How Safe Are Scented Candles?

How Safe Are Scented Candles?

The rise in popularity of scented candles over the past few years has been undeniable. With this surge, some concerns have emerged about potential toxins and the overall safety of these jarred candles. Navigating through the maze of facts, myths, and rumors can be a bit overwhelming. While various studies present diverse findings, from negligible toxicity to potential health risks, it's essential to understand what you're introducing into your home.

At Tuscany Candle, your safety is our top priority. We pride ourselves on carefully crafting some of the finest clean-burning candles in the market. Quality and safety are among our core principles, and our stringent standards ensure we only use the safest ingredients in our products.

The Inside Story: Toxic Soot

A 1999 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report brought attention to a couple of primary concerns: soot and lead wicks. The report's findings included that scented candles generally produce more soot than their unscented counterparts and that in some poorly-made candles, this soot could contain potentially harmful chemicals.

These revelations reinforced our commitment to crafting the cleanest-burning candles from the highest quality ingredients available. Because we prioritize your safety, we take extra steps in production to prevent soot formation and ensure you can enjoy our scented candles without any undue health worries.

The More You Know: Lead Wicks

In the candle industry's early days, wicks with lead cores were the standard. As science began understanding lead's dangers, candle manufacturers transitioned from lead wicks to cotton and paper alternatives. In fact, the United States banned metal wicks several decades ago.

We produce a spectrum of different candles, and thanks to our 70 years of experience and experimentation, we've learned that some wicks work better than others in various applications. Regardless of which wick a particular candle might use, all our wicks are crafted in the USA and are made from either 100% cotton or a cotton and paper blend.

What's Up With Waxes?

Throughout their history, candle makers produced their wares from a wide range of substances, including beef tallow (rendered fat), beeswax, lanolin, and all sorts of vegetable oils. While there are plusses and minuses to all options, the vast majority of candles we produce are either paraffin or a soy wax & paraffin blend.

While soy wax is obviously a natural product, our paraffin is also an exceptionally clean option. We opt for non-toxic, food-grade, refined paraffin that's been given the green light by the USDA. And when it comes to fragrances? We only use ingredients that have earned the National Candle Association's seal of approval.

Fragrance Facts:

For most people, fragrance is the single most important factor in their scented candle purchasing decision, which is why we partner with some of the most notable perfumers in the world to develop proprietary fragrances for our candles.

A single fragrance can contain anywhere from 12 to 70 distinct ingredients, including the natural essential oils that make our candles so distinctive. The fragrance load varies from item to item, as some collections are designed to be more assertive than others. All the fragrances included in our candles have been extensively tested and are non-toxic to people and animals.