Why Are Candles Giving You Headaches?

Why Are Candles Giving You Headaches?

Picture it, you just bought a beautiful new candle. You get it home, light it, and within 5-10 minutes you have a splitting headache. What a bummer! You are not alone, many candle lovers have this same issue and I'm here to tell you why. 

Paraffin Wax 

That's right, paraffin wax is contributing to those nasty headaches. Which is unfortunate because it's found in many big box store candles. While paraffin does have some benefits, the disadvantages can outweigh them.  Why is this?

Paraffin, unlike soy or coconut wax, contains two chemical compounds: Toluene and Benzene. These compounds are known to cause headaches, dizziness, upper respiratory, and eye irritation.

Sound familiar?

This can be an issue because many big box stores will advertise their candles as "soy", however, more times than not, they use a soy blend containing paraffin and vegetable wax. Sneaky, sneaky!

Phthalates in fragrances

Phthalates are a group of different chemicals found in plastics, cosmetics, insecticides, building materials, and more. When you burn a candle containing fragrances with phthalates in them, the chemicals become airborne. This is a problem because they have been shown to cause cancer in animals, mess with your hormonal system, and have been linked to the same kinds of issues you experience with Toluene and Benzene. If you'd like to read more about phthalates, click here.

How can you enjoy candles without the headache?

At Chill, Babe Candle Co, we pride ourselves on providing you with the experience of enjoying a candle without the headache! Our candles are made from a 100% coconut-soy blend and 100% soy wax melts. All of our fragrances are phthalate-free. 

To try them for yourself, hop over to our shop!

To learn more about us and our candles, head to our blog!