After defining HLF's mission, the first big hurdle at the beginning of this endeavor was to figure out what ingredients to use. Being new to the industry, I was overwhelmed with all of the "starter kits" out there and trying to figure out what types of wax were ACTUALLY natural and non-toxic. Although not as widely known as it should be, certain waxes can be quite hazardous to your health. Paraffin wax, for example, is a petroleum waste product that emits carcinogens into the air when burned. That means candles made with paraffin can release highly toxic chemicals, including benzene and toluene – both known carcinogens - into the air when lit. This combined with heavy loads of fragrance and other popular additives can be a pretty toxic concoction. The worst part? Paraffin wax is the most common wax used for candles in the US! Ever wonder why you get headaches or respiratory issues when you burn those big-box store candles?

According to the American Chemical Society, natural wax, like soy, is a much healthier alternative as it "does not release potentially harmful amounts of indoor air pollutants while retaining all of the warmth, ambience and fragrance of paraffin candles”. But guess what? Most soy candles on the market today are actually made with significant amounts of paraffin (makers like to call this a "soy blend") along with other ingredients like UV inhibitors to prevent fading, and Vybar, a polyalphaolefin added to enhance color and fragrance. All of which are completely unnecessary, and, you guessed it - toxic.

After all of my initial research, I choose to move forward with natural soy and coconut waxes, which I purchase separate (not as a blend) and pure (containing no additives or other waxes). The soy wax, because of it's non-toxic, clean-burning attributes, and the coconut wax to enhance the fragrance. Because let's be honest, who wants to burn a scented candle if you can't smell it?

I also learned, contrary to popular belief, that essential oils should not be used in candle making. This discovery almost made me throw in the towel because I was determined to use the healthiest ingredients and being an avid EO user, I thought there were no other options. But I found that not only can most essential oils release potentially toxic compounds when they come into contact with a flame (caused by changes to the molecular structure), they lose their beneficial health properties and scent when heated to a certain temperature. No benefits and no scent? Massive EO companies such as doTerra & Young Living even have this information published on their websites!

After a period of mourning (I am totally serious!) I set out to find an alternative: one that would allow me to make a clean candle that could be used around babies, pets, and people with allergies and sensitivities, AND actually fill the room with fragrance. And I did! But it hasn't been easy to find companies that make high quality fragrance oils (designed for burning in candles) that exceed industry standards by eliminating the use of chemicals found in most synthetic fragrance oils (carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, organ toxins, and acute toxins).

So while our candles may not be "ALL-NATURAL", they are intentionally crafted with very, VERY specific ingredients that are clean, non-toxic, and safe for the whole family!