Non Toxic Candles: What to Look for and 7 Clean Brands We Love
Nobody wants to be told their favorite candle scent is toxic.
You light them to relax. To make your home smell warm. To set a mood. The last thing you want is someone telling you they’re filling your air with chemicals. We get it. We burned the Target candles for years too.
But here’s the thing: not all candles are created equal. Some are genuinely clean. Some are essentially air fresheners in wax form, releasing synthetic fragrance, soot, and volatile organic compounds every time you light them. The difference comes down to three things: the wax, the wick, and the scent. Nail those three and you can burn non toxic candles guilt-free.
What Makes a Candle Toxic (or Not)
Most conventional candles have three problems.
The Wax
Paraffin wax is the standard in most candles you’ll find at big box stores. It’s derived from petroleum (the same stuff that makes gasoline). When burned, paraffin releases toluene and benzene, both known carcinogens. A 2009 study from South Carolina State University found that paraffin candles released harmful chemicals at levels that could contribute to health risks with regular use.
Soy wax burns cleaner. It’s plant-based, produces less soot, and doesn’t release the same petroleum byproducts. However, “soy blend” is different from “100% soy.” A blend can be mostly paraffin with just enough soy to put “soy” on the label.
Beeswax is the cleanest option. It burns the longest, produces the least soot, and actually purifies the air by releasing negative ions (the same ones you feel near a waterfall or after a rainstorm). The downside: it’s the most expensive and has a naturally honey-like scent that limits fragrance options.
Coconut wax is the newer player. Clean burn, excellent scent throw (how well the candle fills a room with fragrance), and renewable. Many of the best non toxic candles now use a coconut-soy blend for performance and clean burning.
The Wick
Lead-core wicks were banned in the U.S. in 2003, but some imported candles still use metal-core wicks with zinc or tin. When burned, metal wicks can release trace metals into your air.
Cotton wicks and wood wicks are what you want. Both burn clean. Wood wicks have that satisfying crackle sound. Cotton is the standard in most non toxic candles.
How to check: if the wick has a thin wire inside it, that’s a metal core. A clean wick is all fabric or all wood.
The Scent
This is the big one. “Fragrance” on a candle label works the same way it does on a perfume label. It’s a catch-all term that can hide dozens of synthetic chemicals. These chemicals vaporize when heated and enter your air.
Synthetic fragrance in candles can contain phthalates, aldehydes, and other VOCs. When you burn a candle with synthetic fragrance in a closed room, you’re breathing those compounds for hours.
Essential oils are plant-derived and don’t carry the same chemical load. The scent throw tends to be lighter (you won’t smell them from three rooms away), but the air quality trade-off is worth it.
Fragrance oils labeled “clean” or “phthalate-free” fall in the middle. Some non toxic candle brands use specially formulated fragrance oils that exclude the worst offenders. These tend to have stronger scent throw than essential oils while being significantly cleaner than conventional synthetic fragrance.
7 Non Toxic Candle Brands We Love
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1. Fontana Candle Company
Fontana Candle Company makes small-batch candles with 100% soy wax, cotton wicks, and essential oils exclusively. No fragrance oils at all. If ingredient purity is your top priority, this is the brand.
Wax: 100% soy
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: Essential oils only
Price: $22-$30
Best scent: Lavender Eucalyptus (calming, spa-like, not overpowering)
Scent throw: Medium. You’ll smell it in the room, not in the next room. Perfect for bedrooms and bathrooms.
2. Keap
Keap uses a coconut-soy wax blend with cotton wicks. Their fragrances are designed by a perfumer and use a mix of essential oils and clean fragrance oils (all ingredients disclosed). Beautiful packaging. These are the non toxic candles you give as gifts.
Wax: Coconut-soy blend
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: Essential oils + clean fragrance oils (full ingredient list published)
Price: $30-$38
Best scent: Wood Cabin (cedarwood, vanilla, black pepper. Smells exactly like the name.)
Scent throw: Strong. Fills a living room easily.
3. P.F. Candle Co.
P.F. Candle Co. makes soy candles with cotton wicks and domestically sourced fragrance oils that are phthalate-free and paraben-free. Their amber jar is iconic. You’ve probably seen it on someone’s shelf already.
Wax: 100% soy
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: Phthalate-free fragrance oils
Price: $20-$36
Best scent: Teakwood & Tobacco (warm, unisex, the crowd favorite). Amber & Moss (earthy, fresh, outdoorsy).
Scent throw: Strong. One of the best scent throws in the clean candle space.
