If you’re burning a candle made with paraffin wax and scented with fragrance oil, you are significantly increasing your exposure to toxic chemicals and dangerously affecting your indoor air quality.
Most people aren't thinking about what is in their candle. Smells great, looks great, great. However, most candles especially those in big box stores and those sold at low cost are mostly made with non-renewable resources that put off dangerous toxins into your environment negatively impacting your indoor air quality.
PARAFFIN WAX IS DANGEROUS.
A lot of candle manufacturers will use a paraffin wax or a paraffin wax blend in their candles. Paraffin wax is a petroleum product, when lit it burns off a toxic chemical called toluene which is a benzene derivative.
If you’ve ever gotten a headache after lighting a paraffin wax candle it may be due the toluene present in the wax. It has also been linked to increased risk of cancer and can cause respiratory depression when inhaled. Excessive exposure to toluene during pregnancy has been linked to developmental retardation, premature delivery, as well as kidney abnormalities.
Benzene is a known carcinogen for humans. It is known to reduce the creation of red blood cells due to damaging of bone marrow. Some symptoms of benzene exposure are headaches, drowsiness and dizziness.
FRAGRANCE OILS ARE TOXIC.
To make matters worse, if it is a scented candle, it is most likely scented using fragrance oil. Fragrance oils are also a petroleum product and most likely will have phthalates in them. Phthalates are a known hormone disruptor. They can either mimic or block female hormones, or suppress the hormones involved in sexual development in males. One of the ways phthalates are released from products is through heat. Therefore, burning a candle made with fragrance oil could significantly increase your risk of exposure to phthalates.
It can be difficult to understand what is in your candle. This is because candle manufacturers are not required to list everything that is in their product. They will instead use marketing techniques to mask some of the ingredients that would deter a buyer. You may see labels that say, “soy wax blend” or “made with essential oils”. However, when you look closer into the ingredients of these products you will most likely see that in the soy wax blend is paraffin wax or that most of the scent is from fragrance oil and only a small portion is essential oils.
HOW TO AVOID TOXIC CANDLES.
To avoid these dangerous chemicals, look for brands that use plant-based wax (soy, palm, coconut, rapeseed) or beeswax. Also, look for brands that scent their candles with either 100% natural fragrance oils or 100% pure essential oils. There are also some fragrance oil products being developed now that are phthalate free.
It is important to know that candles scented with natural fragrance oils or essential oils will not have the same overwhelming scent throw that you will find in the petroleum-based fragrance oil brands. The scent will also be a lot closer to the actual scent of the plant it was derived from.
brn aroma IS 100% PLANT BASED.
brn aroma candles are made with 100% plant products and are free from paraffin wax and petroleum-based fragrance oils. We use 100% soy wax, 100% natural fragrance oil, 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils, and unbleached cotton wicks. You will not find any additives or dyes in our candles.
SOY WAX
Our soy wax candles are made from soybeans, which are readily available, and a sustainable crop grown in the US. They are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. No animals were harmed in the creation of soy wax.
Soy wax candles burn longer and more cleanly than paraffin wax candles. They also have a lower melting point, which means they burn at a cooler temperature and last up to 50% longer than paraffin wax candles. Keep an eye on the estimated burn time of the candles you are purchasing. Our candles will most often burn twice as long as lower cost brands. Soy wax also produces little to no soot, making it a safer and healthier choice for indoor use. We always suggest snuffing your candle rather than blowing it out to reduce smoke or residue. The soy wax candle vessels can easily be cleaned and reused using soap and water. See our article about candle care to learn more.
THERAPEUTIC GRADE ESSENTIAL OILS.
When essential oils are added to soy wax candles there is an added benefit for your health and well-being. Essential oils are natural plant extracts that have been used for centuries for their therapeutic benefits. When burned in a candle, the essential oils are released into the air, providing a natural and pleasant aroma that can help to relax and rejuvenate the mind and body.
CERTIFIED AROMATHERAPISTS.
We are one of the only candle brands that teamed up with certified aromatherapists to develop pure therapeutic grade essential oil blends to put into our candles. Each blend is made specifically for your health and wellbeing.
You can have a clean burning candle experience. You can also have a candle burning experience that goes beyond just smelling great. A candle can leave you with an enhanced emotional state if it has the right blends of therapeutic grade essential oils.