The 11 Best Non-Toxic Candles to Gift (…or Keep)
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I recently heard candles described as an accessible luxury. Maybe I’m easily amazed, but isn’t that insightful? It sums up why candles feel like such a treat and serve as such lovely gifts: they’re little luxuries. Indeed, few things can make a space smell, look, and feel so good so quickly as a high-quality candle. But before we get into some choice options for your or your gift recipient’s home… why non-toxic candles?
The idea is that rather than burn paraffin candles (which are made of petroleum and make up the large majority of candles today) we can choose more natural options. These include things like soy and coconut wax, which are thought to be better for our health and the environment. Many more thoughts on that, and fragrances, can be found at the bottom of this post.
What makes these the ‘best’ non-toxic candles?
The options in this post are made from plant-based waxes (so they’re clean and vegan), cotton wicks, and high-quality fragrances. They were also chosen for their looks, so you can proudly display them post-burn or give them as beautiful gifts. They were crafted by good and wholesome brands, whether small-batch makers, woman-owned and -run companies, or brands that give back. So you can have all the good smells and feels. Let’s do it!
The Best Non-Toxic Candles
1. Anecdote Candles
Fun, evocative scents
PHOTOS: ANECDOTE CANDLES
Anecdote Candles offer a fun departure from your average candle scents: they tell tiny stories that capture different moods, moments, and feelings. Like Snow Day, which, “smells like a change of plans and a cup of cocoa.” (And brown sugar and sandalwood.) Fun!
Price Per Candle: $26 to $34
Scent Profiles: Evocative of specific moods and moments
Product Line: Candles, customizable candles, gift sets, wick trimmer, candle snuffer
2. Arbor Made
Stylish, refillable candles
PHOTOS: ARBOR MADE
If you’re tired of accumulating candle vessels, a refillable candle might be just the ticket. Arbor Made’s silicone jars let you insert your scent of choice. Once you’ve burned it (for up to 35 hours), you can pop out the little puck left at the bottom, and add your next refill in. This process creates exactly zero glass jars to find something to do with. Arbor Made donates 1% of profits to charity for every candle refill sold.
Price Per Candle: $18 per refill ($48 for reusable jar)
Scent Profiles: Nature-inspired and seasonal
Product Line: Jars, candle refills, wick care kit, matchbox, jar cleaner
3. Corduroy Lane
Coziness in candle form
PHOTOS: CORDUROY LANE
A light thunderstorm, a Rainy Day Reading candle, and a cup of something warm and sweet… does anything sound more lovely and restful? Corduroy Lane has truly perfected the cozy candle game. They also offer beautiful, personalizable gift boxes.
Price Per Candle: $22 to $30
Scent Profiles: Pure coziness
Product Line: Candles, glass bottles of matches, customizable gift boxes with candles + matches
4. East Fork Pottery
Earthy scents in beloved clay vessels
PHOTOS: EAST FORK POTTERY
Candle wax poured by Joya Studio into a stunning clay vessel made by East Fork Pottery—the best of both worlds? I should say so. Burn those glorious scents, like Forage Moon and Nightcap, and then enjoy the high-quality clay vessel for many moons thereafter.
Price Per Candle: $32 to $68
Scent Profiles: Rich, earthy, and grounding
Product Line: Candles, candle sampler (with matches), candle holders
5. Franca NYC
Planter candles
PHOTOS: FRANCA NYC
If you love plants and candles, get hyped! These works of art from Franca NYC (made in collaboration with Brooklyn Candle Studio) serve first as candles and then as ornate little planters. A full sustainable circle.
Price Per Candle: $65
Scent Profiles: Simple and rich, like Cypress Tree (cypress, fir balsam, and juniper)
Product Line: Planter candles
6. Grand Candles
Clean, minimalist candles in a range of scents
PHOTOS: GRAND CANDLES
With scents ranging from Lemon Pound Cake to Fallen Leaves, Grand Candles Co. has a candle for any occasion. They offer clear or amber glass depending on your preferences, and all their candles (other than minis) have 2-3 wicks for an even burn.
Price Per Candle: $8 to $26
Scent Profiles: Wide range, from baked goods to botanical
Product Line: Candles, wax melts
7. Grow Fragrance
Refillable candle with fully plant-based fragrances
PHOTOS: GROW FRAGRANCE
Grow Fragrance offers handmade, pure concrete vessels that are chic and ready for candle refills. The refills themselves are made from recycled (and fully recyclable) aluminum, filled with soy and coconut wax, and scented with 100% plant-based fragrances.
Price Per Candle: $24 per refill ($36 for vessel + refill)
Scent Profiles: Seasonal and nature-inspired
Product Line: Vessels, candle refills, gift sets
8. Hemlock Park
Luxurious scents and illustrated vessels
PHOTOS: HEMLOCK PARK
Hemlock Park candles are known for their handcrafted quality, crackling wood wicks, and luxurious, nature-inspired scents. Each candle is thoughtfully designed, and perfect if you love a minimalist, nature-centric aesthetic. Hemlock Park also plants a tree for every purchase!
