Is Your Candle Telling You Something?
If you are reading this, you probably love candles. I too love candles, the scents that bring me to a place that makes me feel joyful, and the ambiance they bring.
Several years ago, after burning candles regularly, I noticed the black smoke billowing out of my candles, the soot on the jar, and the black soot they eventually left on my ceilings, so this lead me to ask, are all candles created equally? The answer is a definite no. There are so many components that can go into making a candle. What is the wick made of, what kind of wax is it, where did the wax come from, and what could that be doing to the environment, what additives are there, what gives it the color, and what is that indescribable “plastic” scent you find in the background or “after smell” of a cheaper mass-produced candle? If you want to know or have never thought about it before, now is the time and you are reading this for a reason.
Many candles are made with phthalates, paraben, paraffin, chemical stabilizers, colorants, metals, and some even have toxic ingredients in the fragrance themselves. Why is this important? When you light a candle, the ingredients go into the air and therefore, in your home. Because of this, I started looking into what these ingredients are, and here is what I found. Paraffins are an inexpensive hydrocarbon fuel derived from petroleum, a by-product of gasoline production. According to Healthline, research shows that burning Paraffin wax releases VOCs and phthalates into the air. VOCs can cause headaches and shortness of breath and phthalates are a known to disrupt hormones and can increase the risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and even negatively affect fertility. Parabens are chemical preservatives. The concern with Parabens is that they are known as an endocrine disruptor, aka hormone disruptor, that can harm internal organs, and increase the risk of cancer. Colorants are primarily made from Anilines. According to the EPA, aniline is a probable human carcinogen, and the CDC says it can contribute to systemic toxicity with prolonged exposure. Chemical stabilizers and UV protectants are primarily made from benzophenone and benzotriazole derivatives. Benzophenone is on the California EPA’s Proposition 65 list as a possible human carcinogen and hormone disruptor. Benzotriazole may be harmful if inhaled and, according to Environmental Science & Technology, studies have shown increased risks of cancers. While lead wicks were banned in the USA in 2003 some imported candles may not comply and may still contain lead. Currently most metal-core wicks are made of Zinc, which, if inhaled over long periods of time can still be harmful. Lastly, some low-quality fragrance oils can contain phthalates and other harmful chemicals that are known carcinogens, so using a high-quality fragrance oil that has no phthalates and pass California Proposition 65 is imperative when burning a candle.
The intention is not to scare you, but to make you aware of what you may be unintentionally burning in your home. It is important to consider the quality of ingredients in anything you ingest, wear, or breathe in. If your candle is burning black smoke, has colorants, doesn’t describe the origin of the wax, or has a strange plastic/chemical “after smell”, even though you are not burning it past the bottom ½ inch and have trimmed your wick, I would ask myself, why? Is that something I want to burn in my home? Your candle may be telling you something, but we are so used to it that at some point we stopped questioning. So next time you light your candle, ask yourself: What is your candle telling you?
I believe everyone should be able to enjoy the tranquility of a well made candle, so I created my patented candles for your well-being, your home, and the Earth. Find out more about our high-quality candles on our website healinglightsoycandles.com, and how our “Original Sensory Journey” can help you find some peace through combining relaxation techniques, hz music, gemstones, and aromatherapy. We appreciate you and want you to embrace the candle, not the chemicals. Find yours at www.healinglightsoycandles.com.
