Identifying a Clean Candle: Part 3- Dyes and Fragrances

This blog post is part 3 in a series.  Click here to read part 1 and here to read part 2.

Candle additives such as dyes and fragrances are non-essential ingredients in a candle, but they are the things that attract people to purchase a candle.  This area of ingredients is where a manufacturers’ claim of purity can be questionable as most of these additives are synthetic (chemicals) and may contain toxins.

In the beginning, Way Out Wax started out making brightly colored, psychedelic, tie-dyed “kaleidoscope” candles (pictured above) almost 20 years ago.  But, soon after the company began, the owner became increasingly aware that the brightly colored candle his company was producing were not consistent with the healthy, environmentally friendly lifestyles of those who created them.  Check out the full story of Way Out Wax’s history here.

Ever since that farewell to chemical dyes at Way Out Wax, we’ve been searching for and testing candle dyes that claim to be “all-natural” to no avail.  Bekro, the largest candle color supplier has even been quoted as saying that unfortunately, all-natural candle dyes just don’t exist.

Although there are natural, organic and plant derived dyes used in soaps and cosmetics, these are all water-soluble and candle dyes need to be oil-soluble.  Candle dyes are usually aniline dyes (chemical) with very scary MSDS (Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet).  Therefore, we choose not to use them in our candles as we choose health over aesthetics.  We know that everything that is put into a candle is eventually dissipated into the air and inhaled by you, your pets, and your loved ones.  If a brightly colored candle claims to have its color derived from an “all-natural” or “eco-friendly” dye, we encourage you to ask the manufacturer for more information about the origins and contents of that dye.

That being said, some of our candles are not the pure white of the wax and take on the subtle color of the essential oil that they contain.  If you look at the below picture, you’ll see that our patchouli votives have a brownish tinge. This coloring is from the patchouli essential oil, which is brown, although the color can vary a bit from batch to batch.  Other essential oils we use, such as orange, which is pressed from the orange peel, can also give the candle slight variations in color.

Speaking of essential oils, when it comes to candle scents, be aware of the distinct difference between a “fragrance oil” vs. an “essential oil.”  Essential oils are extracted directly from parts of a plant and have therapeutic properties.  Fragrance oils may be made of synthetic chemicals mixed with some form of natural oils or may be completely synthetic.  Again, this is something we would strongly encourage you to question the candle maker about.

In this 2001 study, the EPA reported that synthetic fragrances were shown to cause “possible mutagenic and genotoxic effects.”  Synthetic fragrances have also been shown to contain hormone disruptors which are linked to abnormal cell reproduction and may result in tumor growth.  These chemically-derived fragrances can also trigger allergy-like symptoms and respiratory distress for thousands of people with fragrance sensitivities.  According to this study from the University of West Georgia,  over 30% of the U.S. population reported adverse effects (such as headaches, sneezing, runny nose, etc.) from exposure to synthetically scented products.

True aromatherapy products will use only pure botanical therapeutic grade essential oils.  Aura Cacia is a reputable supplier of these oils and by visiting their web site you can learn about many of the scents that are available as essential oils.  Candles with scents such as “pumpkin spice,” “sugar cookie,”  and “ocean waves” will all be created using synthetic fragrances, as there are no botanical or essential oils of those scents in nature.

Although it is much more costly, we choose to only use essential oils to scent our candles.  Visit this page to learn why we feel so strongly about this and check out this blog post to learn why we don’t offer some of the most popular candle scents: vanilla, jasmine and rose.

If walls had ears…

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They’d have heard their fair share of music and laughter from our crew over the last 16 years!

Today we shut the door to the old factory on Harrel Street for the last time.

Moving often brings a nostalgic, bittersweet mix of emotions and a decade and a half in one space is a long time.   While we are so excited for all that the future holds, we feel it is important to stop and reflect.

A constantly evolving (and sometimes revolving) set of folks have spent months or years at Harrel Street and, together, we became part of a funky and fragrant mythology.   Over the years, we’ve employed glass blowers, carpenters, crafters, painters, storytellers, skydivers, comedians, inventors and many damn fine candlemakers.  Not always, but sometimes (more often than the national average!), there is just the right mix of music, world views, life experiences and timing to produce a sort of alchemical environment.  I am honored to say that we experienced this phenomenon in multiple manifestations.   You know who you are!