4. Brooklyn Candle Studio
Brooklyn Candle Studio hand-pours in small batches using 100% soy wax and cotton wicks. Their minimalist label design is clean and modern. Phthalate-free fragrance oils. Great range of sophisticated scents that don’t smell like a candle aisle.
Wax: 100% soy
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: Phthalate-free fragrance oils
Price: $26-$34
Best scent: Love (jasmine, grapefruit, cedarwood). Catskills (pine, eucalyptus, like a mountain cabin).
Scent throw: Medium to strong.
5. Bee & Willow (for Beeswax Lovers)
For those who want the purest option, pure beeswax candles are hard to beat. Beeswax Co. makes 100% pure beeswax candles with cotton wicks and no added fragrance. The natural honey scent is subtle and warm. These burn longer than any other wax type per ounce.
Wax: 100% beeswax
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: Natural beeswax (no added fragrance)
Price: $18-$35
Best for: People who want zero fragrance additives. Bedrooms. Meditation spaces.
Burn time: Longest of any option. Beeswax burns significantly slower than soy or paraffin.
6. Vitruvi
Vitruvi is better known for their essential oil diffusers, but their candle line is worth knowing about. Coconut-soy blend, cotton wicks, scented exclusively with essential oils. The ceramic vessels double as planters or storage after the candle is done.
Wax: Coconut-soy blend
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: Essential oils only
Price: $36-$48
Best scent: Retreat (bergamot, eucalyptus, frankincense)
Scent throw: Light to medium. These are subtle. If you want a candle that fills a large room, this isn’t it. If you want something calming on your nightstand, perfect.
7. Grow Fragrance
Grow Fragrance takes an interesting approach. Their candles use soy and coconut wax with 100% plant-based fragrance (not essential oils, but plant-derived scent molecules). The result: stronger scent throw than most essential oil candles, but still entirely plant-based with no synthetic chemicals.
Wax: Soy-coconut blend
Wick: Cotton
Scent source: 100% plant-based fragrance
Price: $28-$34
Best scent: Lavender Blossom (genuine lavender, not that fake dryer-sheet version)
Scent throw: Medium to strong. The plant-based fragrance technology gives these a noticeable scent without synthetic chemicals.
Candles Are Just One Fragrance Source
Your candles are covered. But cleaning products, air fresheners, and personal care items all contain synthetic fragrance too. The 7-Day Non-Toxic Kickstart covers one simple swap a day across your whole home.
How to Choose
If ingredient purity is non-negotiable: Fontana (essential oils only) or beeswax candles (no fragrance additives at all).
If you want strong scent throw: P.F. Candle Co. or Keap. Both fill a room effectively.
If you’re buying a gift: Keap or Brooklyn Candle Studio. Beautiful packaging, sophisticated scents.
If budget matters: P.F. Candle Co. ($20 for a good-sized jar) or watch for Fontana sales.
If you want the most sustainable option: Beeswax (renewable, longest burn) or Vitruvi (reusable vessel).
The DIY Option
If you already have essential oils, making non toxic candles is straightforward.
What you need:
- Soy wax flakes (about $15 for enough to make 6+ candles)
- Cotton wicks with metal base tabs
- Essential oils (20-30 drops per candle)
- Mason jars or recycled containers
- A double boiler (or a pot with a glass bowl on top)
Basic process:
- Melt soy wax flakes in the double boiler
- Remove from heat, let cool to about 135 degrees
- Add essential oils and stir
- Place wick in container, pour wax slowly
- Let cool completely (at least 24 hours for best results)
Total cost per candle: about $3-$5. Compare that to $20-$48 for the brands above. One batch of supplies makes candles for months.
Quick-Reference: What to Check Before You Buy
Three questions. Takes 30 seconds in the store.
1. What’s the wax? Look for 100% soy, coconut, or beeswax. If it says “soy blend” or doesn’t specify, it’s likely cut with paraffin.
2. What’s the wick? Cotton or wood. If the label doesn’t say, check the wick physically. All fabric or wood is good. Thin wire inside is not.
3. What’s the scent source? Essential oils, plant-based fragrance, or phthalate-free fragrance oils. If it just says “fragrance,” that’s the catch-all term with no transparency.
Non toxic candles that pass all three checks are everywhere now. You don’t have to give up candles. You just have to choose better ones.
Save For Later
For tips on improving your indoor air quality beyond just candles (ventilation, plants, off-gassing, and more), check out our guide on how to improve indoor air quality.
Save This For Later
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