This is probably going to ruffle some feathers, but it all needs to be said...
Your candle wax isn't necessarily what's giving you headaches.
Sox wax isn't "better" than paraffin wax.
"Natural candles" literally don't exist.
...are you triggered?
GOOD!
Now let's talk about it!
There is a LOT of controversy over which wax(es) and/or candles are "the best/safest." And I totally get it - I don't want unnecessary toxins hanging around my home either!
BUT, did you know, when it comes to burning candles, the key factor to consider above and beyond all else, is the quality of the fragrance oils?
If you opt for candles with high-quality fragrance oils, you'll likely avoid many of the unnecessary chemicals (phthalates, carcinogens, mutagens, etc.) that cause those atrocious headaches. Wild, right?!
Furthermore, if you dig into the topic, there really aren't solid, scientific‐based studies that prove one candle wax is more "safe" to burn than another. It almost seems, when you dig beneath the surface, that all well-made candles, regardless of wax type, burn with the same/similar "clean" behavior (provided combustion occurs in a well-ventilated area).
So, no, soy wax really isn't "better" than paraffin wax. And, if you specifically think soy wax is more "eco-friendly" or "less processed" than paraffin wax...did you know that soy beans are technically a "biotech" (genetically modified) crop, which are mechanically pressed, refined and hydrogenated (heated and treated) to create soy wax?
Paraffin wax often gets a horrible rep from mainstream, keyboard warriors for being a petroleum product, but did you know it's derived from petroleum (separated from the oil) through a process of heating, crystallization, and cooling? That process saves material that would otherwise be thrown away.
Both waxes involve processing, and both waxes burn relatively clean under the proper conditions.
Overall, speaking as someone with a fire background, if you burn ANYTHING in your home...you can't technically call it "clean" or "toxin-free."
When you burn something, the combustion process releases carbon dioxide/monoxide, soot, and/or water. That's just science. There are byproducts that release into the air when you burn ANY candle (including other elements, if the candle is scented). So, to say any candle is "clean," well...that's just wordplay. What may effect the "cleanliness" of a candle is the quality of fragrance oil(s), length of the wick (which effects the soot emissions) and the ventilation where the candle is burning.
Now, all of this brings me to the subject of "natural candles."
If you look in the dictionary, "natural" is defined as, "Present in or produced by nature."
...I'm not sure if you've SEEN videos of candles being produced, but, certainly...they are not naturally produced in nature.
They are crafted, by humans, with multiple ingredients - ingredients which, I'd bargain to say, have undergone at least some form of refining, processing, etc. So...natural? Not by a long shot.
Please be assured, none of this information is written and shared to talk down to anyone or even to create nasty online arguments. Rather, it's shared with the intention that we ALL perform our own research, and not rely on hot "buzzwords" floating around the internet, like "all natural," "non-toxic," and "clean."
It's easy to create a pretty, aesthetic reels throwing around these terms and concepts, and it's common to find misinformation in the vast, worldwide web. In closing, may we all continue to do our part in researching and seeking truth, and may we all do our best to eliminate unnecessary toxins from our lives.
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