Try making your own stearicum candle using a bar of laundry soap.

Use a knife to cut about half a piece of laundry soap and place in a clean can or old saucepan. Pour the water so that it covers the shavings with excess and place the mixture in a water bath. Stir the contents of the saucepan from time to time with a wooden stick to quickly dissolve the soap in the water.

It is impossible to name the exact composition, it is different and depends on the substances that went into the preparation of the soap.

Thus, you can make candles from paraffin, i.e. from purchased candles, melting them and giving them the shape that you like.

You can do exactly the opposite - make soap from a stearic candle:

Making soap from stearin

Soap cannot be obtained from a paraffin candle. Only a stearic candle is good, natural beeswax is also good.

Heat some stearin in a water bath that is hot enough, but not brought to a boil. When the stearin is completely melted, add a concentrated solution of washing (soda ash) to it. The resulting white viscous mass is soap. Soak it for a few more minutes in a water bath, and then pour the still hot mass into a mold.

The soap has been received, but we do not know how pure the substances that made up the candle were, so this soap is in case of emergency, or for washing.

Antique stearin candles - how to make

Production of stearin candles without the use of presses and other expensive machines

Heat 10-12% of good lard in clean boiled water. When melted, extinguish the fire and let the bacon stand until a thin film forms on the surface. Then add 2% soda solution 30 ° Bome and stir until the mass acquires the consistency of cold soap. Light the fire again and bring the mixture to a boiling point. When boiled, the soap decomposes again and a precipitate is formed in the form of flakes, containing impurities contained in the tallow. If you let the bacon stand for some time, then it becomes transparent and almost colorless. In this state, it can be successfully used to lubricate machines, but for the manufacture of candles, it requires further processing, since it still contains traces of soap. It is placed in a copper pot and cleaned with acidified water of 1-2% B. As long as the tallow contains traces of soap, foam appears on the surface, which does not dissolve.

The acidified water is added until the foam completely disappears. But it is better to make a test to be sure that the soap has decomposed. For this purpose, take a small amount of liquid from the bottom of the kettle and make a test using litmus paper. If it does not turn red, then boiling should continue with the further addition of acidified water. If the litmus paper turns red, the fat is allowed to settle, after which the acidic water is drained and the fat is boiled again with fresh water.

Then olein and stearin are separated as follows: take a boiler with a double bottom, which is placed at a distance of 10 cm from the real bottom of the boiler. The double bottom has holes 1.25 cm in diameter and there is a tap between the bottoms.

Equal parts of lard and boiling water are placed in the boiler and the boiler is covered with a lid to prevent too much cooling. The mass is allowed to stand for two or three days, depending on the quantity, until the thermometer immersed in upper layer fat, will not show a temperature of 22-25 ° C. Then the tap opens and first water flows out of the lower room, then olein, while the crystallized stearin remains on the double bottom and is ready for forming candles from it. This is done in the same way as for making tallow candles, but at a higher temperature. The mass, which looks like milk, needs to be stirred all the time.

Many people involved in spiritual development and yoga often use candles. For example, lighting them while doing some practice and creating a special atmosphere in the room. In yoga there is such a shatkarma (purification practice), like looking at the flame of a candle, called trataka... Also trataka is.

The candle is a symbol of connection with the Cosmos, the Higher mind. Her fire is the light of our soul, our bright thoughts. Like a small sun, the fire of a candle helps transformations in a person and the movement towards a righteous life. The softness and pliability of wax expresses a person's readiness for obedience, his humility, and a short burning - an unfaithful life that is easy to extinguish, its fleetingness. When a person prays while lighting a candle, he makes a sacrifice to God (instead of animals), thereby showing his respect and humility.

It is believed that if you look at the fire, it clears the person's aura and the space around.

The history of candles goes back hundreds of thousands of years. The first candles were made from animal fat and oily fish, as opposed to wax and paraffin wax candles today. They originally looked like a small torch. The wick was invented by the Romans, the Chinese and Japanese continued their work. Some used rice paper as a wick, others rolled the papyrus into a tube and dipped it into a container containing fat. Also, candles were made from resin and plant fibers. The American Indians mined the wax by burning the bark of the gum tree or resin tree. Candles were also made from pine resin. Much later, cotton and hemp fibers began to be used for wicks.

In the Middle Ages, they began to make candles from bee wax... This made it possible to avoid the disadvantages of fat candles, since the wax does not give any soot or bad smell, it burns brightly and evenly. But the fat in large quantities It is easier to obtain than wax, so wax candles were expensive, however, as they are now.

