All About Candle Fragrance - From Fragrance Oil to Essential Oil

One of the most common questions I am asked is...

Why don't your candles have fragrances?

While there is a succinct answer (which can be found on my FAQ page), this will get into the nitty gritty of why I decided NOT to add fragrance to my candles.

What is Candle Fragrance?

Let's start at the beginning, and naturally that means defining our terms and really getting to the bottom of what something is.

Candle fragrance in its approved form is primarily synthetic ingredients with a hint of essential oils. These synthetic ingredients are synthetic fragrances, solvents, and diluents. The recipes for these fragrance oils are jealously guarded-- and rightly so given the size and scope of the fragrance industry, so trying to find out what specific ingredients are in these is nearly impossible unless you are the one formulating them. In fact there are no federal laws here in the USA which require the disclosure of these ingredients, they just need to disclose that there is fragrance added to a product (hence why some ingredients lists include words like "fragrance", or "parfum"/"perfume"). Luckily some states are getting wise to the health complications fragrances can cause, and so they are attempting to force companies into transparency. And of course the EU is leaps and bounds beyond us in this space, like always.

There's also this study which is really concerning about how fragrance can affect indoor air quality. While the study does not differentiate between waxes used in wax melts, it does point a big fat finger at fragrance being the cause for these larger particles in the air. Due to wax melts having a higher concentration of fragrance than a whole candle would, and that more wax is liquid and heated at one time in these melts as compared to the pool of a candle, the toxic particles released is significantly higher than what you'd get in a normal scented candle-- which still releases toxins. 

So, while we know that candle fragrance is primarily synthetic with some essential oils added, we do not know what specific ingredients are used in any candle fragrance. Because we don't know the specific ingredients, we can't take control over certain ingredients which may be harmful to us individually. Like milk or eggs may bother one person but not another, we can't say for sure that a "non toxic" fragrance won't adversely effect us.

But Essential Oils are Good For Us, Right? What if you just used Essential Oils for fragrance instead of formulated oils?

While it's true that essential oils can have beneficial effects for certain people under certain conditions, these oils are meant to be used in a controlled way. Generally they are meant to be used either topically with a carrier oil, or they should be diffused with a very gentle controlled heat. Think your oil diffuser, or often the gentle heat of your skin. This is to say that they are not meant to be burned, and there are warnings all over the internet about diffusing at too high a heat, or even burning essential oils, and how it can cause nausea, dizziness, respiratory irritation, and a host of other issues.

There's another issue that most people don't think of, which is the health of your pets. Many essential oils and subsequently fragrance oils can have toxic effects on the health of your pets! And like the research on essential oils and human health, the research on pet health is new and ongoing. We want to try and keep your furry friends safe from life-long illness just as much as you!

So in summary, essential oils are intended to be used in a controlled environment, and are almost never safe to be burned. And it's important to be mindful of your own bio-individuality and the things which you are sensitive to, AND that of any pets you may have, or roommates, or children, etc. 

Okay, but one of the sources you linked said they have extremely high safety standards for their fragrances.

You're right, there are companies including CandleScience which are really committed to trying to formulate clean scents without the cancer risk. And truly, if I were to ever implement fragrance use into my candle business I would probably use CandleScience because they go above and beyond to try and comply with safety standards.

But... (you're about to learn my favorite phrase)

Something isn't toxic until it is.

How many of those ingredients were perfectly safe for years, decades even, until our research techniques improved and we started noticing the health effects they had? Let's not forget that cigarettes were not only considered safe, but even healthy, until research finally caught up. 

While I applaud the research leaps we've taken in recent years to diagnose the things causing our illness (and improving our wellness), there is still so much research to be done and so much to learn about these lab grown chemicals. Perhaps many of them are just as innocuous and safe as everyone thinks they are, but perhaps they aren't.

Some things are obviously toxic like car exhaust and uranium, but other things are slowly toxic over time and load, like asbestos and lead. And it's those toxins which are slow to show their true colors which worry me.

Plus, there are logistical issues to fragrance...

There were also several logistical issues regarding fragrance that I didn't want for my business.

X Fragrance oils are expensive, which would force me to raise my prices. 

X Beeswax doesn't usually hold fragrance oil very well, so you often need to pair it with soy wax or coconut oil to get the fragrance to work.

X Beeswax has its own natural fragrance, which often fights with other fragrances you try to add.

X I, personally, am very sensitive to fragrance! So I literally couldn't work with a lot of it without compromising my own health.

So what you're saying, is....

There are way too many question marks surrounding fragrance and its safety for me to feel comfortable including it in my candles. I want you to be able to have the best candle experience possible, whether you are a normal person with high tolerances to fragrance, or someone like me who is very sensitive to fragrance and the synthetic chemicals used in it.

I want you to feel confident that lighting a candle from Beeswicks will not compromise your health or the health of your pets or children. 

I want to provide only the highest quality, environmentally friendly product I can to you! Which means that, for now, fragrance is just not on the schedule.

Luckily, Beeswax has its own fragrance!

We need not mess with mother nature. She has provided a beautiful, sweet, and subtle fragrance in beeswax that can compliment any setting without fear of toxin exposure. Any candle made with pure beeswax will be lightly honey scented thanks to our wonderful bees who produce it. Thanks, bees!