How to choose Healthy Candles for your home

Not all candles are bad. Some can even have aromatherapy benefits. When shopping for candles it's important to know what to look for. There are 3 components to every candle, the wax, the aroma, and the wick. The main issue with conventional candles is that they can contain toxins in any or all 3. In this post, we will discuss the components that make up a candle and what makes them good or bad. 

THE WAX

• The most commonly used wax for candle making is paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is a petroleum by product which when burned produces carcinogens, like toluene and benzene which are linked to asthma and lung cancer. Scary!
• Beware of blends that don’t list ingredients. These could be mixed with paraffin or palm oil.

• 100% Soy wax or 100% beeswax candles are perfectly safe options.
• If you choose a coconut wax blend make sure it clearly states coconut wax & beeswax blend or coconut wax & soy blend.

THE AROMA

• Fragrances are a combination of chemicals that can contain hidden toxins themselves or even hide toxins like ethanol and formaldehyde which are linked to depression, anxiety, hormonal disruption, allergies and other health concerns. 
• Fragrances are linked with animal testing.

Healthy options to look for instead:

• If you are purchasing a fragranced candle make sure the fragrance is phthalate free and cruelty free.
• To be extra safe, look for fragrance free candles made with essential oils. Essential oils are derived from plants and contain aromatherapy benefits.

THE WICK

• Lead is the worst thing you could find in a wick. Luckily lead was banned in the sale of candles in the USA in 2003 so if your candle was hand poured in the USA after 2003 there should be no lead in it.
• Some companies still use other metals in their wicks which also give off toxic fumes when lit. (They use metal to help the wick stand tall which makes for quicker assembly lines).

• Metal and lead free 100% COTTON, WOOD, or HEMP wicks are all perfectly safe.
• To ensure it's lead free look for made or hand poured in the USA.
• At VitaVibe, we use hemp wicks because hemp uses less water than cotton which makes them the more sustainable option + we find they burn best.

Whether you want to make, gift, or buy candles for yourself, we hope this helps you find the right candles that keep your home hygge, cozy, and safe.

  Thankfully you can now find many healthy candle options including VitaVibe candles available in 2 different therapeutic aromas:

Eucalyptus Shower & Luminary Bouquet