Not all candles are the same: why it’s important to buy good quality candles.
When the temperature starts to drop and the nights are dark, one of the simplest pleasures is to curl up under a blanket, grab a book and light your favourite scented candle. But not every candle is the same. With an overcrowded market and the overuse of words such as ‘natural’ or ‘eco-friendly’, it is easy to overlook what is in your favourite candles and what impact this can have on your health and your home.
There is a reason they are cheap
When it comes to candles, price is generally a good indicator of quality. Whether it’s the ingredients, manufacturing process or distribution practices, making cheap candles means something must be sacrificed.
The most common problem with inexpensive candles is the type of wax. Mass-produced candles will often contain paraffin, which is a byproduct of petroleum and is known to release harmful gases when burned, sometimes exacerbating respiratory conditions and causing soot damage to your walls and fabrics. Some scented candles have also been found to contain synthetic oils that release microscopic particles into the air you breath.
Candles made from soy wax are often marketed as the ‘natural’ alternative to paraffin, however, while the soy plant is a natural product, soy wax is not. After the plant is harvested it must be mechanically processed in order to be burned; the oil is extracted, refined, bleached, chemically distilled, deodorised and hydrogenated. Soy is also grown on an industrial scale, often imported to Europe from South America, and has been connected to a multitude of negative environmental and socio-economic consequences.
What you get from an Elä candle
To ensure our candles are gentle on you and on the environment, we only use 100% natural ingredients. We opt for a beautifully pure, plant-based wax made from coconut and rapeseed oils and only ever use 100% essential oils.
Our candles are blended and made by hand in small batches, allowing us to monitor production, assess our environmental impact, and maintain a slower pace of business (as well as the additional benefit of the moisturising effects the wax has on our hands as the candle comes to life, enjoyed by our team).
Each blend has been carefully crafted to support you throughout your day, giving you a moment to pause, reflect and feel rejuvenated. As a brand built on the idea of working in harmony with nature’s most powerful ingredients, it is our commitment to enable you to enjoy the benefits of our essential oils and to trust in the ingredients you are introducing into your home.
Find out more about our journey as a sustainable business here.