The Great Candle Swap

Reclaim Healthy Inside Air

When you think of candles, how does it make you feel? Snuggly? Warm? I used to be OBSESSED with candles. I had them in every room. Used them daily! I WOULD GO TO just or IKEA and get the super big bag of tea light candles and have them all over the house. I also used many types of scented candles — mostly from the grocery store — everywhere and often. 

Those feelings you feel when burning candles are usually linked to those smells. The limbic system (the emotional center of your brain) is strongly linked to scent. Scents are connected to memories good + bad, so when we smell them it can bring back those same feelings that are imprinted on your limbic system. 

For me, everytime I smell Nivea Lotion, I am brought back to summertime memories at my grandparents. My Grandma wore it all the time! Can you think of a smell that has a memory attached?
Hidden Toxins

But the reality is that the air fresheners and candles people buy that are pumpkin or fall-scented are full of toxins that are as harmful or more harmful than smoking a cigarette. Even the cleaning products we use are full of chemicals that might not be on the label but end up off-gassing into the air or onto our skin.

I used to buy scented candles. I used to have a bottle of scented toxins that I sprayed our furniture with. I used to have a can of scented toxins that I used as air freshener. I used to get scented laundry detergent--the kind that would keep our clothes scented for weeks--I thought that was a GOOD thing. I just didn't know better! So, believe me when I say that I've got ZERO judgement here!


FACT: The Environmental Protection Agency says the air inside our homes and businesses is five times more polluted than that of the outdoors.

FACT: Half of deaths among children under 5 years old related to lower respiratory infections can be directly linked to “particulate matter” present in indoor air pollution (primarily from household solid fuels).

FACT: Two of the biggest contributors to indoor air pollution are the burning of fossil fuels (like stoves, fireplaces, and candles) and the off-gassing of Volatile Organic Compounds (chemicals released into the air when we bring products into our home that contain them).
The Trouble with 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!
In the US, candle wicks are supposed to be made of cotton or paper, but not all countries have the requirements. Studies have found that as much as 30% of candles we buy at the store contain heavy metals in the wicks, like lead. I never knew that before I started doing some research!

Many Candles also contain artificial scents and dyes, which release additional chemicals when burned. Other toxic chemicals that may be present in the paraffin mixture and released through burning include: Acetone, Trichloroethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2 -Butanone, Trichloroethane, Tricholoroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene. Some of the toxins are found in other products such as paint, lacquer and varnish removers - that’s potent and powerful stuff

Not to mention Fragrance! Fragrance is a cute word for synthetic chemicals. In fact the word fragrance in an ingredient list can be a proprietary word to hide more than 2,000 synthetic ingredients. Synthetic Fragrances are known Endocrine Disruptors aka hormones, which is what controls our bodies, and also can have Carcinogenic effects aka Cancer. YUCK!!!



Let’s Talk Fragrance


Let’s talk about fragrance, or parfum or perfume or a million other names ;) Synthetic scents or “fragrance” represent an unidentified mixture of ingredients including carcinogens, allergens, respiratory irritants, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxic chemicals and environmental toxicants. These artificial scents can be found in all kinds of body care and cosmetic products, as well as air fresheners, cleaning materials and laundry detergents.

According to the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics, hair products are especially problematic. More than 95 percent of shampoos, conditioners and styling products contain fragrance as an ingredient. I’m sure you’ll agree that we all want our hair to smell good, but we could do without the use of toxic ingredients.

Research conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 name brand fragrance products. But it doesn’t stop there — none of these chemicals were actually listed on the label.

In general, there at least 3,000 ingredients that could possibly be used to form a product’s scent. That’s according to the online “Transparency List” put out by the International Fragrance Association, an industry trade group. It may seem unbelievable, but the FDA does not even currently require fragrance and cosmetic makers to disclose exactly what they are using to scent products. If companies are using truly natural ingredients, then why be shy? Many will say that their formulas are proprietary and they don’t want other companies copying them. The FDA website also states how the agency cannot legally require companies to warn about allergens in cosmetics like they do with food.

Are you wondering why companies would continue to use synthetic scents if they’re so bad for our health? The answer is straightforward — they are cheaper. Synthetic scents can be an extremely cheap way to give everything from shampoo to lotion to candles a desirable scent. Unfortunately, just because you enjoy a scent, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

What to do?

✔Check your labels on your air freshener, laundry detergent, household cleaner, etc. for the word "fragrance". The FDA doesn’t require manufacturers to list the chemicals included in fragrance additives, meaning if you see the label on a product, it probably contains VOCs that can produce formaldehyde in your home.

✔ Check the labels of your shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, and similar products for phthalates. These are hormone-like chemicals linked to reproductive and developmental problems in animals and humans.

✔ Then, switch out those products with healthier versions of them. Avoid being fooled by greenwashing marketing that market the labels and branding of products look like they're more natural than they actually are. We use Young Living products and save 25% every time we order. And...my mama brain can feel secure knowing that Young Living has the same Seed to Seal guarantee they have for their oils as they do for every product they sell and I'm limiting the amount of exposure our family has from toxic ingredients.

 ✔ Get yo'self a diffuser and essential oils. Not only will you be scenting the air with something that is actually healthy for you, but you'll also be purifying the air vs covering it up with synthetic fragrance. Once you have your starter bundle, you can slowly start switching out all of the products in your house, get 24% off retail price, plus get 10% back in free store credit...and eventually 25% back in free store credit.

Know better. Do better. Feel better.

Let's do this together. I'm here to help walk you through it every step of the way


The Benefits of Essential Oils

Essential Oils are my favorite way to experience the scents I love, but with benefits.

Diffusing oils can clean the air you are breathing, be emotionally uplifting, and support our body systems. They are multi-use, so the same bottle of Thieves oil can be used both in the diffuser and applied topically to the skin.

There are so many low-cost oils that be combined into the most delicious scents! Not to mention several of the new diffusers have a candlelight flicker mode!
Show some of the diffusers, specifically one with the candle flicker option desert mist
All of these combs from the starter kits are great combos!!!
 🕯

 〰 Thieves + Lemon + Raven
〰 Stress Away + Lavender + Peppermint 〰 Peace & Calming + Citrus Fresh
〰 Thieves + Stress Away
〰 Valor + Citrus Fresh

These combos are just the tip of the iceberg on combinations. Trust me I have so many to share with you!

Some of us still occasionally want the ambiance of a real flickering candle on a cold night. If you're interested in trying to make a beautiful, safe candle yourself, it is doable!! Beeswax candles are amazing and smell great! Skip the essential oils, burning them changes the constituents of them and will not offer any benefits, plus the smell just doesn’t really pack a punch with the beeswax modality.

What you will need: Beeswax Pellets Small Mason Jars Wicks
Stickers for Wicks
Just make sure that what you use is clean, organic products with no added chemicals. Here is a great blog post on how to make beeswax candles: https://rootedinhealing.net/2019/11/11/diy-beeswax-candle/
These are plain candles, so keep on diffusing for your scent! So chuck those candles in the garbage and let’s get you some oils and a diffuser!

Sources:
Team YL Brand Partners
Fragrance Link - https://draxe.com/health/dangers-synthetic-scents/



Why Young Living?

Not all oils are created equal. Found out why!


























Information courtesy of Christina Rozema