Pucker Up: The Nostalgic History of a Wax Novelty

If there was ever a novelty candy that came about in an unexpected manner, it would be wax lips. These novelty treats, which were at the height of popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, actually date back much further. Believe it or not, Wack-O-Wax lips, a brand now owned by Tootsie Roll, have a history rooted in the emergence of the oil industry in the late 1800s. As kerosene took over the lighting of homes at a cheaper cost than tallow candles, the byproduct of kerosene distillation, paraffin, became a much more affordable alternative for making candles. Other uses soon developed as well, including the invention of Crayola crayons in 1903, and for waxing phonographs. It was a confectioner in Buffalo, N.Y., who first invented wax candy novelties with the development of a food-grade paraffin that could be chewed. The first versions of these penny novelties were marketed as chewing gum treats for children and were a product made by the J.W. Glenn Co. way back in the 1920s, historians report. However, the rights to production changed hands several times along its historic path. W&F Manufacturing Co. was purchased by Franklin C. Gurley Sr. in 1927, and Glenn Confections became its wax candy division. You may recognize the Gurley name as the maker of the tavern candles in Christmas shapes that remain popular collector's items to this day as W&F also started to produce novelty candles for Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. in 1939. Wax candy items produced by Glenn Confections also included wax horse teeth, as well as fangs and Nik-L-Nips, which were small wax soda bottles filled with sweet colored syrups. According to experts, the manufacturing company produced about 30 million novelty wax candies annually during its peak years. However, trouble was around the corner in the coming decades. The price of paraffin skyrocketed during the 1982 oil shortage, and W&F's candles struggled against import competition. It held on until 1994 and then shuttered, selling off its hardware, like the Glenn Confections wax molds. The owner of Challenger Candy Co. in Secor, Illinois, Ben Shepherd, purchased Glenn Confections' wax candy equipment and relocated it to Secor. Challenger was known for its bagged cotton candy at the time. Bankruptcy also struck Challenger, though, and the equipment then moved on to the American Candy Co. in Selma, Ala., until it also went belly up in 2002. Were things going to completely melt away for the wax novelties? Not so fast. Thankfully, a Canadian company, Concord Confections of Ontario, purchased the division of wax candies for $3 million and moved it across the border. Ironically, production was now located across the river from the plant in Buffalo where it had first originated. Concord Confections continues to produce the lips to his day as an arm of Tootsie Roll Industries, a large candy maker. Tootsie Roll produces the Wack-O-Wax Lips, Wack-O-Wax Fangs, Wack-O-Wax Mustaches and the Nik-L-Nips. The lips are marketed on Tootsie Roll's website (tootsie.com) as "these fun, edible wax treats are a hit at parties, holiday gatherings or just when you're goofing around with friends" and the "ultimate 'play now, chew later' treat." Although red cherry remains the most popular flavor, they are sold in a variety of colors and flavors including lemon, blueberry, orange, lime and grape in quantities of one, six or 48. While this longstanding novelty item may not be tippy top on every Valentine's Day shopping list, it certainly has a sweetheart of a history with the public and lends itself well to the gift of a loving holiday kiss.