Are candles bad for you? For most people, burned the right way in a room with normal airflow, no. Any flame makes a little smoke and soot, and a scented candle also puts fragrance into the air, because that is how you smell it. What the candle is made of, and how you burn it, makes most of the difference.
What a burning candle releases
A candle works by drawing melted wax up the wick and burning it. A calm, steady flame burns that wax cleanly. A flame that flickers, smokes or grows too tall burns it less completely, and that is where most soot comes from. So a trimmed wick and a spot away from drafts matter as much as the ingredients.
What is in a candle
A candle has four parts: wax, wick, fragrance oil, and sometimes dye. Here is what to know about each one.
The wax
Most candles are paraffin, soy, beeswax, coconut, or a blend. Paraffin comes from petroleum. Soy comes from soybeans. Much of the concern about candle smoke centers on paraffin, and plenty of people would rather skip petroleum wax altogether. Watch for the word “blend” on a label, since a soy blend can still contain paraffin. For a side-by-side look, see soy vs beeswax vs paraffin candles.
The wick
Wicks with a lead core were banned in the United States in 2003. Today wicks are made from cotton, paper, wood or zinc. A cotton wick is a simple choice, and a wick sized right for its container burns with a steady flame.
The fragrance oil
The scent is the part you breathe most, so it deserves the most attention. Some fragrance formulas use phthalates to help the scent last. Phthalates have raised health questions, which is why many makers, us included, use phthalate-free oils. Look for that phrase on the label. If a brand does not say, ask.
Dye
Dye adds color and nothing else. It does not change the scent. If you want your candle as simple as possible, choose one without dye.
Are scented candles bad for you?
Every scented candle, natural or synthetic, puts fragrance compounds in the air. For most people that is fine in a room with normal airflow. If you have asthma, migraines, or a sensitivity to fragrance, burn candles in a larger room, crack a window, and keep sessions short. If a scent gives you a headache or makes you cough, put it out and air the room. Or skip the fragrance entirely with an unscented candle.
Are soy candles toxic?
Soy is a plant wax with no petroleum in it, which is the main reason people choose it. A soy candle still has a flame, though, so it can still smoke if the wick is long or the flame sits in a draft. Pick 100% soy rather than a blend, look for phthalate-free fragrance, and keep the wick trimmed.
How to burn any candle more cleanly
- Trim the wick to 1/4 inch before every burn. A long wick makes a tall, smoky flame.
- Keep it out of drafts. Fans, vents and open windows make the flame flicker and smoke.
- Burn for up to about 4 hours at a time, then let it cool.
- Let the first burn melt to the edge. It sets up an even burn for the life of the candle. Here is how to burn a candle without tunneling.
- Stop at 1/2 inch. When about half an inch of wax is left in a jar or tin, the candle is done.
How to choose non-toxic candles
- A plant wax such as soy, with no paraffin blended in
- Fragrance oils labeled phthalate-free
- A cotton or other lead-free wick
- No dyes, if you want the simplest candle
- A maker who tells you what is in the candle
- An electric wax warmer, if you want no flame at all
Candles and pets
Cats and birds are far more sensitive to fragrance than people are, and a flame is easy for a curious tail to reach. Keep candles up high and never leave one burning in an empty room. Our guide to wax melts and pet safety lists the fragrance notes to avoid, and the same notes apply to candles.
What is in our candles
Every Candlecopia candle is hand-poured in small batches from 100% soy wax, with no paraffin. Our fragrance oils are phthalate-free, our cotton wicks are lead-free, and we make our candles available without dyes or unscented. Choose the apothecary candle with a cork lid, the classic canning jar candle, a travel tin candle, or scented votive candles, or browse all of our soy candles. Prefer no flame? Compare wax melts vs candles.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition that fragrance affects, check with your doctor.
Questions people ask
Soy is a plant wax with no petroleum, which is why many people choose it. Any candle with a flame still makes a little soot, so also look for phthalate-free fragrance and a lead-free wick, and keep the wick trimmed.
For most people in a room with normal airflow, a daily candle is fine. Burn for up to about four hours at a time, trim the wick before each burn, and crack a window if the room is small.
Lead-core wicks have been banned in the United States since 2003. Wicks today are made from cotton, paper, wood or zinc. Ours are cotton.
An electric wax warmer has no flame, so it makes no smoke or soot. The fragrance questions are the same for both. If you want no flame at all, choose wax melts.