Price Per Candle: $14 to $40
Scent Profiles: Upscale and nature-inspired
Product Line: Candles, candle sets, diffusers, room sprays
9. KOBO
A range of highly giftable candles
PHOTOS: KOBO
KOBO offers several different collections of soy wax candles, each with a different theme. Their best-selling Plant The Box™ collection features seed-infused packaging that grows the plant (or herb or flower) that the candle’s scent is based upon. Their collections span looks and feels, so you can find just the thing.
Price Per Candle: $33 to $53
Scent Profiles: A wide range of themes, from plants to road trips
Product Line: Candles, gift sets, diffusers, room sprays
10. Maison Bohiti
Chic, decorative candles
PHOTOS: MAISON BOHITI
If you love a good wax sculpture, Maison Bohiti is the candle maker for the job. You can technically burn these works of art if you’re so inclined; they just recommend limiting burn time to 4 hours, with the candle placed on a tray or dish. Oh, so stylish.
Price Per Candle: $9 to $72
Scent Profiles: Their decorative candles are unscented, but they do have some scented varieties
Product Line: Decorative candles in a range of shapes and styles
11. Ritual + Fancy
Plant & flower-infused candles
PHOTOS: RITUAL + FANCY
Ritual + Fancy is a small-batch, woman-run company that hand-pours its lovely candles in Portland, Oregon. They are as pretty inside as they are out, and perfect if you love a little pizazz and botanical goodness in your candles.
Price Per Candle: $15 to $36
Scent Profiles: Botanical and seasonal
Product Line: Candles, candle sets
Are Certain Candles Really Toxic?
Given that “non-toxic candles” exist, you might fairly reason that “toxic candles” must also exist. #logic. But what does the science tell us?
Most candles on the market today are made from paraffin, which is a petroleum byproduct. A Consumer Reports article explains, “Paraffin-based candles have been found to release a number of toxins, including benzene and toluene, while research has shown that soy wax candles burn slower and produce less soot, Amanda [Dilger, MD] says.” The article also notes that more research is needed on different candle types.
An article from Verywell Health that interviews toxicologist Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor says, “Petroleum products can produce large amounts of soot and other polluting compounds when they burn, but research suggests that soy candles release less smoke, soot, and formaldehyde.”
Meanwhile, the National Candle Association dismisses the notion that some candles are safer than others, saying, “All types of quality candle waxes have been shown to burn cleanly, safely and in the same manner.” However, as a trade association advocating for candle companies (who make all types of candles), it’s possible they’re biased.
From an environmental perspective, the consensus seems to be that avoiding petroleum products, including paraffin candles, is better for the earth. Others argue that since paraffin is a byproduct, using it for candles prevents it from going to waste. But that seems like a slippery slope.
So, although “toxic” might be a bit of a stretch, there are solid sources saying that soy and other natural candles are a healthier option than paraffin. (Especially if you have underlying conditions like asthma or allergies that may make you more sensitive to pollutants.)
And, nitty gritty aside, I think it just feels better to burn plants instead of petroleum in our homes. Call me crazy!
What About Fragrances?
If you’re in the market for the best non-toxic candles, you may wonder about fragrances. Are natural better than synthetic? How readily available are high-quality, naturally-scented candles?
When I started this post, I assumed I would only feature candles scented with natural ingredients, like essential oils. But the deeper I dug, the more I realized: even the cleanest, most sustainable and ethical brands scent their candles with fragrance oils. And these oils almost always include both natural and synthetic fragrances.
So let’s take a step back. First, it’s important to remember that something isn’t necessarily better just because it’s natural. (In fact, when we suggest that natural is automatically better, it’s called the appeal to nature fallacy.)
The general concern with synthetic fragrances in candles is that they may release potentially harmful chemicals when burned, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, the levels at which these chemicals are emitted from candles are likely too low to be harmful to our health (unless you have a sensitivity). And here’s the kicker: essential oils have VOCs too.
This question is also complex because synthetic fragrances offer real benefits over natural ones: they tend to be purer, more stable, more cost-effective, and arguably more sustainable (if natural fragrances require harvesting scarce resources). Synthetic options allow for vegan versions of traditionally animal-based scents, like musks. And they also open up a world of scent options that wouldn’t be possible with the use of only natural fragrances.
How to Find Better Fragrances
Despite the complexity in the natural vs. synthetic fragrance debate, there are still some clean criteria to look for in your candles, regardless of how they’re scented. These include things like phthalate-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, cruelty-free, petroleum-free, dye-free, additive-free, and IFRA-compliant (following international fragrance safety standards). The options in this post were chosen for adhering to such standards.
The bottom line? As with any category, look for brands that want to tell you all about their ingredients and processes; it’s a good sign. If you don’t have a sensitivity to scents and have a well-ventilated set-up, you should be okay burning your thoughtfully-made candles that feature a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients. And if you prefer fully natural scents, try Grow Fragrance.
If you are sensitive to scents, consider opting for an unscented candle. These still offer the ambience, comfort, and warmth that we all know and love, minus potential irritants. You can find unscented options at Arbor Made and Maison Bohiti.
