Are Candles Good?

The days are getting shorter and the need for light indoors is greater.  I love candles, they can create a beautiful atmosphere of peace and tranquility but just recently I found out that not all candles are healthy and some can actually pollute the air inside our homes.  So I investigated and this is what I found.

Most "budget" candles major ingredient is paraffin wax, a petroleum product (yes ladies, the same stuff that beauticians insist in putting in our feet and hands to make them softer).

Paraffin wax releases chemicals when burned.  The soot/fumes are similar to that released from a diesel engine.  This obviously can contribute to serious respiratory issues like asthma.

(Just to add up to this horrible picture I'll add a list of some 
chemicals that are also found in synthetic candles.  Here it goes...Acetone, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene, Trichlorofluoromethane, Tetrachloroethene):-(

Then there is the wicks..."According to the EPA’s research, “Candles with lead wicks have the potential to generate indoor airborne lead concentrations of health concern.  It is also possible for consumers to unknowingly purchase candles containing lead wick cores and repeatedly expose themselves to harmful amounts of lead through regular candle-burning".

So enough with the nasty stuff, lets find alternatives.

A bit more expensive but totally healthy are soy candles that burn  up to 30 to 50 percent longer than budget ones, and beeswax candles that last up to three times longer than paraffin and twice as long as soy candles of the same size.

So please, please, read the labels and enjoy your "good" candles.