A lot of brands are here to sell a candle, make money and not really care too much about that product or the effects it can have on people and the planet. It is not a secret that harsh chemicals and substances are being used in candles these days but is it really known what these ingredients can do and the effects if can have on our health?
I am going to breakdown some of the key ingredients to look for, what you need to know and how companies might just be using greenwashing to make you think you are buying a clean candle. Whatever your choice in scent or lifestyle, we believe you deserve the information to be able to make informed choices.
What you need to know
There’s a greenwashing technique a lot of brands are using at the moment and it can be misleading. Calling a candle ‘natural’ or ‘non-toxic’ is a term that doesn’t really mean much or is completely false in some cases. We want to break down the dangers commonly used in todays candles and what to look for when shopping for your new favourite burn.
It goes without saying, WILDRACE’s entire collection is and always will be free from carcinogens, hormone disrupters, paraffin, plastic, parabens and greenwashing. No nasties, no hidden ingredients, just 100% sustainable soy wax, clean oils and great scents.
Non-Toxic Candles
The only non-toxic candles in existence are the unscented ones. Every oil, essential oil or perfumed fragrance oil is ‘toxic’. This is because they are classed as a pollutant - i.e. you cannot pour it into a pond without the risk of killing all the fish. Candle brands claiming to be non-toxic are greenwashing or jumping on a trend to make you think their candles are clean, and simply by making this false claim, I worry what else they could be disguising.
A scented candle cannot be labelled non-toxic but a lot of brands use the term simply because they are using non-toxic wax. This unfortunately doesn’t say anything for the quality of their fragrance, oils or methods. It is a word we find ourselves competing with in advertising strategies and social media posts as without using the word ‘non-toxic’ it seems people assume the candle unsafe, when in reality its just all the brands using it are using it falsely. This is why we as an influential brand feel the need to educate.
We tend to assume that most brands do not use the term maliciously but more because they are not educated on the science and health research of the ingredients they are using. Either way it is negligence, as being a candle seller, you need to know what you are selling and what is in it.
‘You get what you pay for’ - Well actually, not necessarily. We would consider ourselves mid-range but use cleaner and higher quality ingredients than candles that sell at three times the retail price of ours. More money does not mean cleaner or better for you.
What are phthalates?
Phthalates are the real culprits. They are classed as endocrine disrupters which means they can alter hormones and they have also been recently linked to potential bone cancers, increased risk of breast cancer and infertility. Whilst our entire range is and always will be phthalate free, it is a very common ingredient in most high street and even small business candle brands. Phthalates are used to make candles smell stronger which is a desirable effect for most candle makers as they strive to make the strongest smelling candles, but for us - its a big no no.
Carcinogenic and Volatile candles
When looking to avoid carcinogens in candles you must look for a few things.
Avoid parabens. Whilst not commonly used in todays candle making, especially in the UK, they are still about. These have been shown as endocrine disrupters which means they can alter and disrupt hormones therefore causing fertility issues and damage ongoing pregnancies. Parabens have also been linked to potential cancer causing risks such as breast cancer.
Ensure you are buying waxes made with plant materials such as soy, coconut, rapeseed or even beeswax if you aren’t looking for a vegan option. This means 100% non-toxic wax too (yes wax can actually be classed as non-toxic).
A lot of candle makers will claim to use ‘natural wax’ or soy wax but actually what they are hiding is that it is a soy blend, usually with paraffin to help stabilise the burn and make it easier for them to work with. You need to look for 100% soy or 100% coconut etc. This way you can be sure there are no sneaky VOC’s being released into your home.
Paraffin is a type of wax that is made from broken down matter - petroleum, coal, or oil shale. It is a by product created through crude oil refining. Paraffin releases volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and other potentially harmful chemicals like toluene and benzene, which can cause headaches, nausea, and respiratory issues (source). Paraffin can cause or worsen respiratory problems such as asthma and so many people try to avoid this wax where possible.
How to tell if a candle has damaging ingredients
The scary thing is, you can’t always tell. You can ask for recipes and ingredients lists but most candle makers will not want to disclose recipes. Understandably. Our brand has many unique formulas that we have handcrafted and therefore we will not hand these out due to the protection of the time and money spent developing these recipes (all have been through safety tests).
What you can do is ask direct questions like:
‘Is your brand fully phthalate free’
‘Can you pass over your allergen list for ‘xyz’ candle’
‘Do you use 100% Soy or a Soy Blend’
If a candle maker is doing all of these things, you will often find them talking about it like we do. It is not easy to uphold all of these values and especially across and entire range and so you will find we we talk about it loudly and proudly.
So where to go from here
We hope to have opened your eyes to the dangers in the candle world and how to avoid any negative health or environmental effects.
We hope you can find a safe space here, and safe doesn’t mean boring. Did you know we launched the UK’s first croissant candles so if you love a foodie scent try - WILDRACE foodie/bakery candles or if you are more a relaxing spa essential oil fan we have our 100% essential oil range or to just view all and find your new favourite follow this link to SHOP ALL CLEAN CANDLES BY WILDRACE
Enjoy, and welcome to WILDRACE.