It’s that time of year when we want that cozy candle glow and our houses smelling of the nostalgic scents. While you may have learned that fragrance in most products is far from pure and natural, we can absolutely find great swaps for all of our past go-to’s. While I’m featuring holiday scented clean non-toxic candles + essential oils today, all of the below brands offer scents for all year long.
What To Look For When Choosing A Clean Non-Toxic Candle
What’s allowed behind the word “fragrance” in products is scary. It’s far from pure and natural. With the word fragrance, I’m not talking pure essential oils or products with pure essential oils in them, but rather everything else.
When looking for candles, look for beeswax and/or coconut wax candles. Pass on the soy candles, natural “blends” (this generally means that there is paraffin wax hidden within), and “natural scents”. If it’s made with quality pure essential oils, that company is not going to write something like “natural scents” or similar on their packaging. Natural essential oils yes, but not fragrance or scents. They will make it known that their product is made with pure natural essential oils. USUALLY. There are always some exceptions.
In the end, wording can be tricky, but if it’s not clear on how it’s made, pass on it. Look at the ingredients as you do with your food.
Personal Disclaimer
I was a candle junkie for years and was always burning candles. I then had a fire in my home, resulting from a candle, and I backed off of using them as much…but I still used them.
Now that I have learned how toxic most candles are, and am super sensitive to both the carcinogenic soot they give off and their toxic fragrance, I of course stopped using what I had been. Instead, I now use battery operated candles along with beeswax or coconut wax candles.
I will also dip the wick in the pool of wax to distinguish the flame or blow it out outside, in another room, or just open up our balcony doors when I blow it out.
Do Your Best
We will always be exposed to fragrance even if we completely cut it out ourselves. It’s everywhere. It’s in toxic cleaning solutions, in family/friends homes, on other bodies (if they wear conventional perfumes, lotions, hairsprays, etc.). Just do the best you can. Ex) I lift up and breathe into my shirt when I get into my elevator after it was just “cleaned”, I sit away from harmful candles when I can, I leave an area of a store if heavy perfume is lingering, I move over from any friend or family member wearing perfume. ..Discreetly.
If you need to, remove a candle from a room or blow it out when no one is watching. HA. You can also help a friend/family member out by buying them a non-toxic candle. This helps them transition too! Keep in mind that they probably have zero clue how harmful fragrance is, so always be kind about it. Also, some people just don’t care to change.
We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know
And, last but not least, do not feel bad if you have harmful fragrances in your home right now. We don’t know if we don’t know! Just walk over to those air fresheners, toxic candles, and toss them in the garbage along with the Febreze and anything else that’s similar. Your health is worth it.
Shop Better Clean Non-Toxic Candles + Essential Oils
updated 12/25 – just sharing the brands I have reordered from…
Made with both coconut oil and beeswax, pure essential oils, and a lovely wooden wick that gives off a warm glow. They come in many familiar scents and different jars to suit your style.
Plant Therapy Quality And Affordable Essential Oils
If burning candles isn’t your thing or maybe you like to do both like me, you can add pure essential oils to a diffuser. Plant Therapy is my favorite brand for quality essential oils at a super affordable price point. Their glass diffuser gives off the most beautiful glow when it’s on in my living room too – I highly recommend it. While I updated this post quickly, I didn’t update all of the pictures and products are always changing. Just search “holiday” on Plant Therapy and you’ll see what’s current and in stock.
Beeswax Tapers in different colors
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