Who doesn’t love candles?

Who doesn’t love candles? The aromas, the ambiance. Whether you’re adding a little mood lighting to a romantic dinner or brightening up your decor, it’s safe to say most everyone loves candles at least a little bit. When I was in college, I loved having candles just about anywhere in the house. When my husband and I first got married we loved having a candle lit dinner. Unfortunately, what I didn’t know at the time was that the majority of candles used are full of toxic and harmful chemicals.

smell tHose toxins

If you’ve been around the holistic world for any length of time you probably already know candles aren’t the best because of the fragrance. If you’re unaware of the toxicity of fragrances, you can read about them here. Fragrances, however, aren’t the only concerns when it comes to candles. Candles are made from paraffin wax, which is a petroleum-based substance. Additionally, the dyes used to color the candles are also petroleum-based. When lit petroleum-based candles emit toxic chemicals such as benzene and toluene into the air. These chemicals have been known to cause damage to the brain, lungs, nervous system, and cause developmental difficulties or delays, as well as an increased risk for certain cancers. This holds true for most wax melts as well. 

Choosing better alternatives