Most candles are made from petroleum. Not metaphorically — literally. Paraffin wax, which accounts for the vast majority of candles sold in the United States, is a byproduct of crude oil refining. When you burn a paraffin candle, you are burning a fossil fuel inside your home.
This is not alarmism. This is chemistry. And once you understand what is actually happening in that beautifully scented jar on your kitchen counter, you will not be able to unknow it.
What Paraffin Wax Actually Is
Paraffin is derived from the sludge collected at the bottom of crude oil barrels during the petroleum refining process. It is bleached and deodorized before being sold to candle manufacturers — but bleaching a petroleum product does not change its fundamental chemistry. When burned, paraffin releases compounds including toluene and benzene, both of which the American Cancer Society lists as known carcinogens.
A single paraffin candle burned occasionally is unlikely to cause measurable harm. But the average American home burns candles regularly — and the compounds build up. The Environmental Protection Agency has noted that candles are a significant indoor air quality concern, particularly in poorly ventilated spaces.
The Synthetic Fragrance Problem
The wax is only half the issue. The fragrance used in most mass-market candles is synthetic — created from petrochemical derivatives and often containing phthalates, linked in research to hormonal disruption, developmental issues in children, and reproductive health concerns.
Phthalates are largely unregulated in candle production in the United States, meaning manufacturers are not required to disclose them on labels. The word "fragrance" on a candle label can legally contain hundreds of individual compounds, none of which you are told about.
What About the Wick?
For decades, many candle manufacturers used wicks with a thin metal core. The original metal of choice was lead. Although the National Candle Association established a voluntary ban on lead wicks in 2003, imported candles have continued to surface with lead-containing wicks in consumer testing as recently as the late 2010s.
Even without lead, metal-cored wicks release particulates into the air. Cotton wicks are cleaner. Wooden wicks are cleaner still — and they produce that distinctly pleasant crackling sound that many people find calming.
The Better Option: Soy and Beeswax
Soy wax burns significantly cleaner than paraffin — less soot, fewer particulates, no petroleum-based combustion byproducts. Beeswax is the gold standard of candle wax and has been used for thousands of years, including in the temples of ancient Israel. A blend of natural soy and beeswax offers the best of both worlds.
Every True Faith Naturals candle is made from a natural soy and beeswax blend — no paraffin, no phthalates, no lead wicks. We use cotton and wooden wicks and fragrance oils free from harmful additives. Full details on our Ingredients page.
A Practical Buyer's Guide: What to Look For
When shopping for a candle, look for these indicators of a genuinely clean product:
- Wax listed as soy, beeswax, or a blend of these
- "Phthalate-free" fragrance oils explicitly stated
- Cotton or wooden wicks (not metal-cored)
- No synthetic dyes
- A brand that discloses its ingredients and is willing to answer questions
Be skeptical of candles labeled "natural" or "soy blend" without specifics — a candle labeled "soy blend" may be 10% soy and 90% paraffin and still legally use that term.
The Bottom Line
You have spent time and money creating a home that is a sanctuary for your family. The air your children breathe in that home matters. Choosing clean-burning candles is a small change with a compounding benefit — and one of the easiest swaps you can make.
COMMUNITY INVITATION
Have questions about our ingredients or wax blend? Visit our Ingredients page for a full breakdown, or reach out — we are a small team and we answer every message. Join our community and check out our packages for the perfect place to start.
What Is a Wooden Wick — And Why We Love the Crackling Flame
The first time most people burn a wooden wick candle, they stop and look at it.
There is a sound. A small, quiet crackle — like a fireplace in miniature. It is completely unexpected from something sitting on a bathroom shelf or a kitchen windowsill, and it is absolutely lovely.
We use wooden wicks across our Biblical and Pure Collections, and cotton wicks in our seasonal and holiday lines. Here is why the wooden wick is worth understanding — and what makes it special.
The Crackling Sound Is Real — and It Matters
Wooden wicks are typically made from thin slices of FSC-certified wood — cherry, maple, or fruitwood. As they burn, the moisture in the wood interacts with the flame, producing that characteristic soft crackle. It is not a gimmick. It is physics.
Wooden Wicks Burn Cleaner
Wooden wicks produce a wide, low flame that melts wax across a broad surface area, which means the wax pool develops evenly, there is less unused wax on the edges, and the candle burns more efficiently and completely.
They Require a Slightly Different Approach
The most common question we get: "My wooden wick keeps going out — what am I doing wrong?" Almost always, the answer is wick length. Wooden wicks should be trimmed to approximately 3/16 of an inch before each burn after the first. Trimmed correctly, a wooden wick burns beautifully from the first light to the last.
Our Biblical and Pure Collection candles use FSC-certified wooden wicks. Our Candle Care page has a complete guide to getting the best burn — including the first burn rule that most people skip and then regret.
The wooden wick is a small thing. But in a candle, the small things are everything — they are the difference between a product that sits on a shelf and one that becomes part of your daily life.
COMMUNITY INVITATION
Questions about candle care or our wick choice? Reach out — we love this conversation. Join our community.