Who doesn't love a good candle to burn - most of my rooms have at least one. I love the ambiance of a flickering flame & the relaxing, cozy vibe they bring, especially as we welcome Fall.
When I started questioning the products I used on my body, I delved deep into research that spanned of all areas of my home as well. The more I researched, it was crazy to me that we actually need to question almost everything in our homes! Candles came up as a high potential for toxicity, many are linked to chemical additives, carcinogens & phythalates (endocrine disruptors - our endocrine system is a very delicate system that is responsible for regulating our hormones).
What to watch out for when choosing your next candle:
- Avoid Paraffin wax - it is a petroleum byproduct (the sludge at the bottom of an oil barrel - also used in many body care products - check your labels!). It's usually bleached and firmed up with another chemical called Acrolein. Paraffin is super cheap to produce (hence why most candles made from it are much cheaper to buy.)
- Avoid Synthetic Fragrance oils (Fragrance is a whole topic on its own - unregulated (aka no transparency to the consumer on what exactly is in it and can be laced with a long list of endocrine disrupting chemicals).
These two things combined - you light it up and risk exposing yourself to that black soot which could contain up to 11 known toxins - benzene, lead, acetone, etc). Note that if it doesn't state which wax, you can safely assume it's paraffin!
GOOD NEWS - there are SO many cleaner burning options available now!
Cleaner candle alternatives:
- 100% Soy, Coconut or Beeswax (not blended)
- Cotton or wood wicks
- Essential oil scented
I recently was gifted these beautiful soy candles from Connection Candle Co. and was inspired to write this post because it's just one of those things I certainly never thought about before I started this journey. Mindful choices can make all the difference to our overall health. You should check her out - local to the Fraser Valley, Clean burning & Female Owned Shop!! She also generously offered a discount code for 20% off your first order - NAMASTAY20