Quick answer: Soy candles usually cost less, are vegan and carry added fragrance well. Beeswax has a higher melting point, so it burns more slowly, and it has a faint natural honey scent and a golden color. Choose soy if you want a vegan candle or the lowest price; choose beeswax or a beeswax blend if you want a slower burn and don't need a vegan candle.
Sweetwick quick facts
- Sweetwick candles are pure beeswax blended with coconut oil, with no soy, paraffin or palm.
- The wick is wood, soaked in food-grade avocado oil before it is set.
- Scent comes from phthalate-free fragrance oils, and no dyes are added.
- Every candle is a 6 oz jar for $22, with a tested burn time of 40–50 hours.
- Each candle is hand-poured in small batches in Cleveland, Ohio, and is not vegan, because it contains beeswax.
There are ten scents: Vanilla Maple Pecan, Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut, Cranberry Marmalade, Pumpkin Spice, Hot Apple Pie, Lavender, Fruit Bowl, Forest Pine, Fresh Linen and Eucalyptus Spearmint.
Beeswax vs. soy at a glance
| Beeswax | Soy | Sweetwick (beeswax and coconut oil) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made from | Wax made by honeybees | Soybean oil | Beeswax blended with coconut oil |
| Melting point | High, around 145°F | Lower | Coconut oil softens the beeswax |
| Burn pace | Slower | Faster | Tested 40–50 hours per 6 oz candle |
| Added fragrance | Holds less on its own | Carries it well | Phthalate-free fragrance oils; coconut oil helps the blend carry them |
| Natural scent and color | Faint honey scent, golden color | No honey scent | No dyes or colorants added |
| Wick | Varies by maker | Varies by maker | Wood, soaked in food-grade avocado oil |
| Price | Usually higher | Usually lower | $22 for a 6 oz jar |
| Vegan | No | Yes | No |
Price
Soy usually costs less than beeswax. Every Sweetwick candle is $22 for 6 oz, and any three or more are 15% off automatically in the cart, so a set of three is $56.10 instead of $66.
Wax source and color
Beeswax is made by honeybees and has a faint natural honey scent and a golden color. Soy wax is made from soybean oil. Sweetwick blends beeswax with coconut oil, which softens the beeswax and helps it carry fragrance. No dyes or colorants are added, and every candle comes in a reusable amber glass jar.
Scent throw
Soy carries added fragrance well. Pure beeswax holds less added fragrance and has a faint honey scent of its own. Coconut oil helps a beeswax blend carry fragrance. Sweetwick uses phthalate-free fragrance oils, evaluated against IFRA standards.
Burn pace and burn time
Beeswax has a higher melting point than soy, around 145°F, so it usually burns more slowly. Burn time still depends on the recipe, wick, jar and how you care for the candle, so wax type alone doesn't tell the whole story. Sweetwick candles have a tested burn time of 40–50 hours. Trim the wick to 1/8 inch before each burn.
Vegan status
Soy is vegan. Beeswax is not, and neither is Sweetwick, because it contains beeswax.
Wick style
Beeswax and soy candles both come with a range of wicks, depending on the maker. Wooden wicks crackle and give a wider, lower flame; cotton wicks are silent. Wooden wicks are also trimmed shorter, to 1/8 inch rather than 1/4 inch. Sweetwick uses a wooden wick soaked in food-grade avocado oil, which crackles softly as it burns. The wooden wick care guide covers lighting, trimming and tunneling.
Which should you choose?
- Choose soy if you want a vegan candle, the lowest price, or a wax that carries added fragrance well.
- Choose beeswax if you want a slower burn and like a faint honey note underneath.
- Choose a beeswax and coconut blend if you want a beeswax-based candle that carries fragrance more easily than pure beeswax.
Why Sweetwick doesn't use soy
Soy is a reasonable choice, and plenty of good candle makers use it. Sweetwick chose beeswax and coconut oil instead. You can read why on our sustainability page, and there's a full breakdown of every wax, paraffin included, in Paraffin vs. Beeswax vs. Coconut.
Frequently asked questions
Are beeswax candles better than soy candles?
Not for everyone. Soy usually costs less, is vegan and carries added fragrance well. Beeswax burns more slowly and has a faint natural honey scent.
Why do some people prefer soy candles?
Mostly because soy candles usually cost less, carry added fragrance well and are vegan.
Does beeswax affect how a candle smells?
It can. Beeswax has a faint natural honey scent of its own, and pure beeswax holds less added fragrance than soy. Blending it with coconut oil helps it carry fragrance.
Why would someone choose Sweetwick instead of a soy candle?
Sweetwick suits you if you want a beeswax-based candle with a wooden wick and phthalate-free fragrance, in one 6 oz format. If you need a vegan candle, soy is the better fit.
Are Sweetwick candles vegan?
No. They contain beeswax.
What size are Sweetwick candles, and how long do they burn?
Every candle is a 6 oz jar with a tested burn time of 40–50 hours.
Keep reading
- How to choose the best beeswax candle
- Every ingredient in a Sweetwick candle
- Why our wooden wick is soaked in avocado oil
- Wooden wick vs. cotton wick candles
- Candle care: first burn, trimming and tunneling
- Sweetwick FAQ
If you're shopping for the season, the Fall Collection includes Pumpkin Spice, Hot Apple Pie, Vanilla Maple Pecan, Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut, Cranberry Marmalade and Forest Pine. Shop the fall collection
Written by the Sweetwick team. We hand-pour small-batch beeswax and coconut oil candles with wooden wicks in Cleveland, Ohio. Read our story. Last updated October 7, 2026.