11/07/2022
PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN STORE BOUGHT VERSUS HAND MADE CANDLES
Why you shouldn't buy store bought candles:
* Most candles are made of paraffin wax, which creates highly toxic benzene and toluene when burned (both are known carcinogens). In fact, the toxins released from paraffin candles are the same as those found in diesel fuel fumes. Paraffin fumes have been found to cause tumors in the kidneys and liver of lab animals.
*Many scented candles also have wicks that contain heavy metals like lead, and even a few hours of burning them can create levels of airborne heavy metals that are much higher than the acceptable limits. In the US, candle wicks are supposed to be made of cotton or paper, but studies have found that as much as 30% of candles contain heavy metals in the wicks.
Exposure to high amounts of lead has been linked to hormone disruption, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and numerous health problems.
*Most candles on the market made from paraffin may also contain other chemical additives in the dyes and fragrances that can be toxic when inhaled. Fragrances that are formulated in a petroleum base, have toxic properties when burned. Some scented candles have been found to emit toxins such as acetone, tetrachloroethane, chlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, xylene, phenol, cresol, cyclopentene, lead, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and soot.
*manufacturers choose low-quality wax to cut costs and mass-produce their candles more affordably.
*It can worsen respiratory complications like asthma, dyspnea, respiratory infections, and lung cancer. Hormonal imbalance resulting in reproductive difficulties can also occur from prolonged exposure to these chemicals. What’s worse is constantly burning these paraffin wax candles would stain your precious walls and ceiling with black sooty residue.
Why you should buy handmade candles:
*Whenever you purchase hand-poured candles from local artisans or craftsmen, you help support their dream while contributing to the growth of the local economy. This adds up to create job opportunities and a better flow of money.
Hand-poured candles are high-quality, unique, safe, and customizable. What’s not to love about them?
Because hand-poured candles are made in small batches, the candlemaker exercises maximum quality control to ensure consistency and excellence. But, mass-produced store-bought candles are made cost-effectively using huge manufacturing machines with very little human supervision, this goes to say that there are minimal quality standards and poor control over the final product.
Because of this, problems like misplacement of the candlewick and short-lived or inconsistent scent (this happens when fragrance oils are added at the wrong temperature, unevenly distributed, or don’t bind perfectly to the wax), and emission of soot are very common with popular mass-produced candle brands. Clearly, handmade candles are more value for your money because there is no compromise on quality—they are carefully crafted with all-natural and quality ingredients, and production is closely monitored from start to finish.