So, today, we are thinking back on all the fine folks that have been along for the ride.   With a pitcher of hot wax in hand, we’ve probed the mysteries of the universe and all grown up a little along the way.  It is with a grateful heart that we think of all you Waxers, both past and present!  Please know that today we sang a song and danced a dance in your honor.

Hey diddle diddle
to the people in the middle
we got HOT WAX
and it’s cookin’ on the griddle
Got the guitar strummin’
the drummer drummin’
the people all hummin’
and the vibe was lovin’
on and on and on
’til the breakadawn

(- Michael Franti)

It’s official.  We’ve packed up our aromatic carnival and headed north. Come visit us at our lovely new digs.  We’ve got lots of memories to create!

Identifying a Clean Candle: Part 2- Wax

This blog is part 2 in a series.  Click here to read part 1 and here to read part 3.

There are many different options and variations in quality when it comes to the type of wax candles are made out of.  Beeswax candles have been used for thousands of years, have a lovely sweet smell and are known to burn very clean and ionize the air (as long as there isn’t lead in the wick!).  The downfall is that beeswax candles can be quite expensive.  Lower cost waxes are now readily available.  Examples such as paraffin and vegetable waxes (palm and soy) have become quite popular.

Paraffin wax is a naturally occurring by-product and gets a bad rap in the candle world.  It’s true that burning low quality (i.e., unrefined) paraffin wax candles emits soot, particulates and other potential toxins but some paraffin waxes are very clean burning.  If a candle is made with paraffin wax, be sure to ask the candle maker if it is highly refined food grade paraffin (the same stuff used to seal home made jam jars and in hand dips at spas), where all of the mineral oil, which is the primary cause of air pollution concerns from this type of candle, has been removed.

Soy and palm waxes are made through hydrogenating the vegetable oils and when candles made from these waxes are burned properly, are known to be very clean with low soot and particulates.  Here at Way Out Wax we use palm wax in our pillar candle blend.  Our container candles are all 100% soy wax and we go one step above and beyond with our soy wax, ensuring not only a clean burn, but that the soybeans used to make the wax are grown by American farmers and is pesticide and GMO-free!

Stay tuned for future parts and thanks for reading!

Identifying a “Clean” Candle: Part I-Wicks

The candle industry is mostly unregulated with regards to claims of things being “clean,” “organic,” and “natural,” which makes life difficult as a consumer to decipher what may be a questionable claim of purity from an honest one.

Metal in candle wicks, poor quality waxes and synthetic ingredients may all contribute to indoor air quality concerns and increase soot production which can be deposited on walls and ceilings and affect the value of your home – not to mention, the potential affects on your respiratory system.  People with asthma,  COPD concerns and chemical sensitivities may be particularly affected by burning poor quality candles.

The best way to ensure that you are actually buying a clean and healthy candle is to educate yourself.  We want to help you become an informed, savvy, consumer so we put together this series of blog posts to help you understand what to look for and what questions to ask a candle maker when shopping for a high quality, clean burning candle.

At its most basic, a candle consists of wax and a wick.  Other ingredients are sometimes added to the basic candle recipe for aesthetics (such as dyes), aroma (essential oils and/or fragrance oils), and enhancement (chemicals that intensify fragrance and/or increase the burn time of the candle or make it burn brighter).  We’ll touch on each of these elements through this blog series and discuss how the type and quality of each ingredient can factor into how “clean” the final product is.

It is now illegal for candles produced in the United States to put lead in candle wicks due to the toxicity when burning, but it used to be a common practice.  The reason to put metal in wicks is to help the wick stay upright and centered as the candle burns and prevent it from going limp and create burning challenges.  In a manufacturing environment, it is time consuming to manually manipulate every wick, so having lead in the wicks made it a more efficient process.  Cost concerns overrode health concerns.

Consider this for a moment… there are thousands, maybe millions, of candles being imported into the United States everyday from places that do not have regulations about lead in candle wicks.  Is it possible that all of the candles are all being checked for lead before making it onto store shelves?  Our best advice for you is know where your candles come from!

