One of my favorite things to do during the shorter days of winter is to light candles and cuddle up on the couch, but did you know that some candles release toxic chemicals into your air?

Unfortunately, many candles are made with paraffin wax which creates highly toxic benzene and toluene when burned (both are known carcinogens). Some wicks have even been known to contain heavy metals, which are then released into the air when burned. And don’t even get me started with synthetic fragrances, which are some of the most toxic ingredients in your personal care products, and yes your candles too! To read up a bit more on why you’d want to permanently kick traditional candles to the curb, read these articles from Huffington Post and Wellness Mama.

What is one to do? Live without the magic that candles bring? No way!

Healthier candles to the rescue!

For years I didn’t have very many candles because I knew traditional ones weren’t good for me, and I also didn’t want to fork over 12 bucks for just one puny candle! By finally ordering natural ingredients to make my own candles, and by using old candle holders, I was able to make 10 candles for under $25, plus have supplies left over for future candles! I will never go back to buying candles ever again, and neither should you!

Reuse and Upcycle

I took used, half burned candles, put them in a pan with water and melted down the old wax. I then poured out the wax, popped out the old wick with a fork and wiped out the melted wax with a paper towl to make good as new votives! I was then able to put in a new wick and wax to make a completely new candle. You can do this with any of your old candles!

Ingredient Options

Soy wax is a great option for making candles. It is all-natural, burns clean and is sold at an affordable price.

Bees wax is also another great option for candle making. It’s price point is a bit higher, however, there are other health properties that bees wax offers, besides burning clean. Beeswax candles emit negative ions, which help reduce positively charged ions in the air, thus helping improve indoor air quality. Positive ions are generated by things such as electrical devices, heating and cooling systems and simply walking around on carpet. Positive ions affect air quality because they carry dust and pollen into the air, thus into your lungs. Negative ions, on the other hand, are heavier molecules so they weigh down the positive ions and what they are carrying, so that you no longer have to breathe them in!

Essential Oils are a great addition to home made candles, however, I’ve found that it takes quite a lot of oil to really be able to smell it when burning your candle. Heating essential oils also reduces their therapeutic properties. I did scent the candles I was giving away as gifts, for those who do not have diffusers, however, when I burn my candles at home, I prefer to use my diffuser if I want a scent. The diffuser is very effective at getting a wonderful scent throughout my whole home for hours with only 5 drops of essential oils; plus I get to experience the full therapeutic properties of the oils. If you don’t have a diffuser, check out my Essential Oils Guide, which explains how Young Living includes one in their Essential Oil Starter Kit! It’s the best value for 11 oils and a diffuser!

Scent Ideas

For either scenting your candles or diffusing.

Christmas: Christmas spirit, Thieves, Peppermint with stress away (makes a vanilla mint scent)

Relaxation: Lavender, Cedarwood

Sexy time (scents that act as an aphrodisiac): Jasmine, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Ylang-ylang