Killing Me Softly… with Candles

Scented candles, ah, the scent, the glowing light, the ambiance, the relaxation… and that’s me slowly being poisoned. Yes, most scented candles are poisonous; sad, but true. I was sad to learn this. I used to love scented candles. They can create such a wonderful relaxing mood and make a room smell so lovely.

And there are so many wonderful ways to decorate your home with them, so may different colors and even shapes. It can be difficult to think about giving them up. But there are some alternatives to scented candles. It can be a little more expensive in the beginning, but perhaps worth it in the end.

Poisonous?

Candles, unscented, and scented, can have horrible side effects. So, why exactly are candles harmful? What is this poison? First, most candles contain something called paraffin wax, or paraffin oil. This substance is derived from petroleum and is used for all sorts of products, fuel, medicines, skincare, cosmetics, and adhesives. This stuff begins as a grey-black color and is then bleached with 100% strength bleach to make it appear white (for reference the bleach used for cleaning and laundry is 10%). This fills the wax with dioxins, which are poisonous, and then more chemicals are added to make it solid.

And as if that wasn’t enough, yet more chemicals are added, (one of them is formaldehyde). These chemicals produce toluene and benzene when they are burned, which are poisonous as well. Then of course synthetic dyes for pretty colors are added, and synthetic fragrances for that lovely smell. What happens if you inhale these chemicals, synthetic dyes, and fragrances? These are a few potential side effects of inhaling these chemicals: allergies may worsen, lack of concentration, fogginess of the brain, headaches, irritability, difficulty breathing, cancer, central nervous system damage, and more.

It might sound a bit harsh, saying that scented candles are poisonous. Perhaps you’ve used scented candles for many, many years and never experienced any problems. To be sure, everyone is different and will experience different problems at different times. Some people do not burn candles as much as others, some may not feel the effects as strongly, or even notice them at all. But they are there. Finding alternatives can be beneficial, especially since those alternatives have so many benefits that far outweigh the bad.

The Wick

Besides the wax, the wick of the candle is often another culprit. Most wicks contain lead and release a dangerous amount of it into the air for us to inhale. Lead is highly poisonous. Wrapped in a deceptive envelope of cotton these lead wicks can be hidden from sight and seem harmless. It is impossible to tell a lead core from the other types, zinc and tin. You can only discover this if the product label informs you and most often the lead wick candles do not have that written in the ingredients list. The best candle to get is one with either a cotton wick wrapped around a paper center, or else a braided cotton wick. My thought is: if I can’t discover what kind of wick, best to not purchase. The safe wicks will most likely be clearly advertised as those manufacturers often understand the importance of such a wick.

Soy Candles

There are several candles types that people may claim are natural and safe alternatives to paraffin wax candles. Sadly, I believe that many of these are still not safe. Soy candles are an option that are touted as good choices for safe candles; of this, I am uncertain.

Soy may be a “natural” ingredient to begin with, but soy wax is often bleached with chlorine, and treated with hexane. And most candles that are “soy candles” are actually a blend of paraffin wax and soy. But soy is natural, it should be safe… I'm not so sure. Just because something is natural does not mean it is safe, and then even if it is good for one person it may not be for another. Soy though, I personally do try to avoid, unless of course it can be sourced from an Asian country and combined with some seaweed, even then I would suggest not having it on a regular basis.

Soy in Asian countries is generally not grown the same as in America, and seaweed counteracts many of the bad effects of soy. In America, however, soy is a usually a GMO crop, and also sprayed with pesticides. The candle wax that is used in soy candles purchased in America is exclusively produced in the same country and is sprayed with insecticides and pesticides. Substances which a plant is sprayed with while it is growing can potentially be absorbed into the plant, and then can possibly be absorbed into the body if it is ingested, touched, or inhaled. Soy is also the cause of many hormonal issues in both men and women.

More research would have to be done to understand if inhaling the fumes of a soy candle would be the same as ingesting or using soy topically. I am not yet certain in this area, but I choose to avoid it as much as I can in the meantime. Ingesting it, and using it topically can cause reproductive issues, hormonal imbalances, which can cause extreme pain during a woman’s menstrual cycle, a testosterone imbalance in men, infertility, and on and on. And so, even though soy is a “natural” product I choose to avoid eating, inhaling, and using it topically. In addition Soy, even “100% Soy” candle wax is usually processed with paraffin which releases carcinogens.