Some candle manufacturers may use other metals such as zinc and tin in wicks, which is legal to do, but this is largely untested and their safety is unknown.  There is also a possibility that the zinc and tin used may contain traces of lead impurities.  An easy way to test for lead in a candle wick is to take an ordinary piece of white paper and rub it on the tip of an unburned wick.  If the wick leaves a gray, pencil-like mark, there is lead in it, if not, it’s lead-free.  Here at Way Out Wax, we don’t mess around with metals in our wicks.  We choose to only use unbleached cotton or hemp wicks with a paper core in our candles.  Visit this link to read the results of a 2001 EPA study on candles as potential sources of indoor air pollution.

This post is part 1 of a series on identifying a clean candle.  Click here to read part 2 and here to read part 3 and as always, thanks for reading!

Loving the Bug Out!… all-natural insect repellent candles and sprays

We’re all grateful for the long days and peaceful nights of summer!  What’s on our to-do list this season?  Everything from hiking, camping, swimming and boating to BBQ’s, beach and birthday parties.  Summer in Vermont is so short and we all try and get outside when the weather is nice as much as possible.

To make all of these activities enjoyable, it’s essential that we bring along insect repellent!  Think citronella or DEET are your only options?  Think again!  Way Out Wax offers 3 varieties of all-natural insect repellent candles (for patios, BBQs, beach, etc.) and sprays (for when you’re on the move) that really work.

Our Bug Out candles are made with our non-GMO soy wax and contain only pure essential oils.  The Bug Out sprays are water-based and also only contain pure essential oils.  NO CHEMICALS OR SYNTHETIC INGREDIENTS!  These are safe to use on children and pets as well (avoid contact with the eyes!).  Apply liberally and often for best results.

Here’s the rundown on your scent options:

• Original: cedarwood, thyme, peppermint, rosemary and wintergreen essential oils.
• Geranium: rosemary, lemongrass and geranium essential oils.
• Hemp citronella: lemongrass and citronella essential oils plus hemp seed oil.

So get out and enjoy the summer with our Bug Out candles and sprays!  Check out the video above and then YOU decide… would you rather be buggin’ out or hanging’ out?

Organic Aromatherapy Soy Wax Candles from Way Out Wax!

Did you know that Way Out Wax makes an organic candle?  We created our True Organics line for the conscious consumer who wants to incorporate organics into all aspects of their lifestyle.

What makes these candles organic, you ask?  Great question!  Well, we start with certified non-GMO, pesticide-free soy wax (soy wax itself can’t be certified organic due to the change in chemical structure that occurs when converting soybean oil into a wax- but this is as close to organic as it gets!), then we add 100% certified organic essential oils, a cotton or hemp wick and THAT’S IT!  These candles are all meticulously handcrafted in our Vermont factory, just like the rest of our candles!  Once again, Way Out Wax is setting industry standards for excellence, environmental stewardship and innovative, uncompromising aromatherapy. We invite you to join us in supporting sustainable agriculture and socially responsible, earth-friendly business practices through your purchase of True Organics!

There are 6 amazing scents available in this line.

Jupiter Grove: Calming and soothing lavender meets uplifting and balancing valencia orange.

Zanzibar Mint: Spicy ginger blends with the cooling and uplifting notes of peppermint in a sophisticate, tantalizing concoction.

Sol Tranquility: Refreshing, sparkling citrus notes of Argentinian lemon, Australian litsea cubeba, white ginger peel, and spicy cinnamon bark dance with soothing base notes of lavender flowers to create a whimsical aromatherapy experience.

Oriental Jade: A majestic oriental fragrance which incorporates top notes of Orange Blossom (a representation of good fortune) and Chinese cinnamon bark with a heart of rose geranium and palmarosa enrobed in ylang ylang, warm patchouli, cedarwood and evergreen cypress.

Sicilian Mandarin: Zesty and tangy… a crisp base of green and red mandarin peel with a swirl of pink rose encompassed in a rich citrus melange of Brazilian orange, Argentinian lemon, and passionate pink grapefruit.

Mediterranean Sunrise: A sparkling top not of peppermint and litsea cubeba with a melange of bergamot, lemon, orange and pink grapefruit complemented by a heart of rose and warm palmarose kissed by a hint of sweet ylang.