In 1850 was invented paraffin from which most modern candles are made. Paraffin is obtained from oil and shale. The massive extraction of paraffin made it possible to make cheap candles, since it cost much less than wax and similar substances. The material for paraffin candles is, of course, paraffin, but mixed with stearin (stearin 1 makes the candle softer, making it less fragile). Fatty dyes are used: they dissolve perfectly in paraffin and give even saturated colors. At the end of the twentieth century, a "candle renaissance" began all over the world. Decorative scented candles have become an indispensable attribute of the holidays, an original gift, an interior decoration. In addition to the traditional elongated candles, you can now find figurine candles, gel candles in glasses, floating tablets, tea candles (in an aluminum case), candles in glassware or coconuts.

Unfortunately, the fruits of scientific and technological progress are not always favorable for people. The use of most modern candles can be very harmful to human health! This is what I want to talk about below. So, why candles are harmful ...

Firstly, when paraffin burns, it releases benzene and toluene into the air, carcinogens that are very harmful to a living organism. Along with carcinogenic benzene has mutagenic, gonadotoxic, embryotoxic, teratogenic and allergic effects. Toluene is a general toxic poison causing acute and chronic poisoning. Its irritant effect is more pronounced than that of benzene. It causes endocrine disorders and reduces performance, prolonged contact with small doses of toluene can affect the blood. Due to its high solubility in lipids and fats, toluene accumulates mainly in the cells of the central nervous system.

Secondly, many manufacturers use a complex compound as a fixer for aroma resistance - diethyl phthalate, which chemists classify as a moderately toxic category. It can cause allergic reactions and eczema, dizziness, headache, irregular breathing, watery eyes, nausea and vomiting. It has a teratogenic and mutagenic effect, which is very dangerous for pregnant women. With regular exposure, it can affect the nervous and respiratory systems, internal organs and blood cells, and contribute to the formation of malignant tumors. By the way, very often this fixative is used in perfumery.

Thirdly, chemical (helium, stearic 1 and paraffin) candles almost all contain up to 70% of various additives, dyes, fragrances and other ingredients. Artificial additives are often used in the production of scented candles. It is good if these flavors have a neutral effect on human health. There is a high probability that the perfume in the candle will be cheap synthetic, which means harmful, the dye will also be used in such a way as to reduce the cost of the product.

Even if the candle is scented with natural essential oils, the fragrance burns out in the process and its effect can be harmful. The oil gets very hot, it changes chemical structure and the aroma is distorted. Therefore, I do not advise you to abuse even natural scented candles ...

Rare use of paraffin candles will not bring any strong harm, but systematic use will have an effect on your body. If a paraffin candle burns in a ventilated room 2-3 times a week, for about half an hour, nothing bad will happen.

Candles are often lit in poorly ventilated rooms even in the evening. Because of this, lovers of various aromas sleep in a smoky room with a high content toxic substances in the air. Be sure to ventilate the room! Scientists state the fact that inhaling the vapors of a scented candle throughout the evening is tantamount to several hours of secondhand smoke.

In small rooms, a large number of lit candles are especially dangerous. 1-2 is enough.

You should not light candles for several hours at a time and use them as an air freshener.

Buy safe aroma candles from natural wax - beeswax or soy. Beeswax candles do not even need to be scented - they smell of honey and propolis when they burn, but suitable ones are often added to them. essential oils... Soy wax is obtained from soy beans - they learned how to make candles from it not so long ago, but they were immediately appreciated by experts. There are candles that use palm and coconut wax. To identify a paraffin or wax candle, remove the shavings from it with a knife. The paraffin wax will crumble.

Safe, scented with natural aromas, candles are sold only in specialized stores. The smallest beeswax or soy wax candle can be more expensive than a whole pack of paraffin candles.

If you set yourself a goal, then, surfing the Internet, you can find a wide variety of original eco-friendly wax candles. Now many craftsmen offer their works of authorship. Personally, I found very interesting option for myself - herbal wax candles.

And my last parting word, dear reader: carefully study the wick of the candle. If you notice a metal rod in the weaving of the wick, it is a lead thread. Well, the harmful effect of lead on cardiovascular and nervous system we have known for a long time ...

Hopefully whoever reads this article will become more attentive to the choice of candles.

Take care of yourself and be healthy! OM.

1. Stearin(French stearine, from the Greek stear - fat) - an organic product obtained from fats. Consists of stearic acid with an admixture of palmitic, oleic and other saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Now you can find vegetable stearin, it is obtained by pressing chilled coconut or palm oil.