My transformation from someone who could care less to a total nerd about it
Okay yall, lock in because this is one of my FAVORITE things to talk about! In fact, I love so much we made a YouTube video about it! If you want the live version of this blog post, you can watch it here. I am extremely passionate about low-tox candles for a healthier home. I used to not care about that at all, and I’m going to break down how that changed.
Unfortunately, we have to go back to my late teens/early twenties. I didn’t even know what “organic” meant, and I worked at Target, which means I had the employee discount and easy access to their candle aisle. I was borderline addicted to smelling everything there (off the clock, of course) and buying new candles. If I went to other stores with candles, I’d do the same thing. The idea that this habit was detrimental to my health (not just my wallet...) had never crossed my mind. I just love yummy scents and the calming ritual of burning a candle.
Around this time, I started to hop on health trends in personal care just because they sounded better, not because I understood them. I’d sometimes pick products with labels that said paraben- or sulfate-free only because I figured there was something I was missing. At the time, I never actually researched what these things were or why it was important to avoid them. Part of me is ashamed of this, looking back with the knowledge I have now; I just assumed that if a product was on a shelf for sale, it had been proven to be safe. WRONG.
It’s About to Get Scary!
Eventually, I got this job and met Steph. She opened my eyes to so many things (and still does), but one of my biggest lessons from her was that the products I used affected my health far more than I thought. Another big lesson was that we can’t trust companies just because the FDA said so. I knew my skin was sensitive to fragrance and was careful about not putting it on my face. I never thought twice about what inhaling fragrance meant for the rest of my body, so I obviously did not care about buying low-tox candles...
Bad news: MOST CANDLES ARE TOXIC! Say it with me: T-O-X-I-C.
Fragrance oils are artificial, meaning they are concocted in a lab using chemicals that are not naturally occurring. Two categories of these are parabens and phthalates, which are also known as forever chemicals. They might not necessarily be in your system for the rest of your life, but it can take many years for your body to process them. We’ll get into how bad that is in just a moment.
Another fun fact is that the FDA doesn’t require companies to disclose their fragrances’ ingredients. If you look at most personal care ingredient lists, you will simply see the word “fragrance” or “parfum.” You probably couldn’t get a fragrance’s ingredients by asking, either. They’ll probably say they're protecting their proprietary blend, but the truth is much scarier than even they may realize.
What is Toxic Load?
The truth behind keeping those fragrance ingredients secret is that the list would just go on and on. There could be hundreds of chemicals making up a fragrance. Just looking at that list would throw up a red flag. Here’s what it really means: your body has to receive and manage each individual chemical. If you use a candle, room spray, wax melter, and a plug-in diffuser, all with fragrance, you’re looking at thousands and thousands of chemicals that your body has to deal with.
“Toxic Load” refers to the amount of harmful compounds your body receives that it can’t manage. Remember when I mentioned parabens and phthalates, those forever chemicals? Chronic exposure to these harmful chemicals means they accumulate inside our bodies faster than they can be detoxed out.
We now know they cause major issues, largely for your endocrine (hormone) system. This complex and delicate system regulates growth and development, metabolism, mood, sleep, and much more. According to The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, peer-reviewed scientific studies show that chronic forever chemical exposure can cause decreased fertility, increased high blood pressure in pregnant women, developmental effects or delays in children, increased risk of cancer, weakened immune system, and increased cholesterol levels. Whoa.
Paraffin vs. Soy Wax
Another major contributing factor to the toxicity of candles is the wax with which they are made! Most candles on the market are made with paraffin wax due to its low price point and effective burn. Paraffin is artificial, therefore cheaper. However, studies now show that paraffin may release a known carcinogen; aka, paraffin wax can cause cancer. GROSS. That’s a pretty big reason why you should choose low-tox candles for your home.
One great natural, nontoxic option is soy wax! Soy wax comes directly from soy beans and does not contain any harmful chemicals. Candles made with soy wax are much better for your health and for the environment. All of Dandle’s candles are made with pure soy wax!
Are Any Scents Safe?
Good news: you can still have yummy smells without those nasty side effects! Essential oils are natural, and the only ingredient is the plant from which they are derived. Switching from fragrance oils to essential oils dwindles your toxic load way, way down! Also, essential oils don’t just bypass nasty side effects; they actually provide health benefits. Why would you place such great risk on your health for a candle when there are amazing scents that can boost your health? Swapping to low-tox candles for a healthier home is much easier than you think and is so worth it.
The hardest part about switching to safe candles is that they’re hard to find! Many companies greenwash their candles when they are still just as bad for you. This is largely because making candles with essential oils is hard, yall! I make our candles and let me tell you, making candles with fragrance oil is a science, but it’s still a breeze compared to using essential oils. I won’t get into the specifics here, so reach out if you want to listen to me geek some more. J
ust know that we work hard to make candles that are both safe and enjoyable. I would rather do what is right than what is easy (another lesson that Steph embodies so well).
Low-Tox Candles Will Win You Over!
Switching to low-tox candles for a healthier home is both rewarding and super fun! Even if you’re a teakwood or coffee candle addict like I was, I am proof that our candles will win you over. Not only can I rest knowing I’m not poisoning myself, but I also truly love the scents we’ve formulated just with essential oils. Also, the more candles you guys buy, the more scents we can experiment with... so hop to it please! Mixing new blends is my favorite thing to do!
If you haven’t caught it already, I love to talk about candles, essential oils, and aromatherapy in general. You’re always welcome to come into the store to ask more questions, smell these blends for yourself, and maybe get yourself a new candle! If you want to check out our candles online, just click here! All of us at Dandle would be more than happy to help you on your journey to a healthier, low-tox life. What are you waiting for?