Healthy Candles

Soy Wax Facts:

Renewable resource.
Biodegradable, (made from soy bean oil).
Non-petroleum; (not a fossil fuel).
Non-toxic; containers may be safely reused for food.
Long burning.


This harder grade of soy wax gives a longer burn time, and less "scent throw". Our candles are lightly scented with essential oils, candy flavor oils, plant gum resins, or botanical elements such as sage or cinnamon sticks. For some of my container/jar candles I do use a softer soy wax blend as in massage candles that are mixed with hard cocoa butter, or the completely unscented blue ball jars, these are for outdoor cafe candles.

Hemp Wicks are made from natural plant fiber, soaked in melted soy wax, and prepped by hand. Hemp is irregular and difficult to work with for machines, so factory candles are not made this way. Hemp is a renewable resource also, and a natural fiber that remains upright, even as the wax melts. Strong fiber also eliminates the need for a zinc/lead metal core inside of the wick. Cotton makes a wimpy wick if it is not tightly braided, frequently it is braided around a metal core. All combustion releases residue, but metal fumes are not something that we should want to breathe. Paper wicking, especially used in candles made overseas, may develop air gaps between the wick and the wax; this causes the wick to burn up before the wax is hot enough to melt.

Aromatic Constituents are sourced mostly from Essential Oils. No artificial Fragrance Oils are used in the soy candles. (Artificail rose fragrance is used in the painted rose candles, which are not soy.) Some food and candy flavor oils that are blends of natural and artificial ingredients are also used. If a substance is safe to eat, it is generally also safer on the skin or to breathe. Using bio-friendly ingredients reduces (but does not totally eliminate) the allergy risk for chemical-sensitive people.

Sometimes people want that hit me over the head synthetic fragrance experience from their candles. Alice's Aromarama brand candles are not that way. These candles have a gentle but very present character. You may need to trim the wick if the flame gets long and needy. Quieter scents are much easier to live with over time. The candle that you adopt should be a good fit for your unique home, and behave itself once it gets there.