The Flickering Facts: Why Your Favourite Candles Might Be More Toxic Than You Think

Burning the midnight oil in more ways than one? You might just be…

At WillPowders, we pipe on A LOT about how ultra processed food can be detrimental to your health, and whilst that’s true, have you considered how you’re looking after the inner workings of your home as well?

By now, you’ve probably got wise to the fact that your supermarket shelves are lined with snacks, “meals” and drinks  filled with damaging seed oils and fake ingredients, designed to keep you hooked and going back for more, but have you switched on to Big Food also trying to compromise your health in other ways? 

Convincing you that you need industrial strength cleaning products to wipe away the week’s grime, or that you need to scent your home with the power of the lab, where the only natural smells that diffuse are the blood, sweat and tears of the scientists in charge of formulating toxic fumes for you to “enjoy”. 

I’m beginning to wonder what the hell their problem is and what have they got against the unwitting consumer? 

Much of what we buy to clean and scent our homes shouldn’t get past the threshold, but often the quick fix, clever marketing and allure of the Mrs Hinch effect is just too strong to resist and our health and the environment becomes a second thought.

Don’t get me wrong, no one at WillPowders is telling you to shelve those cosy Friday nights illuminated by the gentle flicker of a candle lit room.  We want you to enjoy those ambient dinner parties, and that bit of bubble bath self care that you’ve squirrelled out for yourself once you’ve got the kids to bed, we just want you to do it mindfully and safely. So, the next time you crack open the super foam to clean the bathroom, or you shove your hand down the loo that you’ve just swilled with bleach because that sticky boy wee is as stubborn as the very teenager who has imperfect aim, or you spend the evening comforted by the soft glow of the candle your partner bought you from the petrol station as an emergency “I’m sorry” gift (true story), just take note of how you feel after.  How has your skin reacted?  Have you all of a sudden and out of nowhere become a little breathless? Have your eyes started to burn? Has that ‘meh’ feeling you’ve worked so hard to shut down on your WillPowders Way reared its ugly head again?  It might be subtle, but if you tune in, I can guarantee it will be there. 

You would be right to ask why…why, if the ingredients used in our everyday products are so toxic, why are they used at all?  It’s simple! They are the cheapest and most effective way of providing you with your end goal, your desired results so to speak -  a moment of calm or a sparkling clean bit of joy.  Big Food doesn't care if those moments cost you your health.  They don’t care if they play havoc with your hormones or make the inflammation fire rage.  

But We DO and we’re more than happy to shine a candle light on it. When you’re At Capacity, don’t lose sight of… 

It’s okay, my candles are made of Soy or Beewax!  The petrol station forecourt ain’t in my living room!  Wrong!  Soy and Beeswax, often hailed as the environmentally friendly alternative to paraffin, is an eco-friendly myth as many (most) are blended with paraffin or other additives that can be processed with chemical solvents, making them a far cry from health-friendly and therefore undermining their green credentials. Synthetic smells are often added and among them, Phthalates: These chemicals are commonly used to make fragrances last longer, much like the additives added to your shop bought loaf to extend its shelf life. When inhaled, phthalates can disrupt endocrine function, leading to hormonal imbalances and reproductive issues. 

Whilst we seem to spend our lives trying to avoid these pesky xenoestrogens, scents that are synthetically added to our candles, air fresheners and diffusers have the power to trigger or exacerbate allergies as well.  For allergy sensitive folk, this can be an absolute nightmare, especially if walking into perfume ladened department stores or the infamous bath bomb shop is synonymous with rolling around in hay, being covered in cats and dogs or rubbing their face in a big pile of pollen.  For these people, avoiding anything that can trigger the onslaught of watery eyes, itchy skin and a nose that just won’t stop is life, and for those people it can often be a modest candle that catapults them into a day of misery. 

Gel wax candles are eye-catching with their transparent charm, but they come with their own set of CLEAR issues. Made from resin and mineral oil, gel candles can emit harmful chemicals that may irritate your respiratory system and disrupt your endocrine balance. It’s like burning a candle made of chemical cocktails—pretty to look at, but not so great for your health.

Much like their paraffin, soy and beeswax counterparts, gel candles often contain synthetic fragrances and dyes, which can release Volatile Organic Compounds like benzene and toluene when burned, as well as producing particulate matter, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Like the wolf in sheep’s clothing, gel candles should be the epitome of a brief romance, or ideally a very decisive swipe left. 

Essentially, swapping out your candles for diffusers or air fresheners might just replace one toxin with another, so think again. Many air fresheners and diffusers release synthetic fragrances and chemicals like phthalates and formaldehyde. Initially, formaldehyde was used primarily as an embalming agent and medical preservative. Its commercial production began in Germany in the 1880s and expanded to other countries by the early 1900s. Over time, formaldehyde found various applications, including in the production of resins, plastics, and as a disinfectant, all products you wouldn’t dream of sniffing up willingly.