This Lehman’s stearic acid is the candle-making additive that distinguishes professional-quality candles from amateur ones. Added in small amounts to melted wax, stearic acid does three things: helps the cooled candle release cleanly from molds (the wax shrinks slightly as it cools, freeing itself from the mold walls), increases the opacity of the finished candle (giving it the solid white or richly-pigmented look rather than translucent), and enhances dye colors so the colors come through brighter and more saturated.
For hand-dipped candles, stearic acid in the dip wax produces firmer, longer-lasting tapers that don’t bend or droop in warm rooms. For molded candles, the easier release from molds means fewer broken candles and cleaner finishes. Most candle recipes call for 10-15% stearic acid by weight in the wax — the 8 oz container is enough for many batches of medium-size candle production.
Bonus: the same stearic acid works in soap making to produce harder bars that last longer in the shower. For households running both candle and soap making, this single ingredient covers both projects. Lehman’s catalog selection for serious candle and soap makers.
