Candles that are good for you and the Plant

Candles that Are Good for You and the Planet

I make candles for a living. And soaps, and scrubs, but that’s a topic for an entirely different story. My favorite candle (of my own creation, that is) is Lavender and Sage. The smell of lavender always helps me to take away the stress and worries of the day.

I light the candle up and as the aroma fills the room I feel like I can finally exhale. It’s both the floral, almost earthy smell of lavender and the calming ritual itself. The process of setting a candle aglow, in my mind, is similar to preparing a nutritious meal or doing a workout. It’s self care. Its doing something good for your body and mind. And if you choose the right candle, for the planet, too.

When you take a candle into your hands, the first thing you pay attention to is the smell. Kind of like when you see a person for the first time, you only notice their appearance. You don’t know yet, whether they are kind, smart, and funny. But those are the things that truly matter.

And so when I set out to make candles, I wanted them to be good inside and out. Is the smell important? Of course! My Sea Salt and Honey Dew candle has the magic power to transport me to the beautiful beaches of Tybee Island in Georgia, my favorite spot for a weekend getaway when life in my home of Savannah gets too busy. The fresh aroma reminds me of long walks on the beach with my husband, salty ocean breeze, and sweet margaritas.

But equally important to me is to make candles with safe and natural ingredients that will not contribute to polluting our planet. Let me tell you how I do it, step-by-step.

Soy Wax

Let’s start with the main ingredient used to make candles — wax. I consciously made a decision to go with soy wax for multiple reasons. First of all, it’s plant-based. Compared to, say, paraffin wax derived from petroleum, soy wax burns cleaner, produces minimal soot, and leaves a smaller environmental footprint.

It doesn’t release harmful chemicals when burnt, making it a safe option for your home. Oh and did I mention soy wax candles burn longer due to the low melting point of this type of wax? It’s a win all around.

Fragrance Oils

The word “fragrance” doesn’t have strong credibility these days, and for a good reason. Some companies use it as a catch-all term to describe multiple chemicals that go into production of cosmetics. Legally, they are not required to disclose the exact ingredients used, because that is considered a trade secret.

To me, it is of utmost importance to be as transparent with my customers as possible. Which is why I chose a company called Candle Science, a leading supplier of candle-making materials in the United States, to source all of my fragrance oils.

In pursuit of creating a product that adheres to the highest safety standards, they developed the Clean Scents line of fragrance oils that are free from organ and acute toxins, CMRs, phthalates, and ingredients on the California Prop 65 list.

All their fragrance oils comply with the safety guidelines set by the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) and the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). Most importantly, you can find each and every ingredient used to make the scents on their website.

Concrete Vessel

Something I take great pride in are the concrete candle vessels I make by hand. They are perfectly imperfect, each with its unique texture and detailing. A concrete vessel has a contemporary minimalist look that will complement the interior of your home, no matter the style. Not to mention, it’s nice to touch, soft and smooth.

Another consideration is safety. When heated, a concrete vessel doesn’t emit harmful chemicals, it remains stable and safe. On top of that, I use a non-toxic water-based sealant. After the jars are sealed and sanded, wax is poured inside by hand, in small batches. This is to ensure the candle you get is fresh and lasts longer.

But the main reason I chose to create my own vessels is the environmental impact. Once you burn the candle, the vessel can be reused in a multitude of ways: as a container for your bathroom necessities (I use mine for cotton balls and Q-tips), in the kitchen to store spices and teas, or as a pot for plants. These beautiful handmade containers will serve you for years to come instead of going to the landfill as soon as the candle is burned.

Bee-Friendly Flower Seeds

Remember how I said the concrete vessels can be reused as pots for plants? Well, I make this task easier for you by adding a little packet of bee-friendly flower seeds to your order. The seeds you’ll plant into empty candle containers will turn into wildflowers which mimic bees’ natural habitat and provide nectar and pollen, essential for the survival of bees.

I could go on and on about the candle-making process which is a passion of mine, but we have to finish this article somewhere. I guess what I am trying to say is I truly believe in what I do. I make a genuinely good product that I am proud of. Now that you know the behind-the-scenes of my process, all that’s left is to take one of the candles into your hands and smell it.

I wish I had a way with words to describe the creamy caramel notes of my Caramel Macchiato candle or the rich aroma of ground ginger and cinnamon that my Scotch Oatmeal Cookie candle features. But I guess you’ll have to try it for yourself.