Choose from three recycled and reusable containers (7.5 ounce frosted tumbler, 11ounce recycled glass and 8 ounce travel tin) with a choice between two label designs for each scent.  One design track is graphically based on a fleur-de-lis pattern, with organic lines and a color palette that follows the ancient spice route.  The second design track is based upon a set of six original watercolor paintings completed exclusively for and inspired by the organic essential oils line.  The paintings and designs were produced by northern Vermont artist Julie Ruth.

Which ones do we like best?  Staff picks include Zanzibar Mint, Sol Tranqulity and Jupiter Grove, but really all of them smell amazing!

Top 5 Candles for Summer

As a follow up on our top 5 candles for Spring, we wanted to share our personal favorites for summer time! Can’t believe it is already July, before we know it we’ll find ourselves harvesting all the veggies from our gardens and lugging in wood to prepare for winter.  In the meantime, we want you to know what the candle maker’s are burning this time of year! The following scents are our personal favorites that help to balance and refresh!

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1. Bug Out – Keep bugs away the all-natural way! Our three blends utilize Mother Nature’s best defenses (essential oils) to effectively deter insects in a way that’s safe for you and the environment.
2. Orange – This uplifting aroma helps to balance your spirit, I find that it smells yummy enough to eat, but we don’t recommend that.
3. Lemongrass – Is our newest single scent, so new, it’s not landed on our website quite yet, but it is available in pillars and votives and we love it as it is a wonderful earthy, refreshing scent.  It can be ordered over the phone though… 1-888-727-1903!
4. Lavender – Everyone loves lavender, or at least MOST people do!  This calming aroma will help relax you after a day of running around, gardening, or whatever you do!
5. Clean Air – Our all-natural odor neutralizing candles and sprays are made with a proprietary blend of over 22 botanical essential oils!  They work hard to eat up foul smelling odors by absorbing them and leaving you with nothing but clean air!  This is our number one most sought after product; it is great to eliminate the smells of cooked fish, stinky pets and friends (no offense to them)!

Have Candles, Will Travel

Last week, Susan and myself (Linda) from the Way Out Wax sales office took a trip to the Whole Foods All Access show in Woburn, MA.  Along the way, we were able to deliver some candle orders and visit some of the wonderful stores that carry our products.  Our first stop was at the Hunger Mountain Co-op in our capital city of Montpelier, VT.  We absolutely love this co-op!  They have an amazing selection of organic produce, local goods and foods, a delicious prepared foods buffet and a fantastic bulk section!  Before we left, we loaded up on some healthy snacks for the road and picked up a few herbal remedies from their health and beauty department.  Here’s a photo of Susan posing with their selection of Way Out Wax products.   Next stop… New Hampshire!  The Lebanon Co-op was our next delivery location.  This is a beautiful, large grocery co-op with tons of variety.  We were ogling their delicious prepared foods section and loved the huge selection of bulk items they offer.  They have a modest Way Out Wax selection within their floral department, which looked and smelled lovely!

We then continued on to Concord, NH, where we visited Bona Fide Green Goods.  We absolutely fell in love with this store’s earth-friendly products for everyday living!  Susan and I oohed and ahhed over a every corner of the store.  We eventually decided to bring home a set of these, one of these, and this, although we each saw at least 10 other things that we wanted!  Of course we also loved that they had a beautiful display of both our Bug Out insect repellent candles and sprays as well as our everyday aromatherapy candles.  So we had to pose with the goods!  Eventually, we made it to our hotel in Woburn and got our booth set up that night.  We had a great 2 days at the show, met lots of friendly folks and got to chat with hundreds of people who share our passion for natural products of all kinds.  It was a great opportunity to tout our own eco-friendly ethics and our true aromatherapy candles.  Did you know that all of our container candles are made with non-GMO soy wax?!  That’s a fact that we were happy to share.  Here are a couple of shots of us in action at the show.Overall, it was a busy but fun few days.  We hope you will stop in to shop at the wonderful stores we visited on our travels (Hunger Mountain Co-op, Lebanon Co-op, Bona Fide Green Goods and Whole Foods) and grab some eco-friendly goods (including Way Out Wax!) for yourself!

Way Out Wax Candles says GO GREEN!

Step by step we can all come together to make lifestyle changes and go green to  help reduce our negative impact on the environment!  Listed below are a few things we try to do regularly.  We invite you all to like us on Facebook and post what you do to help the Earth!  At the end of May, we’ll choose a random winner who will receive a Bug Out care package to help keep the bugs away the all natural way this summer!

