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Being an eco conscious consumer often means reevaluating what we buy and have in our homes. But, while fashion is getting a lot of attention in the eco space, how many of us have given much thought to the candles in our homes? And, most of us probably have plenty of them around. When it comes to wellness products like essential oils and candles, Lara Morgan realized that there wasn’t much available on the market for eco conscious shoppers. Most conventional candles are made from petroleum-based waxes that release carcinogens like toluene when burned. And, the aromas, often sourced from synthetic fragrances, aren’t doing any good for our wellbeing either. So, Lara founded her wellness lifestyle brand Scentered to offer a collection of travel-sized aromatherapy balms and eco-friendly candles made from all-natural ingredients.
As a brand that produces eco-friendly candles, Lara ensures that hers rely on sleek and minimal packaging. One thing that I notice with a lot of brands is a sticky plastic label that is difficult to come off and deters me from reusing the empty jars. Scentered offers a label-free glass jar that I can easily envision reusing in my home once the flame burns out. Furthering her green efforts, the reusable glass jar and refillable candle both arrived in a cardboard box (recycable packaging). And, the scent ( de-stress) had soft grassy notes that wasn’t overpowering and lasted for hours.
While an item like a candle can seem like such a small purchase to think about when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint, it can have a bigger impact than we might think. Lara answered a few questions to share how a candle can make a difference and how she creates her eco-friendly and natural products.
What are conventional candles made from?
Conventional candles are made from Paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum, coal or oil shale, and contains a number of potentially harmful carcinogenic compounds, such as Acetaldehyde, Acrolein, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and Toulene. It also gives off a black petro-soot, which is the same soot given out from the exhaust of a diesel engine, known to be harmful to human health, as well as staining surfaces close to the candle.
In line with our natural approach, we chose to avoid paraffin wax and choose natural, sustainably sourced plant based waxes, together with a small amount of beeswax, for our candles. These offer a clean, natural burn that is non-toxic and without soot or smoke.
We only use 100% natural ingredients to make our candles, so do not use any of the boosters, binders or other synthetic ingredients typically used within the candle manufacturing industry, and of course no synthetic ingredients within our fragrances.
How do you sustainably source the essential oils used in your products?
We scour the globe in constant pursuit of the finest ingredients. We purchase only premium grade essential oils grown by reputable farmers and are mindful to manage sourcing to avoid creating demands that result in over-farming or depleted natural resources. These oils are blended with moringa, native to India, to provide moisture and nutrients including vitamin B and C, and shea butter, harvested from the nut of the African shea tree that is rich in vitamins A, D, E and F.
How should we use candles for our health?
Soy based candles are renowned for their cleaner burn, however you are still burning something which can produce some soot and smoke. Always trim the wick and ventilate the room after extinguishing a candle.
How should customers sustainably dispose of Scentered candles?
As much as possible, we encourage customers to reuse their empty candle glass. They can be used to store jewellery, skincare essentials, or keepsakes. The possibilities are endless!
We have also just launched our candle refills which can be inserted into existing candle glass, reducing unnecessary waste! Customers that no longer want to keep their candles, can also recycle them along with any other glass they are disposing of.
How do customers play a role in making industries more sustainable?
Customers are becoming more and more aware of sustainability, and this is being reflected in their purchasing behavior. Companies that do not adapt to this change are at risk of being left behind.
