Why do I always seem to get headaches from my candles? Can I prevent this?
I alluded to it a bit in my last post (which you can read here) but one of the most common reasons people tell me they don’t burn candles is that candles give them headaches. There are a few key reasons why, so if that is what brought you here, stick around!
First, candle induced headaches is a very common problem. There have been many people across my years as a chandler tell me they don’t like using candles because they get headaches every time they light their candle. They’re usually referring to candles they purchase at a big box store. After speaking with them for a bit and letting them know the why behind their headaches, the ones who give my candles a go have always come back amazed they didn’t get headaches from them!
There could be a few reasons why you get headaches and all of them stem from the ingredients in the candle. First and most importantly, the candle wax is a huge culprit of headaches. Most box store candles you’ll see are made using a cheap paraffin wax. Paraffin is a byproduct of petroleum and is one of the biggest causes of candle induced headaches I’ve seen. Making the switch to a soy or other natural wax (i.e. beeswax, coconut, or apricot wax) will usually do the trick.
If you choose a natural wax but still get headaches from your candles, I’d say the next culprit is phthalates. There are very few regulations on fragrances and what goes into fragrance oils. Most brands of fragrance oils use phthalates as an emulsifier, which allows the fragrance to bond to the wax and burn properly. Unfortunately, phthalates can cause all kinds of irritations for a lot of people. Phthalates can cause shortness of breath, asthma-like symptoms, stuffy nose (rhinitis), and burning, itchy eyes when inhaled. Look for a label or website that indicates the candle maker uses phthalate-free ingredients. We at The TBR Collection always use phthalate-free ingredients when crafting our bookish scents.
Another hidden cause of headaches is the dyes used in mass candle making. Sometimes phthalates can be hidden in the dyes, but very sensitive people can just be picking up one more irritant from their burning candle. Every extra ingredient added to a candle is another chance for irritation to occur, which is why we steer clear of synthetic dyes in our candles.
Lastly, and this one is controversial, misuse of essential oils in candles can cause candle induced headaches. I know it seems counterintuitive that something natural like essential oils would cause headaches, but if someone hasn’t done the research they may not know that not all essential oils are safe to burn. Most essential oils, in their undiluted forms, are not safe to burn in candles. It’s very important to buy candle making supplies from a reputable candle supply store that has done the research and you can rest easy that your candle is safe to burn.
My favorite candle supply store is CandleScience because they go above and beyond the industry safety standards for all of their products. Their products are phthalate free, the essential oils are safe to burn, and I know it’s an overall great product that has been thoroughly researched.
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Yes please keep doing these! I'm learning so much!
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As always, if you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me (Mackenzie) by email, text, or phone at hello@thetbrcollection.com or (513)268-6478.
I hope your next read is 5 stars!
XO,
Mackenzie
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