Conscious Living: 5 Non Toxic Candle Brands (Monty Approved).
Candles are such a beautiful thing to gift - to someone else or to yourself. We all love the simple pleasure of lighting a candle, marking a chunk of time at home to just be. But there are so many on the market it can be overwhelming trying to decide which brand to go for. Plus, while many claim to be clean burning and made of natural waxes there can be hidden synthetic fragrances.
The synthetic fragrances and waxes can pump harmful toxins into the air in your home - the place that is meant to keep you safe. Some of them can be hormone disrupters and as an asthmatic I can definitely get triggered when I go to someones home and they have a premium candle burning which unbeknown to them is full of artificial fragrances.
Some years back, I could have made a full time job out of photographing candles - I had around 6-7 different brands on my books at one time and I still have a stock of candles from that time. The women behind these businesses are genuinely kind people wanting to make a difference to people every days lives and many driven by a desire to promote a calmer life. While I would love to feature all of these brands here I have 5 go to candle brands that Monty will let me burn - some he was very obvious about his distain with some dramatic sneezing and exiting rooms! The following candles are all made using essential oils and the very best quality waxes.
Perfect for last minute gifts with individuality, do support these independent businesses this December.
Elä Life.
The vibe: flickering on the shelf above your desk for work from home calming energy. Taking a breath after a meeting to centre and reconnect with your thoughts and flow.
Elä, derived from the Finnish word ‘to live’, is a brand designed to be a rich accompaniment to your day to help your ground and pause and live in the moment. The candles are made from 100% natural essential oils and blended with coconut and rapeseed wax to ensure the cleanest burn and maximum benefit to your wellbeing. Elä also do THE nicest hand creams!
Chapter Organics.
The vibe: a Sunday afternoon centring session - lighting and hitting play on some breathwork or curling up with a journal.
Deeply ritualistic, these candles are perfect for when you want to batten the hatches and fully immerse yourself in a self care session. Made with soy wax and pure essential oils and handmade in Yorkshire. The collections come in chapters: The Peace, The Quiet, The Tonic, The Clarity, The Wise. My favourite is the Peace collection but all of the collections are divine.
Willow & Finn.
The vibe: friends arriving for dinner and feeling instantly welcomed into the space with a luxury scent. They’ll all ask what the fragrance is and make a note of the brand.
Gorgeous, crisp and luxury scents for elevating your space. Willow & Finn sell refills for their glass vessels which reduces waste and allows you to choose your favourite jar to match your interiors. Made from soy wax with a wooden wick.
Design Vintage.
The vibe: padding down to the kitchen on a Sunday morning, firing up the No. 1 candle and making pancakes before curling up with a book.
Also made from coconut and rapeseed wax, these candles in amber jars feel very grounding yet uplifting with their mixture of herbal essential oils. I love the No. 1 in the kitchen with its blend of eucalyptus and rosemary - it’s perfect for pottering.
Bumbles Jumble from Handford Made.
The vibe: a Saturday morning cleaning with a Hyjoo-Ga flickering in the background to evoke contentment.
These are lovely gifts as a small token of thanks or ‘thinking of you’. These jar candles are made form soy wax and hand blended and poured in Claire’s workshop (a shepherds’ hut in her garden). The botanics are also grown in her garden. These are great all rounder candles for any mood.
Five pure essential oil non toxic candle brands to gift this Christmas.