Holiday Pine, Warm Vanilla, and Caramel Latte were my favorite, and now I will finally admit it… I am a recovering candle junkie! Ihad an entire armoire Filledwith every accent know to humankind. Especially all the "fall" smells. They smelled like delicious treats and made me hungry just burning them in my home… and I always had them burning in my rooms!

Well, it turns out that those candles might not be all that therapeutic and delicious after all. They are toxic candles! They actually fill your room with chemicals while they are emitting their delicious fragrances! Say whaaat? Don’t worry, you do not have to give up heavenly aromas in your house, you just have to be smart about what you use to create those scents. I will tell you all about it and offer you some awesome alternatives…

First, lets talk about what exactly is in those candles anyway! 

Researchers have shown some scented candles produce smoke laced with almost as many toxins as those produced by cigarettes. Candle emmissions have been compared to diesel fumes and second hand cigarette smoke!

LEAD: Lead can cause a whole host of negative health effects. Exposure to lead can cause an increase in blood pressure, an increased chance of having a heart attack or stroke, decrease in brain function, a decrease in kidney function (making it hard to get rid of toxic waste products through your urine!), it can harm the physical and mental development of your baby before it’s born and increase chances of having a miscarriage (raise your hand if you relaxed in the tub with a candle burning while you were pregnant. I did!). They took lead out of paint, now why is it still in our candles?

According to a recent study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 40 percent of candles on the market contain lead wires inside their wicks. Most often, the candles with lead wicks are scented candles. Fragrance oils soften the wax, so the manufacturers use lead to make the wicks firmer. A candle with a lead-core wick releases five times the amount of lead considered hazardous for children and exceeds EPA pollution standards for outdoor air, says the CPSC. Exposure to high amounts of lead has been linked to hormone disruption, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and numerous health problems. (source)

PARAFFIN: Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct. Think, industrial waste. When it is heated it gives off a carcinogenic soot into the air. This soot is very irritating to our respiratory system and can aggravate a whole host of lung issues. If you or your kids have asthma, you do not want to be burning candles that contain paraffin! The soot can also accumulate in your house, appliances, and ductwork!

In addition to lead and paraffin, candles can also cause low dose, long term exposures to the following:

  • Acetone: Known human respiratory irritant toxicant
  • Benzene: Human development toxicant, human reproductive toxicant (candles off-gas Benzene without even being lit!)
  • 2-Butanone: Known human respiratory toxicant
  • Cresol: Human skin toxicant or allergen
  • Chlorobenzene: Human Sensitizer toxicant or allergen
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Cyclopentene
  • Ethylbenzene
  • Mercury
  • Phenol: This one is really toxic, click the link to read about it
  • Styrene: This one is also really toxic, click link to read about it
  • Tetrachloroethene
  • Toluene: Persistent or bioaccumulative and moderate to high toxicity concern in humans
  • Trichloroethene
  • Trichloorfluromethane
  • Xylene

FRAGRANCE:

Fragrance intensity has been proven to have an enormous influence at point-of-sale for consumers, as a result candle manufacturers are dumping increasing amounts of fragranced oils into their wax mixtures – some of these oils are not even suitable for combustion. Candle manufacturers are not compelled to list or disclose hazardous, toxic or carcinogenic compounds used as ingredients in their products and even more astounding – some will claim they don’t know what compounds are in their product.   A spokeswoman for the Federal Trade Commission said there are no restrictions or regulations governing the makers of aromatic candles.

According to the FTC & the CPSC there are absolutely no regulations or standards pertaining to candle manufacturing, and  candle makers are accountable to no one, including the consumer.

My personal FAVORITE alternative to candles has become my diffusers. I really love them for a number of reasons:

  • I can change the scent at any time
  • I can change the aroma based on my mood and even achieve therapeutic benefits from the our many different oils
  • When diffusing oils, you are also adding humidity to the air because they are diffused in water vapor. So it’s great to have the diffuser running in the cold winter months when the air is dry. Mine runs from morning til night all winter long!
  • They are completely safe for kids and pets. No flame, means no fire hazard! If the diffuser gets knocked over, it turns off. When the water runs out, it automatically shuts off. 

So, now is the fun part…I know how you can get the best bang for your buck if you want to get a diffuser. Click on the Get Started link under menu, set up your account  (no, there is not a monthly fee…ever!) and order the Premium Starter Kit, you will get 12 everyday essential oils, plus samples, plus a diffuser! It’s a super great deal! 

Be sure to connect with me so I can send you some reference materials and add you to our educational Facebook group. 

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