Why You Should Swap the Fragranced Candles for Diffusers
Good to see you!
Fall. Cozy season. This means: candles. We want to bring the scents of the season, like warm apple cider, cinnamon sticks, clove and orange, pumpkin spice - you name it - into our own four walls. I am no exception.
And yet, generic scented candles, wax melts, and especially wall plugins do anything but support our overall well-being. Before giving you a quick overview of why you may want to re-consider bringing fall inspired scents from Bath and Body Works, Marshalls, grocery stores, etc. into your home, I would just like to say this:
I always encourage you to dig deeper and do your own due diligence. The more we learn - and I learn new things daily -, the more chances we have to make better choices for ourselves, our families.
With that said, here are a couple of Quick reasons —
why you should consider swapping the fragranced candles, wax melts, and wall plugins for essential oil diffusers.
Fragrance and Non-Disclosed Ingredients
Fragrance is a non-regulated term that can potentially hide thousands of ingredients. Knowing that, we can never be sure what we’re actually breathing in when burning a scented (fragranced) candle.
Additionally, wax melts, wall plugins and fragrance candles give off synthetic aromas that masks instead of actually remove odors (unlike essential oils). They are meant to resemble a natural aroma, but do not come with the added health benefits that essential oils can provide.
Fragrance can be the reason why you may be feeling a headache come on more frequently, experience respiratory issues, and brain fog. It also is a major endocrine disruptor and we also cannot be sure if some of the hidden ingredients have carcinogenic actions.
This is not to scare anyone, as I myself have had fragranced candles in my home for many years. Things like frequent migraines (I maybe get two a year now, if that), however, do make sense to me in hindsight.
Essential oils have a much lighter aroma that actually can effectively remove odors; they can support the respiratory system, enhance overall wellness, and also mood — all while creating an inviting and cozy seasonal aroma.
Paraffin Wax
Not all candles are created equal, of course. But talking about those we find on common grocery store shelves and in popular body care, home, and candle stores, the majority of them is made from paraffin wax. This, in turn, is derived from petroleum, a by-product of making gasoline.
When burning those fragranced candles, they create fumes similar to those at the gas station. Those fumes contain toluene and benzene, which are linked to cancer and may disrupt other normal functions of our bodies. Also, compounds such as formaldehyde are released into the air and can have carcinogenic actions.
Ditch the Wall Plugins Completely
I would personally suggest steering clear of wall plugins. There is nothing “natural” about these scented, chemical concoctions. It is alarming to see what they put in there that is truly not benefiting any aspect of our wellness.
But be aware: If you’re switching from synthetic scents to essential oil diffusers, it will take some getting used to. I didn’t like the aroma of certain oils at first; but our sense of smell is incredibly fascinating and quick to adapt. This means that, soon, you won’t even want to smell fragrances anymore as your olfaction prefers one over the other.
Try it out for yourself.
So, really no more candles?
Absolutely not. If you do enjoy the cozy, warm ambiance of a flickering candle - so do I -, you don’t have to miss out, though: Beeswax candles, for instance, are a wonderful alternative to generic fragrance candles. There are so many small businesses out there creating lovely candles that are eco- and health-friendly.
Having a currently 19-month and almost 4 year old, this is (only) our second fall season of going completely candle free. Truthfully, burning candles stressed me out more than anything with these little grabby hands around, so they also simply aren’t convenient for us at this point. I do look forward to the time I will decide to light a candle again, but I will look closer at the ingredients and actual source.
I hope this blog post serves as a thought-provoking little piece of writing that encourages you to - maybe, perhaps, likely - make some small changes in your very own home, in an effort to lower your toxic burden. I found some good info here to start with; but there are many more resources about that topic out there if you’re interested.
Now, I am curious to hear: Have you thought about ditching the wax melts, wall plugins, and fragranced candles yet? Or maybe you have already switched to diffusers only creating fall candle dupes with essential oils?
