The Best Non-Toxic Candles

It’s no secret that I love essential oils + their therapeutic properties but sometimes nothing beats the look + ambiance of a candle. Unfortunately, so many candles on the market are filled with toxins like paraffin wax + synthetic oils that contain parabens + phthalates among other harmful chemicals. So how can you tell if a candle is non-toxic or if you’re falling victim to greenwashing? Three of the biggest things to pay attention to are the type of wax, fragrance source + wick material.

Wax

If a candle doesn’t specify 100% soy wax, beeswax or coconut wax, consider it as blended with paraffin wax. What’s the deal with paraffin? It is a petroleum derived product + a big contributor to indoor air pollution. Paraffin candles are suspected to release harmful combustion byproducts such as toluene + benzene which can lead to lung irritation + are considered carcinogenic. If they have paraffin in it, they are not a non-toxic candles.

Good

Soy wax is one of the most popular types of candles but be sure the label says 100% soy wax + not soy wax blend (there’s that paraffin red flag again!). If the label doesn’t specify, email or message the company + ask if it is 100% soy. Soy wax is soft + easy to work with, making the blending with fragrance much easier making for a good scent throw. Soy wax also provides a relatively nice, even burn.

There is a downside to soy…most soy products, especially in the U.S. are GMO crops + treated with pesticides. Even if the soy is organic or non-GMO there’s a strong possibility that they get combined with other “dirty” soy. So don’t fully trust a label that says 100% organic, non-GMO soy…there’s just no guarantee. While soy might not be on the top of the list for truly non-toxic candles, it is probably the most widely used + still a much better choice than paraffin.

Better/Best

Beeswax is best overall for actually cleaning the air + it also has a long burn time because it is such a hard wax. The drawback is they can get very hot + should not be used in a hurricane vessel. Also, because it is an animal byproduct, it is not an option for those seeking vegan candles. While most are unscented, you can find ones that are scented with 100% essential oils but the throw will be very light due to difficulty with fully blending wax + fragrance.

Coconut wax is something that has been making more of an appearance in traditional + non-toxic candles alike. It is a very soft wax + is often blended with something that is a little heavier, like soy or beeswax. Coconut wax is great at increasing the scent throw of a candles as well as being a sustainable choice compared to soy + beeswax. It also has a slow burn time, which makes coconut + beeswax blends on of the best non-toxic candle choices for long burning candles that also have a good scent throw.

Fragrance Source

Most people think of the wax as the biggest issue but in my opinion the fragrance is more telling of a candle’s toxicity. Truly non-toxic candles will not have any fragrance oils in them, even ones that are touted as paraben or phthalate-free. Yes, parabens + phthalates are considered to be the most dangerous, but because the term “fragrance” can mean any combination of natural or synthetic chemical scents, your “non-toxic” candles could still contain thousands of chemicals from just one fragrance oil…even high quality ones.

The best scented non-toxic candles are ones made with 100% essential oils. NOT essential oils blends. NOT something that says “made with essential oils”. Look for 100% essentials oils on the label or in the ingredients, or simply reach out to the company to clarify.

Why Not Essential Oils?

So why don’t more companies use essential oils? For one, they can generally be more expensive than chemical-filled fragrance scents. Second, only a certain amount can be used because each oil has a different flash point. This means if the candle gets too hot that oil could catch on fire. Don’t worry too much, candle makers have this down to science to prevent it from happening. Since the amount of essential oil that can be used is limited, these candles tend to not be strong smelling. This is great for people who are sensitive to strong scents, not so great if you are a died hard candle lover who relishes in strong scents that can fill a room…or house.

If you really want a strong smelling candle, look for ones that are free of parabens + phthalates. They’re not be my first choice for a non-toxic candle but are still better than the cheap ones. It also couldn’t hurt to open some windows while burning them. Or keep them covered with a glass cloche like this while not in use.

Wicks

I feel like cotton wicks with lead cores was one of the first things to be addressed when the toxicity of candles started to be questioned. While I don’t think cotton/lead wicks are a common practice anymore, it is prudent to make sure the wicks use are 100% cotton. Bonus points for unbleached cotton wicks or better yet, wood wicks.

Final Thoughts + Some Non-Toxic Candle Favorites

There is a lot of greenwashing on the market making it incredibly difficult to determine what is “toxic” or “clean”. So what’s the best method of going about choosing safer products? Do a little bit of research + look for companies that disclose all their ingredients. Just remember, when choosing a non-toxic candle it’s best to look at the whole picture: wax, type of fragrance + wicks.

Here are some of my favorite non-toxic candles grouped by wax + fragrance source…

{This post contains affiliate links which help keep the blog running + may result in a small commission for me but at no extra cost to you. A portion of all affiliate income is donated to a variety of charities. You can read more about our Giving Back mission here}