But unfortunately, these fragrances are often made out of known toxins. From Balsam & Cedar and Pink Sands to Sage & Citrus and Clean Cotton, people love to fill their homes with these smells. The scent is, of course, the core feature of a candle. If you thought “wax blends” could be sneaky, wait until you hear about “ fragrance.” and Europe, so lead wicks are not something you really have to worry about. The risk isn’t completely gone since some manufacturers in places like Mexico and China have been found to still be using lead in their wicks, so it is still something to be aware of when candle shopping.īut most of Yankee candles are made in the U.S.

The good news is that since 2003, it’s been illegal to manufacture or sell lead-core wicks in the U.S. Of course, most of us know by now how dangerous lead can be, especially for children. Yankee Candle lists their wicks as being made from either “Cotton” or “100% natural fibers.”īack in the day, cotton wicks often contained a lead core, which was used to help the wick to stand up straight and keep from falling into the liquid wax. If the brand isn’t willing to be transparent about that, it’s usually a yellow flag. In general, whenever you see a candle that’s made out of a wax “blend,” you should be able to find out what exactly is in that blend (along with how much of each type, and how they were sourced). (We did reach out to ask Yankee Candle for more clarification… We’ll get to our conversation with them in just a minute.) Since this isn’t something that’s regulated, it’s virtually impossible to know what’s actually in these blends. WHAT exactly is the soy blended with, and how much of the wax is actually made with soy? Soy “blends” can include any number of *mystery* waxes, including paraffin, hydrogenated palm oil, rapeseed, sunflower, and more. However, our question here isn’t necessarily about the “soy” part of the wax, but rather about the “blend” part of the wax. Although it has its shortcomings, soy wax does burn cleaner than paraffin.

Let’s move on to the “soy-wax blend” candles-those have to be better, right? Now, one might argue that the levels of BTEX chemicals that are emitted into the air through burning a candle or two are probably (maybe?) too low to matter… We’ll address this concern toward the end of the article. They can also cause nervous system damage, reproductive harm, organ damage, and more. These chemicals are each unsafe in their own ways… Benzene and ethylbenzene are carcinogenic, toluene is a development toxicant, and xylene can irritate the eyes, lungs, and central nervous system. BTEX stands for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene. When burned, paraffin releases a group of chemicals with the acronym BTEX into the air. Since it’s derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale, burning paraffin in your home is basically like burning fossil fuels inside. The majority of their candles are made using the “Premium-grade paraffin wax,” which is our first indicator that Yankee candles may not be good for you or your family. The WaxĪccording to Yankee Candle’s website, there are three main types of wax used for their candles: So these are the three things we looked at to figure out whether or not Yankee’s candles are non-toxic. the fragrance (if there are any dyes or colorants, these are often included under the “fragrance” umbrella).When shopping for candles, there are three primary ingredients to consider: What Are Yankee Candles Actually Made Of?

What About WoodWick and Chesapeake Bay Candle-Are Those Toxic, Too?.

What About Yankee Candle’s Wax Melts, Plug-In Air Fresheners, and Car Fresheners?.

Are Yankee Candles Toxic for Dogs, Cats, or Other Animals?.

We Asked Yankee Candle for More Information… Here’s What They Said.

What Are Yankee Candles Actually Made Of?.

Paraffin wax toxic