A Guide to Nontoxic, Natural, and Organic Candles
When I imagine the coziest of days in my home, chances are, a candle is burning somewhere nearby. It doesn’t matter if I’m painting, reading a good book, or even washing dishes- candles with a lovely scents can significantly enhance my experience. I consider myself to be a bit of a candle enthusiast, and always have been.
In times past, I’ve shopped for all kinds of candles from big box stores. I never thought twice about the type of candle they were just as long as they smelled great. As it turns out, what you don’t know can in fact hurt you, and that rings true for the candle industry as well.
Since becoming a mom, I’ve paid a lot more attention to harmful chemicals and toxic ingredients in my environment. Am I the person that has eaten McDonalds in my lifetime? Sure. Would I give that to my toddler? Probably not. Have I burned a Yankee Candle in my house before? Absolutely. Do I feel good about burning candles that release toxic chemicals into the air that my precious child breathes? Absolutely not.
If you have never thought about the potentially harmful toxins in candles or are worried candles aren’t safe to burn, don’t worry! There are candles that are safe to burn in your living space and around the ones you love. In this ultimate guide to nontoxic candles, I will help you know what to look for when choosing your home fragrances. It all boils down to three elements: the type of wax, the type of fragrance or essential oils used, and the candle wicks.
Nontoxic Candle Waxes: Choosing a Natural Wax
When you think of conventional candles, you probably think of the candles that are widely available in major stores like Bath & Body Works, Target, and even Anthropologie. While most of these candles smell admittedly wonderful, they are not the safest choice to burn in your home. The price range may vary, but most of these traditional candles are made with paraffin wax.
You may be thinking, does the type of candle wax really matter? A candle is a candle, right? Well, the short answer is yes. The type of candle wax absolutely matters to your health. Paraffin wax has actually been shown to jeopardize the air quality in your home and potentially contribute to indoor air pollution! That is nothing to sneeze at (or maybe it is)!
Paraffin wax is actually made from petroleum. The smoke from paraffin wax releases carcinogens into the air as well as soot. Carcinogens are substances that can be potentially cancer causing. Knowing this, I no longer felt right about burning paraffin candles around my loved ones.
A much better choice to make when choosing candles is to buy candles made from natural waxes. What are natural waxes? Candles made from natural waxes are beeswax candles, soy candles, and coconut wax candles. Burning candles made from any of these waxes is a great step in the right direction. There are benefits to each type of candle wax as well.
Beeswax candles are as natural as candle waxes can come. This wax,of course, comes from honey bees! It contains no harmful pollutants or carcinogens unlike paraffin wax. When you burn beeswax candles, they are also actually known to help reduce potential pollutants in the air! Beeswax also has a natural, lightly floral scent so even unscented candles smell pleasant.
Natural soy wax candles are also a wonderful choice. Soy wax does not contain carcinogens and actually burns slower, and therefore longer than paraffin wax does. Soy wax burns clean and is less likely to trigger allergies. This type of vegetable wax also is biodegradable and easy to clean up after.
Coconut wax candles are also a great, nontoxic choice. While soy wax is a much better choice than paraffin, it can still emit very small amounts of soot into the air. Coconut wax does not produce any soot making it an extremely clean burning wax. Coconut wax candles can produce an excellent scent throw (or hold strong candle fragrances) as well. A blend of these natural wax types is common as well. The blends are just as safe as the stand alone waxes.
Choose Nontoxic Fragrance Oils and Essential Oils
We know that wax can make a huge difference in the toxin load of your candles, but wax isn’t the only factor to consider when choosing safe, clean burning candles. Most of us, when we burn candles, gravitate towards candles that are scented. There is nothing that boosts ambience and coziness in the home more than a fresh or delicious smelling candle. Imagine reading a book with a roasted coffee candle burning nearby. Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it?
There is far more to what makes up a candle scent than simply the fragrance notes. There are different types of candle fragrances that can either create a clean candle or one full of parabens and other hazardous compounds. Most candles are made using either fragrance oils or essential oils. While these two components are used for the same thing, they are far from identical.
