As the holiday season swiftly approaches, I was thinking "didn't we just do this?" Did I actually say that? What I meant to say is, "ditch the scented candles." Once again, I'm not an expert here, but it doesn't take an expert to know that something is wrong when you get a splitting headache after walking past the Yankee Candle shop. Now to put things into perspective, I am a bit sensitive, some might even say neurotic. I'll stick with sensitive. However you want to slice it, maybe my neurosis is like the canary in the coal mine; a good litmus test for all things bad. Fragrance oil scented candles are nasty little pillars of wax. I admit, some of them do smell good. It's hard to get a natural candle that smells like fresh baked cookies. There's a price, though. Did you know that fragrance oils consist of hundreds of synthetic chemicals. As stated in one article, "95% of the chemicals found in these oils are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, and include chemicals such as benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and others capable causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions."In an effort to have a healthy home, eliminating fragrance oil scented candles makes sense. Who knows, you might get wild and crazy and eliminate scented laundry detergent and bath and beauty products too. There is an alternative to synthetic fragrance oils. You can make sure to buy products that contain essential oils. These are oils that are mostly steam distilled from plants and flowers to create a very intense, pure oil. When used correctly, these oils can smell amazing and actually have therapeutic and medicinal benefits. Fortunately, I have an addiction to Etsy and was able to locate a soy candle maker who sticks with essential oils only. I also love that they are eco-friendly! Happy shopping...
