Why does wax turn yellow?

Have you been browsing through candles and noticed some of them are discolored? It’s kind of a curse of homemade candles and melts. Sometimes the wax just turns yellow. I’ve even noticed some turned a darker cream color over time. But it doesn’t affect anything about how the candle works. It still smells amazing and burns just as well. And it’s only some candles! Sometimes a candle can sit for months and still look freshly poured.

But why does it do that?

According to this article, it could be from

• Natural fragrance oils

• Air

• Light

• Citrus fragrance oil

• Vanillin in fragrance oil 

Some dye-free candles will yellow, and sometimes dyes will fade. (Source)

And there’s nothing I can do about it?

Try to store your candles somewhere dark, and keep the lid on if there is one. Citrus and vanilla candles are prone to turning yellow, but that just means it’s that specific fragrance oil. Vanilla fragrance oil is also in other, “not-vanilla”, fragrance oils too. It’s used to make a scent even sweeter. Specifically, it’s vanillin. Vanillin is a compound of vanilla, but it’s cheaper and easier to make. Most vanilla things we have are actually made from vanillin. And vanillin is prone to oxidation, (Source) which causes that discoloration.

The yellow tint may be more noticeable in dyed wax. But you can help prevent it by avoiding storing your candle in direct heat and light. (Source) But trust me, it’s still a huge problem with not-dyed wax.

The takeaway is if you’re at a vendor market, or my booth, please don’t assume those candles are damaged. They may not make as nice of a gift as the other candles, but they will smell just as amazing.

Browse the not-yellow collection of candles and wax melts here.