The Truth About Candle Ingredients: What to Look For & What to Avoid

Not All Candles Are Created Equal

Most people don’t think twice about the ingredients in their candles. If it’s sold in stores, it must be safe—right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Many mass-produced candles contain hidden toxins that can affect air quality, cause headaches, and even contribute to long-term health issues.

As someone who carefully chooses every ingredient that goes into my candles, I want to help shed some light on what makes a cleaner, safer candle—and what to watch out for when shopping.

Why I Choose Coconut Wax & Phthalate-Free Fragrances

When I started making candles, I knew I wanted them to be clean-burning, non-toxic, and high-quality—without sacrificing scent performance. That’s why I use coconut wax and phthalate-free fragrances, but I also take it a step further.

Coconut wax is one of the best waxes available. It’s eco-friendly (every part of the plant is used), requires less fragrance oil to achieve a strong scent throw, and produces significantly less soot than paraffin or soy.

Phthalate-free fragrances are the bare minimum for non-toxic candles. But I go further—I dig into Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to check for health hazard warnings (like respiratory or organ toxicity). Many fragrance oils labeled as “phthalate-free” still contain harmful carcinogens that most candle makers don’t even realize are there. If I see a warning label for cancer risk, infertility, or organ toxins, I won’t use it.

So many customers have told me that my candles don’t give them headaches like store-bought ones do, and I truly believe this extra level of ingredient scrutiny makes the difference.

What Most People Don’t Realize About Store-Bought Candles

For years, I never questioned what was in a candle—I assumed that if it was being sold, it had to be safe (enough). But once I started digging into candle-making, I learned that many big-name brands use cheap, low-quality, and potentially harmful ingredients to keep costs low.

Mass-produced candles often contain:

• Paraffin wax, which emits toxins and contributes to indoor air pollution.
• Undisclosed fragrance chemicals, including hidden carcinogens.
• Heavy soot and poor burn quality, leading to more exposure to airborne irritants.

Many people suffer from headaches, asthma flare-ups, or allergies when burning store-bought candles without realizing it’s caused by the ingredients. Some people quit the enjoyment of candles altogether because of this.

Common Toxins in Mass-Market Candles

If you’re shopping for candles, here are a few things to look out for:

Paraffin Wax: Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct, meaning it’s derived from fossil fuels. When burned, it can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including known carcinogens like benzene and toluene—both of which are found in diesel fuel🤯 .

Cheap Fragrance Oils: Just because a candle is labeled “phthalate-free” doesn’t mean it’s truly safe. Many fragrance oils still contain hazardous chemicals linked to respiratory and reproductive issues. If a candle company isn’t transparent about the safety of its ingredients, that’s a red flag.

Soot-Heavy Formulas: Low-quality wax and wick combinations produce excessive soot, which can stain walls, ceilings, and even your lungs. If you’ve ever wiped black residue off a candle jar, that’s soot buildup—and it’s likely in your air, too.

What Makes a Candle Truly Clean & Non-Toxic?

Not all “clean” candles are created equal, but here’s what to look for:

• Better Waxes: Coconut wax is one of the cleanest-burning waxes. Soy wax is a step up from paraffin but still tends to produce soot and burn inconsistently.
• Truly Non-Toxic Fragrances: Look for transparency—does the brand disclose if their fragrances are free from carcinogens and reproductive toxins?
• Hand-Poured & Small Batch: Mass-market candles prioritize cost over quality. Small-batch makers often test their formulas more carefully to ensure a cleaner burn.

I believe in quality over quantity, which is why I have a small, curated selection of scents rather than mass-producing dozens of candles with questionable ingredients.

Are Essential Oil Candles Better? Not Always.

A lot of people assume that essential oil candles are the cleanest, safest option—but that’s not necessarily true. Pure essential oils are volatile when burned, meaning they can break down into toxic compounds when exposed to heat. Plus, they don’t throw scent well, making for an underwhelming candle experience.

That’s why I use safe, high-quality fragrance blends that combine essential oil components with non-toxic stabilizers—giving you the best of both worlds.

Want to Switch to Cleaner Candles? Start Here.

If you’re looking to upgrade your candles to something safer, here’s what I recommend:

1. Look for coconut wax or high-quality soy blends.
   
   
2. Ask about fragrance safety—does the brand screen for carcinogens beyond just phthalates?
   
   
3. Test out small-batch brands with a focus on quality over mass production.

Many people are becoming more aware of toxic ingredients in household products, but the truth is, affordability often wins out. I get it—not everyone can (or wants to) spend more on a candle. But for those who care about what they’re breathing in, it’s worth knowing what goes into the products you bring into your home.

If you're looking for non-toxic, thoughtfully crafted candles, explore our collection here →