There’s something about a clean, fresh-smelling home that feels a little like heaven.
Not only does a good-smelling house feel cleaner, but the right aromas can also affect our moods and sense of calm. Basically, a good-smelling home can also help us de-stress, and who doesn’t need that? A home that smells good is a pleasure to be in! Good scents are indicators of good energy, and by good scents, it involves natural, genuine scents that nurture the well-being of your home (and not the synthetic fragrances that offend it). Naturally scented candles is the beautiful way to bless your home with healing scents. Best used in small or enclosed spaces such as the bathroom or the bedroom, be sure you use natural candles without artificial fragrances. Better yet, go for beeswax candles—their energy is so very healing, purifying, and soothing. Some candle brands still use refined paraffin—a petroleum-based wax that may release carcinogenic soot when burned—and synthetic fragrance, which can emit potentially dangerous VOCs. This is why many are turning to clean candles when it’s time to cozy up for the evening. When choosing your candles, look for ones made of vegetable wax (like soy-, beeswax, or non GMO corn. Here I found some clean brands that are still chic.
The Environment Protection Agency has detected seven major toxins in paraffin wax, and hasn’t even tested for a whole host of other unknown chemicals. When we light candles made from paraffin, we are basically filling our homes, spaces and lungs with toxic air pollution (chemicals like toluene and benzene) and that release carbon soot. In 2004, researchers from Maastrict University found levels of polycyclic hydrocarbons in churches that exceeded levels measured next to main roads (this is 20x higher than what is considered safe to breathe under European air pollution standards). They were shocked to discover that it was the cheap church candles causing this.
The most well-known alternative to paraffin wax is soy wax. Soy wax candles are a massive improvement from paraffin (if you are ever in doubt, always go for soy), but they are also not without their concerns. 94% of soy agriculture in the US is GMO, meaning the soybean crops have been sprayed with tons of pesticides. Soy wax requires intensive chemical processing in order to bring it to oil form. Additionally, the WWF has raised concerns about deforestation, mostly in South America, associated with the increase in soy demand. It can be hard for small-scale candle makers to trace the farms from which their soy wax derives from, as they often get it from bulk suppliers. When buying soy wax candles, it’s best to go for organic soy wax or non-GMO.
Beeswax and coconut wax are amongst the most sustainable waxes. They both burn clean and slowly, with beeswax famous for its incredibly bright flame. But with anything, ensuring you’re buying from farms and makers who support ethical farming techniques is vital.
KOBO was created in 2006 by Junko Kobori. Originally from Kumamoto in southern Japan, she and her husband Louis spent many years traveling the world before settling in Saratoga Springs, NY. The newly married couple explored the most remote parts of the world together. Soon Junko came to realize that fragrance, one of the key elements in bringing an environment to life, was often overlooked. That extra invisible, but profound sensory experience took you deep into your memories and feelings. From this concept, the KOBO range of home and personal care products was born.
Scented KOBO CANDLES, 100% pure soy wax, lead free, clean combustion, sophisticated and original fragrances, manufactured in New York. KOBO PURE SOY CANDLES are made of domestically grown, environmentally sustainable soybeans. KOBO uses environmentally safe cotton wicks to provide a pure and clean flame. The KOBO scents are achieved using complex, blended layers of high grade oils in collaboration with the finest boutique fragrance houses in the U.S.
Candles from goop are made with 100% natural unbleached cotton wicks which require special attention. Goop fragrance is composed entirely of natural elements, harnessing the healing and even mystical powers of plants, flowers, and barks. They have crafted a sophisticated and sexy fragrance that’s non-toxic—made with natural essences to entrance, heal, and transform.
This is a scent of cypress smoke, snow, and a sexy sense of quiet. Resins of red cedar and labdanum spike a mix of cypress root, frankincense, clove-leaf oil, and helichrysum flower for a perfume that evokes a crackling fire, a cypress grove by the sea, and the centuries-old floorboards of an ancient European chapel.
Sustainability is at the heart of the UK brand Evermore. Their candles are poured in recycled black glass jars, and their boxes are FSC certified and fully recyclable. Expertly hand-poured in the UK by skilled artisans and enclosed within a hand-blown recycled glass jar, these candles are a perfect union of fragrance and natural wax, a blend of rapeseed and soy. Within the next five years, the brand aims to support non-profit campaigns, as well as offset their carbon and water waste. Filling the luxury candle market’s gap, founder Sarah Bell created this is vegan, sustainable option.
‘At Evermore, we’re committed to these values. Therefore the ‘natural’ thread is woven into each fragrance. Moreover, we create scents that reflect our world, from night skies and alpine forests to open seas and blossoming meadows. The result is a beautifully scented collection of sustainable natural candles’.
