Are you one that prefers the ambiance of a candle rather than diffusing oil? Us too! However, knowing that there are harmful chemicals in most candles, we stayed away from them for so long -- until we started making our own! We will go through what to watch out for in candles & how to choose a clean one!
1. How to Decode the Wax
Most candles are made from paraffin wax. Petroleum is a very common chemical in paraffin wax - if candles have these you can rule them out right away because the petroleum exhaust can cause lung cancer proven by this study.
You want to look for more natural waxes, such as soy, coconut or beeswax. These are natural waxes and do not have any added chemicals like petroleum. Our candles are made with 100% American Grown Soy. You can ensure you are getting a good petroleum free product with our luxe candle set!
2. How to Decode Fragrance
Did you know that most good smelling candles have fragrance and harmful chemicals in them?
Also, we'd like to say most candles have synthetic fragrance in them. You want to look out for this, because fragrance can have phthalates in them. Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are released into the air when you burn the candle, which you can then inhale or be absorbed through the skin. Phthalates are a family of compounds found in plastic products but also thousands of beauty products ranging from nail polish and candles to vinyl flooring. According to this study done by Harvard, "Numerous studies have found links between personal care product use and concentrations of phthalate metabolites in urine. And phthalates are transferred from mother to fetus during pregnancy." They also said this about phthalates:
"In the last ten years, epidemiologic studies have also shown that prenatal exposure to phthalates affects children’s neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral outcomes. That was the focus of the new paper, which reviewed more than a dozen studies that have shown that maternal exposure to ortho-phthalates during pregnancy can impair child brain development and increase children’s risks for learning, attention, and behavioral disorders."
This is why we think pure essential oils are best for non-toxic candle making. We use 100% pure grade essential oils in all our candles, which throw a less toxic scent than fragrance ;)
3. How to Decode Wicks
In recent years there has been an outrage due to the materials found in wicks. Studies have shown there to be lead in most cotton wicks. This study explains how out of the wicks found with lead, the wicks were 39-74% lead. Thats a high percentage!
This study went on to say:
"Considering that candle sales in the US are estimated at $1-2 billion per year, and that children may spend as much as 88% of their time indoors, it is reasonable to suspect that some blood lead elevation in children arises from indoor micro-environments where lead-wick candles are burned."
It is always best to stay with pure wood wicks like our candles! We enjoy the wood wicks as they crackle as they burn and makes you feel like your at a campfire :)
Check out our candle collection below!
Woodsmoke and Embers Pure Soy Candle
