Non-Toxic Holiday Aromas

Our Mission: We ignite the movement that empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals. Donate »

Blog

Emily Lynne Ion

Monday, November 02, 2009

During autumn, I love to fill the house with the scents that remind me of the season, especially of my childhood home. Fragrances like cinnamon, pine, ginger bread, and cranberry never fail to put me into a festive holiday mood.

In the past, I would stock up on holiday-scented candles to create the ambience of flickering light across a window sill or mantle. But buying scented candles meant I unknowingly brought chemicals into my home. While perfuming the air with Christmas fragrance, they also compromised my indoor air quality.

Candles warm a room literally and metaphorically, but can be lousy for our health. Consider this:

Conventional candles are made of paraffin wax, a byproduct of petroleum. When burned, this candle wax can be a respiratory irritant.

The artificial fragrance in most candles and potpourri is made from a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals. Artificially scented candles release toxic chemicals (such as formaldehyde and benzene – both of which are linked to cancer). Some may trigger or aggravate asthma and allergies, and may cause headaches.

Some candles have metal core wicks made of lead or lead-containing alloys. The wicks, once burned, may emit airborne lead and present a lead poisoning hazard to young children. These candles are now banned in the United States but may still be found knocking around in drawers, and imported candles may still have wicks with lead.

Even burning a candle with a wick that’s too long can release soot into your air, yet another respiratory irritant.

You can reduce soot by trimming the wick to a quarter inch and keeping the candle out of drafts. To avoid the chemical release of paraffin candles, try 100% soy or beeswax candles, which are scented with essential oils. Soy and beeswax candles are long-burning but release less soot and nothing toxic, and are renewable and biodegradable.

Now, I bring the holiday spirit into my home with soy candles and homemade potpourri. Take a combination of your favorites herbs and spices, like citrus peel, cinnamon sticks, cardamon or nutmeg, cranberry extract or juice, cloves, and plant or flower petals, to a small pot of water. Simmer it on the stove with the lid off and enjoy the fresh natural aromas.

Posted by Living A Whole Life on 11/04/2009 at 02:47 AM

Wonderful information. I stopped using wax candles a couple of years ago and feel better for it.

Karla

Posted by Cheryl Hill on 11/03/2009 at 10:23 AM

What a great article and I agree with the amazing aromas you can have in your home but do it in a way that is healthy for you and your family!

I personally have found one amazing candle line that is natural, healthy and a great alternative. You can visit the site by clicking on the URL I provided - I am sure you will fall in love with the natural yet amazing aromas they offer.

Thanks for sharing these wonderful tips -
Cheryl Hill

Posted by Kirsten@Nexyoo on 11/03/2009 at 08:37 AM

Mmm, I love the scent of mulled spices. Thanks for sharing the dangers of artificial fragrance. I think the real thing on the stove smells better than scented candles, so it’s a great alternative.

Posted by Kathy on 11/28/2008 at 03:09 PM

Great article… My favorite holiday trick: Simmer a pot of water with mulling spices on the stove on extra low heat. Smells like brewing cinnamon cider all day.

Posted by Rebecca on 11/25/2008 at 10:39 AM

Thanks for another great article. I was just trying to pass this information along to my family the other day. Now, I have a great article I can forward on to them! Happy Holidays!

More comments: