After a long day in the office, there’s nothing quite like getting back and melting into our home surroundings.
For some, this looks like a tall glass of red, while others prefer to retreat to their sofas, kick off their shoes and scoop up a good book. Regardless of what your wind-down modus operandi is, no self-soothing scene is complete with the flicker of a delicately scented candle.
The glimmer of light helps to instil an air of calm with a warming aroma and gentle glow. Yet, if you grab your specs and focus on the fine print, your bougie may be causing more harm than good.
A surprising amount of readily available candles contain harmful chemicals that contribute to their potent scents and long burn times. These chemicals are often the same found in nail polishes and paints, with the main culprit being paraffin, a by-product of petroleum waste.
These ingredients can release carcinogenic toxins when burned. So, just as you take care in sourcing non-toxic cooking utensils, you should also invest energy into sourcing natural, non-toxic candles.
What should I look for in a non-toxic candle?
Ingredients such as hand-poured soy wax, vegetable wax, essential oils and beeswax are all recommended, natural picks, although the latter is not suitable for vegans. They all considered raw ingredients that produce a clean burn with light, natural scents to create a sense of calm. Soy wax, in particular, is a lot healthier for the environment due to its biodegradable nature.
Be sure to also factor in the candle's wick. A 100 per cent cotton wick helps the candle to burn for longer and doesn’t contain a metal core which could produce synthetic fumes such as lead when lit. Natural wicks are often easy to identify as they are usually twisted or braided together.
Look at the small print of each candle when browsing. Phrases such as paraben-free, responsibly sourced, cotton wick, 100 per cent natural and cruelty-free are all big ticks. Be wary of descriptions of 'vegan', however, as many plant-based picks still contain harsh chemicals such as paraffin with long-winded names that may produce unwanted toxins and smoky burns.
Discover the best non-toxic candles to ignite a sense of serenity in the home.
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Earl of East Soy Wax Candle-Smoke & Musk
This Hackney-born fragrance label may encase its scent in a small container but the power of the aroma is mighty and impressively room-filling. In terms of aesthetics, Earl of East has kept things minimal and understated but when lit, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Smoke & Musk takes its olfactory cues from an enchanted wood and as such you can catch a whiff of warm, woody notes with a mystical edge. It will transport you to a log cabin, surrounded by trees with notes of sweet green balsam fir, wood smoke and musky patchouli.
Buy now £24.00, Cult Beauty
Urban Apothecary London Tuberose Petals Luxury Candle
Urban Apothecary London's cult candles are using 100 per cent natural soy wax, cotton wicks and premium fragrance. The delightful pieces, which make for excellent gifts, are hand poured in the factory in England, meaning they are a locally sourced, clean pick. Allow the orange and geranium essential oil to lift your mood when downtime is needed.
Buy now £34.00, Sephora
Neom Happiness Scented Candle (1 wick)
After any strenuous period, it’s good to be reminded that happier times are on the horizon. Neom has just the thing – a candle that claims to have captured the scent of happiness with a unique blend of 10 essential oils including zingy lemon and white neroli. Made from hand-poured 100 per cent naturally derived wax, one whiff of this and your mood is sure to be boosted.
Buy now £37.00, Sephora
Le Labo Classic Candle
Santal 26 is the signature scent from New York-born fragrance house Le Labo. So popular is the aroma that you will often catch a whiff of it as you stroll through the London underground but despite its ubiquity, it remains enduring in its appeal with its sensual smoky leather notes.
This is the candle variation of the eau de parfum and has been hand-poured in Mississippi into the domed vessel that will look aesthetically pleasing on a bookshelf or atop a fireplace. It has a burn time of up to 60 hours.
There’s an array of additional scents to choose from too, from the herbaceous and orange blossom Petit Grain 21, to Calone 17 that encapsulates a salty sea breeze. Figue 15, as you may expect, puts fig at the centre combined with a sweet blackberry blend and Palo Santo 14 is a spiced woody fragrance with notes of cedarwood, incense and patchouli.
Buy now £65.00, Cult Beauty
Neal’s Yard Organic Aromatherapy Candle - Balancing
Bring harmony into the home with a helping hand from Neal’s Yard. The beloved brand’s Balancing candle contains bergamot and relaxing patchouli organic essential oils, and is crafted with organic beeswax and plant-oil blend. This is hand-poured around a textile wick. No synthetic ingredients in sight.
Buy now £36.00, Neal’s Yard
Malin + Goetz Otto Candle
You only need to light this candle for a matter of minutes and it will transform any space. Otto is one of the lesser-known gems in the Malin + Goetz collection, often overshadowed by the addictive aroma of the Dark Rum or Mojito. It’s an earthy scent that still remains light and fresh thanks to a blend of 20 garden extracts that include grapefruit, geranium, rose and vetiver. It’s unlike anything else on the market, instantly recognisable to those in the know and one of those scents that they’ll want in every room of the house.
Buy now £54.00, Space NK
ESPA Soothing Candle
The aromatic blend of pure essential oils of Sandalwood, Rose Geranium, Myrrh and Frankincense combine to create a restorative aroma so potent that you can smell it before the candle is even lit, which makes it ideal for large rooms.
Trim the wick 3mm before burning to prevent smoke from building up in the jar. This candle has a burn time of around 40 hours.
Buy now £31.45, ESPA
This Smells Like Jacob Elordi Candle
I mean, need we say more?
Buy now £15.59, Cool Girl Candles
Pott Candles Heather Stoneware Orangery Scented Candle
What do you do with the jar of your candle once it has fully burned? You may reuse the container to house your earbuds or cotton wool pads but what happens when that role has been filled? That’s what Potts Candles is here to tackle.
The British brand makes the stoneware vessels by hand where once burned, you can purchase one of the refills, making it a more sustainable and purse-friendly option. The refills cost £27.50 and are offered in Tonka, Eucalyptus, Eden and Orangery. It has notes of orange blossom, rosemary and basil with cedarwood, oak moss and woods that are sourced from natural essential oils and set in rapeseed and coconut wax.
Buy now £69.00, Selfridges
Salt and Stone Fig & Violet Candle
Minimalists will no doubt be drawn to the modern design of Salt and Stone’s candle collection. Not only would it sit perfectly in a hipster Hackney-based home, but the candle is carefully made of coconut and soy-based wax and will flood any space with 55 hours of burn time.
Buy now £49.00, Sephora
Wild Forest Natural Candle
Wild Forest’s candles have been lovingly poured in the Scottish Highlands, which only adds to the earthy charm of the collection. A German-made, cotton eco-wick sits amidst swathes of soy wax which emits a distinctive woody, warm aroma with a hint of musk.
Buy now £24.99, Amazon
Kiss the Moon Dream Aromatherapy Soy Candle
Have a tough time with sleep? Kiss the Moon’s Dream Aromatherapy Soy Candle will be a welcome addition to your nighttime routine. The soy wax candle features a cotton-paper wick that promises around 50 hours of soothing burn time. Snuggle down and let the orange and geranium essential oil blend lull you into a sense of calm before getting some unbroken shut-eye.
Buy now £40.00, Amazon
Snug Scent Lavender & Eucalyptus Natural Candle – Relaxing
Affordable and covetable in equal measure, Snug Scent’s natural candle means any hint of tension will melt away in an instant. The Relaxing natural soy wax candle, made with pure essential oil, offers a calming effect which is ideal for aromatherapy sessions. Relish up to 40 hours of delightful ambience and pick from an array of tempting scents to soothe the senses.
Buy now £17.99, Snug Scent