Here’s our list:

1. Buy local produce that is in season (this way you’ll get the most nutrients possible and support your local farmers).
2. Use reusable bags when you shop!
3. Compost.
4. Hang your laundry outside, instead of using the dryer (when it is not raining).
5. Insulate your home.
6. Maintain tire pressure in your car and carpool as much as possible!
7. Use efficient light bulbs (not to mention turning lights off when they aren’t being used.)
8. Walk or ride your bike if possible!
9. Reuse and Recycle.
10. Plant as many trees as you can!

I’m sure that there are many more creative ways to produce a positive outcome.  That’s why we want you to share your ideas with us! We all need to work together to reverse the damages already done so we can make this world a healthy place for our children!

Celebrate Hemp History Week: May 2-8

Ahhh, wonderful hemp.  One of the reasons we love it so much is because it’s so versatile- it can be used in over 25,000 applications including food, textile/clothing, household, cosmetic, industrial, healing/medicine and of course, CANDLES!  All of our aromatherapy pillars and votive candles contain hemp seed oil, which gives them their beautiful glossy luster and helps to extend their burn time.  Other candle companies use toxic chemicals to get this same effect, but we find that unnecessary and potentially hazardous.  We’re also the makers of the original hemp candle!

This week is Hemp History Week!  We’ve made a special, limited edition candle in support of this great event, and we figured this would be a good time to tout the benefits of hemp and educate folks about this amazing resource.  Did you know that in the 1700′s American farmers were required by law in some colonies to grow hemp?  President Thomas Jefferson even said “Hemp is of greatest importance to our nation.”  It is now illegal in America to grow this plant.  That means that all of these hemp products are being imported when we could be producing them domestically!

Here are some fun and interesting facts about hemp:

1. Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years to the beginnings of pottery. The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relic of human industry is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC.
2. Presidents Washington, Jefferson and Adams all grew hemp!  So did Henry Ford and many other notable Americans.
3. Hemp seed is nutritious and contains more essential fatty acids than any other source, is second only to soybeans in complete protein (but is more digestible by humans), is high in B-vitamins, and is a good source of dietary fiber. Hemp seed is not psychoactive and cannot be used as a drug (learn more at TestPledge.com).
4. The bark of the hemp stalk contains bast fibers, which are among the Earth’s longest natural soft fibers and are also rich in cellulose.  Hemp stalk is not psychoactive. Hemp fiber is longer, stronger, more absorbent and more insulative than cotton fiber.
5. According to the Department of Energy, hemp as a biomass fuel producer requires the least specialized growing and processing procedures of all hemp products. The hydrocarbons in hemp can be processed into a wide range of biomass energy sources, from fuel pellets to liquid fuels and gas. Development of bio-fuels could significantly reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and nuclear power.
6. Hemp can be grown organically. Only eight, out of about one hundred known pests, cause problems, and hemp is most often grown without herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. Hemp is also a natural weed suppressor due to fast growth of the canopy.
7. Hemp produces more pulp per acre than timber on a sustainable basis, and can be used for every quality of paper. Hemp paper manufacturing can reduce wastewater contamination. Hemp’s low lignin content reduces the need for acids used in pulping, and its creamy color lends itself to environmentally-friendly bleaching instead of harsh chlorine compounds. Less bleaching results in less dioxin and fewer chemical by-products.
8. Hemp fiber paper resists decomposition, and does not yellow with age when an acid-free process is used. Hemp paper more than 1,500 years old has been found.  The Declaration of Independence was drafted on hemp paper.  Hemp paper can also be recycled more times than wood-based paper.
9. Hemp fiberboard produced by Washington State University was found to be twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard. No additional resins are required due to naturally-occurring lignins.
10. Eco-friendly hemp can replace most toxic petrochemical products. Research is being done to use hemp in manufacturing biodegradable plastic products: plant-based cellophane, recycled plastic mixed with hemp for injection-molded products, and resins made from the oil, to name a very few examples. Over two million cars on the road today have hemp composite parts for door panels, dashboards, luggage racks, etc.

These facts have been provided to us from the Hemp Industries Association.  We think they’re pretty interesting!  Visit this website to find out about hemp history week events in your area.