The Candle Conundrum
I'll admit… I hesitated to write this one.
Because who doesn’t love candles? The flicker of the flame, the cozy vibe, the inviting scent of sea and sand or fresh linen — it’s pure ambience in a jar.
But here’s the thing: I also care a lot about clean air.
And unfortunately, the same candles we burn to create a comforting atmosphere are often not doing our air quality (or our health) any favors.
So what’s Actually in Most Candles?
Many popular candles - especially the mass-produced ones - are made from paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct.
When burned, paraffin releases potentially harmful chemicals like benzene and toluene — both known carcinogens.
Add synthetic fragrance and dyes to the mix, and you’ve got a pretty toxic combo drifting through your home.
These particles can trigger:
Headaches
Allergies
Asthma symptoms
Hormone disruption over time
General indoor air pollution
Even more natural-sounding fragrances like “ocean breeze” or “spring meadow” are often made from mystery chemical blends hidden behind the word “fragrance” — which, by the way, is an unregulated term that can legally include hundreds of undisclosed ingredients.
Here’s the Good News:
There are better options if you want that glow without the chemical fallout.
A few cleaner candle brands to explore:
Fontana Candle Co.
Natural Sloth
Slow North
Pure Plant Home
Bluecorn Beeswax (I use their votive candles)
Grow Fragrance (candle & air spray options)
My Personal Shift: Less Is More
I used to love buying candles in every “natural”- sounding scent imaginable.
(If you’ve ever been tempted by a scent called “Green Grass” or “Coastal Fog,” you’re not alone.)
But over the past couple of years, I’ve really cut back on anything with synthetic fragrance - not just candles, but also perfumes, air fresheners, counter sprays, and even some personal care products.
It’s kind of like doing a reset diet: when you eliminate inflammatory triggers like gluten, dairy, or sugar, you give your body a break.
And once you slowly reintroduce them, your body tells you loud and clear what it doesn’t tolerate.
Fragrance is similar.
After dialing way back on scented products, I’m amazed at how sensitive I’ve become to them.
I recently burned one of my favorite old candles at a gathering — and I could still smell the fragrance days later. Instead of feeling cozy, it felt… overwhelming.
And that, for me, is an eye opener when it comes to really thinking about what kind of candles I want to burn in my home.
(And yes, I'm a bit sad, because I love some of the scents sitting in my cupboards :)).
Final Thought:
I’m not here to take away your candles.
But I am here to nudge us toward awareness — especially when it comes to what we’re breathing in daily.
Indoor air pollution is a real thing, and candles are just one piece of a much bigger picture.
We’ll save that deeper dive for another day — because anything with the word “fragrance” on the label deserves a closer look.
As always, I’d love to hear from you. Have a favorite clean candle brand?
Curious about switching out other fragranced products?
Let me know what you’d like to learn more about. Shoot me an email at anne@anneengelhealth.com.