Candles are mainly used in religious ceremonies such as in churches and temples. They are also widely used for decorative purposes in restaurants, festivities and even in wood-warmers in restaurants. Traditionally, beeswax and solid fats were used. However, the use of solid fats in candles was always objectionable because pyrolysis of these materials produced small quantities of acrolein, a pungent smelling and eye-watering component which gave an undesirable odour to the burninng operation. The restriction of beeswax was mainly due to its high price. Later, with the increase in petroleum production and refining, a paraffin wax, a by-product of the refining became the most important of all waxes used in candle making primarily because of its lower price. Howver, it is predicted that its price will definitely increase in the near future since petroleum is depleting source. 

Main Research: T L Ooi