Essential Oils in Candle Making
Essential oils are scents that have been extracted from various parts of different plants. They are natural in origin, and for the most part, create toxin free, natural scents. Essential oils like lavender, mint, and even wildflower citrus can make great eco-friendly candles. Essential oils contain no synthetic ingredients. In fact, essential oils are used for many body and bath products as well as candles because they are typically very safe for human use! So, if all natural, organic scents are important to you, shop for candles fragranced with essential oils. You should be able to find this information easily from the candle manufacturer.
Fragrance Oils: Toxic or Nontoxic?
Fragrance oils, unlike essential oils are not a completely natural substance. They are made using essential oils and synthetic fragrance. Fragrance oils were created solely for the purple of candle making and help create those strongly scented candles that I adore.
Fragrance oils are synthetic, but does that mean that candles made with fragrance oils are all toxic? The short answer is no! Fragrance oils are not all created equally. There are plenty of toxic fragrance oils out there that contain harmful toxins like parabens and phlalates. However, there are quite a few fragrance oil manufacturers that pride themselves on creating oils and scents that are free of these chemicals.
Pay careful attention to candle labeling when choosing a candle made with fragrance oils instead of essential oils. If candle makers use toxin free ingredients, they are usually proud to advertise that on their packaging or in their brand information! I make nontoxic candles in my pottery and proudly tell my customers that they are toxin free!
Choosing Candle Wicks
Candle waxes and the type of fragrance may be the primary determinants of whether or not a candle is full of toxins. Did you know that even the wick can contribute or detract from the safeness of a candle? There are several common types of candle wicks but we will focus on the main three: cotton wicks, wood wicks, and synthetic wicks.
Cotton wicks are precisely what they sound like- candle wicks made from cotton! They are a completely natural choice for a candle wick. You want to go for a 100% unbleached,natural cotton wick. Some cotton wicks have a metal core, but natural cotton wicks do not. Natural cotton wicks are lead free wicks as well. They do not release heavy metals into the air as they burn making them an excellent option to burn in the home.
Wooden wicks are another great option for a clean burning candle. These wicks are slow burning and help your candles last even longer than they would with a cotton wick. They also have that lovely crackle and pop effect when they burn which is so cozy! Because of the way that they burn, they can also intensify the power of the candle fragrance. If you’re like me and love a STRONG candle scent, then the wood sick may be the right choice for you! They are also free of toxins and produce minimal soot.
The main type of wicks that you want to avoid if you are being mindful of toxicity is synthetic wicks. Synthetic wicks are candle wicks made from artificial materials. They are very cost effective for candle makers. However, these wicks are known to cause larger amounts of soot and mushrooming. They also can contain heavy metals in their cores that are harmful to human health. Some of these synthetic wicks are even coated in paraffin wax so you get the toxins from both the wax and the synthetic wicks. Avoid these if you are looking for nontoxic home fragrances.
Nontoxic Wax Melts
If you want to avoid soot or open flames in your home all together, wax melts are an excellent alternative. They are much safer around small children and even pets. Use the same guidelines above when you shop for wax melts. Opt for natural nontoxic wax melts made from natural soy, coconut wax, or beeswax. Look out for synthetic fragrances and instead choose toxin free fragrance oils and essential oils. Stick with these basic rules and you should fare just fine!
I used to burn candles and use any kind of home fragrance with reckless abandon. Those scent plugins (you know the ones), paraffin wax candles, and other synthetic fragrance seemed harmless to me. As I mom I was shocked to find out what was in those products and decided to make the switch to a healthier alternative.
Swap toxic wicks for those made from all natural fibers. Choose nontoxic waxes that come straight from natural ingredients. Opt for pure essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances. You don’t have to compromise on cozy or delicious smelling candles. There are plenty of safe, clean candle companies out there. I’ve even started my own nontoxic candle line that you can shop here. My candles are hand-poured candles, made in small batches. Made with natural wicks, they definitely have cleaner burn!
I hope this guide has helped you become acquainted with the world of non-toxic candles! Wishing you many cozy, candle lit moments without all the toxins!
Blessings,
Samm
