The ambiance you create in your office and treatment rooms reflects who you are as a business and a massage therapist. Candles are one way of introducing both soft lighting and healing fragrance into your practice. Learn more about choosing and using candles safely.

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Candles come in many shapes and sizes and as we’ve discussed before not all candles nor their ingredients are equal.  So, what makes a candle natural and what is a natural soy candle? These are great questions and questions which need to be addressed…

What is a natural candle or natural soy candle? There are 4 main elements we like to consider when it comes to natural candles…Wax, Wick, Scent, & Presentation.

Natural Wax: Let’s start with Wax. In order for a candle to be natural the wax should be from 100% natural waxes such as soy or beeswax. We also suggest making sure the wax is sustainable. Most candles on the US market are made using Petroleum-based waxes which don’t burn very clean. Would you burn gasoline in your house? Here is a link for more wax information.

Natural Wicks: Wicks are often overlooked when considering candles. Wicks should be made of 100% natural fibers, cotton is usually the best option. Because the fibers are fine most wicks are reinforced with another material. This is very important as this material is burning too. Be sure to choose wicks reinforced with natural paper (or other fiber) filaments and not metals. Some candles use lead reinforcements. You wouldn’t burn lead in your room would you?

Natural Scents: In addition to improving ambience in a room candles are often used for aromatherapy and to scent a room. The scent of a candle is important and shouldn’t be overlooked. Most, about 90%, of candle manufacturers use chemical fragrances to scent their candles. We’ve looked at some of the ingredients for these chemicals and many are potentially dangerous and even hazardous. Most companies use chemicals because they are far cheaper than essential oils. We always suggest using 100% essential oils made entirely from plants. When it comes to scented candles there really is no other way.

Natural Presentation: Presentation says a lot about a candle and the manufacturer. It is important to support companies that use natural packaging and recycled materials. We suggust using 100% soy ink for printing, natural glues, biodegradable plastics and organic cotton materials. Packaging is a simple way to tell a lot about a company.

It is no secret that we offer some of the finest Natural Soy Candles and Natural Beeswax Candles in the world and hopefully the above information helps you when buying candles for your home, office, or spa.  We appreciate your comments and suggestions for improvement. Thank you!