What Are The True, Non-Toxic Alternatives?

You may be wondering, is there anything at all I can use? Will I ever be able to use scented candles again without the negative side effects? Scented candles, probably not. But safe, unscented candles are a possibility. Candles made from beeswax are safe to inhale. I prefer to make sure that they are made from organic, filtered beeswax. I don’t always insist upon organic ingredients, but I do believe that where honey and beeswax are concerned it is very important. Some candle makers who use beeswax often like to mix it with a carrier oil, which I believe is perfectly fine if it is something like coconut oil, but I like to make certain it is not soy, vegetable shortening, or paraffin wax.

Beeswax has many wonderful qualities. Some evidence shows that beeswax candles produce Negative ions, which are excellent. Positive ions are found in dust and pollen, those culprits that cause allergies and other issues. So beeswax candles suck those nasties into a "vacuum" as they burn, or else help them fall to the ground where you can use an actual vacuum cleaner to dispose of them. Many air purifiers use this same system.

Beeswax candles do run quite a bit higher in cost than regular candles, but apart from the health benefits, one thing to keep in mind is that beeswax candles are slow burning and will actually last longer than regular candles. I like to burn a blend (beeswax+coconut oil), instead of only beeswax because the 100% beeswax candles tend to burn very hot.

You can purchase beeswax candles from a Health Food Store, or online, there are many options available. Or you can make your own candles, if you are so inclined. It is time consuming, and you have to use a LOT of beeswax, and the result is a pretty small candle. But it offers such a beautiful glowing flame and a faint, sweet honey scent.

Essential Oils

Aromatherapy candles are another alternative touted as “safe”. Essential oils are added to these candles, but when essential oils are exposed to a flame, or extreme heat, not only do they lose all the beneficial properties, they also become toxic.

While these same essential oils can potentially be beneficial for inhaling via a steam diffuser, or nebulizer, when they are burned in a candle not only do their healing qualities become null and void, but they are transformed into toxins including benzene, toluene, and acetone. And, as mentioned above, both benzene and toluene are also found in paraffin, so with essential oils in candles there can possibly be double the amount of harmful ingredients. One can lead to Cancer, the other can cause damage to the Central Nervous System. All those toxins can either be inhaled, or else can land on your electrical switches, ceiling fans, and all sorts of places, like the walls. Ever noticed that gummy, sooty grey stuff that’s so hard to clean? Not only is it unappealing, it is poisonous.

So, sadly, safe candles must be unscented. However, there is something else that may be done and the benefits are numerous. An aroma diffuser, though expensive at first purchase, may be a wonderful investment. It will puff out the scent of your choosing and essential oils each have their own individual qualities. (Please note that I strongly encourage caution when using essential oils, these are extremely concentrated substances and can interact with different medications, and are not appropriate for all ages, or species, please do your research, and talk to a licensed Essential Oils Coach if you can).

A diffuser can be $30 and up, and essential oils can be expensive, but my thinking was that if I calculate money saved on things like air fresheners, candles, and even medicines for headaches and allergies, and doctor bills for the effects of inhaling toxins, it might even out.

To Sum-Up

I'm afraid this is all a bit expensive at the start, switching to something new often is, but I personally try to view it as an investment and think about the cost, both monetarily and emotionally of trying to remedy the damage done by harmful substances. It is an invisible harm, but it occurs, silent and sure.

Sadly, even wickless candles have the same effects. Just be sure to check the labels, look for words like: paraffin, soy, lead, metal, emulsifying wax and vegetable oil/wax. If a candle doesn’t have the ingredients written on the label, I don’t buy it. I opt for beeswax candles, or beeswax/coconut oil candles, with cotton wicks.

I believe that the benefits far outweigh the health risks. I think it can be easy to discount the invisible and quiet culprits that find their way into our lives and create mayhem because they don’t cause immediate, or great pain, all at once. They will act quietly and over time they will build up, and perhaps one day explode. Sounds dramatic I know, but I believe that it’s the normal, everyday things that we do, things we take for granted, that can help to make life even harder than it already is. Scented candles are beautiful, and they are easy to use, they can be inexpensive, and there are so many reasons to use them, but so many side effects may occur as a result. I would like to encourage you to give them up, and maybe give that diffuser and those beeswax candles a try.

* This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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