What is "Frosting"? The sign of natural wax in candles

You have just received your order. You unbox a beautiful new scent, lift the lid, and notice something unexpected.

There are white, snowflake-like patterns along the side of the glass or on the top of the wax.

You might find yourself wondering, what is frosting and is my candle ruined?

First of all, don’t panic!

Your candle is perfectly fine. In fact, those little white crystals are actually a very good sign.

In the world of artisan home fragrance, we often say that frosting is nature’s way of letting you know you are buying the real deal.

We want to clear up the confusion around this common phenomenon and explain why we embrace the unique look of natural wax.

So, what exactly is frosting?

In technical terms, "frosting" is a unique crystalline structure that forms where the wax tries to return to its natural state.

It looks like dry, white patches or a thin layer of ice crystals on the wax surface.

It is formally known as polymorphism. This sounds scientific, but it simply describes the physical state of the vegetable wax.

Because we use 100% natural wax, it is made up of vegetable oils that can crystallise as they cool.

Over time, or when temperatures fluctuate, these crystals can rise to the surface, creating that frosted, rustic look.

It’s similar to chocolate

Have you ever opened a bar of high-quality dark chocolate and seen a dusty white film on it?

This is called "blooming." It happens when the cocoa butter separates slightly.

Just like with chocolate, candle frosting does not mean the product is old or defective, it just means it is natural.

Why does it happen to some candles and not others?

You might notice that mass-produced candles from big department stores rarely have frosting.

They usually look incredibly smooth and uniform. This is often because they are made using paraffin wax or have additives blended in.

• Paraffin Wax: This is a petroleum by-product. It is very stable and doesn't crystallise in the same way, so it stays smooth.

• Additives: Many manufacturers add chemical stabilisers to their vegetable wax to force it to stay smooth and hide the frosting.

We choose not to use these additives. We believe in keeping our product as natural as possible.

Therefore, if you see frosting on your candle, it is proof that you are burning a natural product without unnecessary additives.

Does frosting affect the burn?

This is the most important question! The short answer is: absolutely not.

Frosting is purely aesthetic. It has zero impact on:

• The scent throw (how strong the candle smells).

• The burn time.

• The safety of the candle.

Your frosted candle will burn just as safely and smell just as delicious as a non-frosted one.

Once you light the wick and the wax begins to melt, the frosting disappears into the melt pool anyway.

Can you prevent it?

As makers, we do our best to minimise frosting by pouring our wax at very specific temperatures and cooling the jars slowly in a temperature-controlled studio.

However, because soy wax is sensitive to temperature changes, frosting can happen even after the candle has left us.

For example, during shipping, a candle might travel from a cold delivery van to your warm house.

This shift in temperature can cause the wax crystals to bloom. Since we can't control the weather (especially here in the UK!), we simply accept that natural wax has a mind of its own.

Why we love the "frosted" look

We have learned to love these little imperfections. To us, they are a badge of honour.

In a world full of synthetic, mass-produced items, there is something special about a product that behaves naturally.

• It’s unique: No two frosting patterns are the same.

• It’s honest: It shows there are no hidden chemicals.

• It’s rustic: It fits perfectly with a natural, cottage-style aesthetic.

We hope this helps answer the question of what is frosting and puts your mind at ease.

If you unwrap a candle and see those white crystals, take it as a guarantee of quality.

It means you have chosen a natural, eco-friendly wax for your home.

So, the next time you see a bit of "snow" on your candle, remember: it’s perfectly imperfect, just as nature intended.

Have you noticed these patterns on your candles before?

We’d love to see your photos! Tag us on social media (@oliandhome) or leave a comment below sharing your experience with natural wax.