The most common types of candles that you will find on the shelves are made from one of three substances. They are either paraffin wax, soy wax, or beeswax. Beeswax is obviously non-vegan as it is made from animal products and soy wax is obviously vegan. But what about paraffin wax, is paraffin wax vegan? This all comes down to how you think about it. Technically paraffin wax candles are vegan. They are made from paraffin products which are extracted from oil. Though the qualifier to this is, of course, that oil is made from the decomposing remains of ancient animals. So, it is down to your own interpretation of the vegan lifestyle as to whether you consider oil vegan. Essentially if you consider petrol to be compatible with your vegan lifestyle, then oil and hence paraffin wax is also vegan. There are also a lot of newer substances such as coconut wax being used to produce vegan candles. However, soy candles are currently the favourite for people looking for clean, sustainable, vegan candles.

This is again also a question, that many people ask, and it is not without its controversy. When paraffin wax burns several chemical by-products are produced, along with the Carbon Dioxide and Water, that you would expect to be made. These include products such as toluene, alkanes, and alkenes. Whilst a number of news articles have been quick to point out that some of these substances are considered carcinogenic the main evidence of their ‘harm’ seems to come from only one study that was conducted in the South Carolina State University, however, the information about this study is very inconclusive and has been deemed unreliable by reputable scientific sources. So, the main conclusion about paraffin wax candles is that yes, they are safe, when used in a safe way.

The best way to know if your candles are vegan is to check the label to ensure only natural ingredients are included. For instance, did you know that not all Yankee Candles are vegan? Most Yankee Candles are made from refined paraffin wax, which is known for its stronger 'hot throw' of fragrance but is not as safe as soy or coconut wax. 

Buying Vegan candles is a great way to maintain a vegan lifestyle and will make your romantic meals even more special. There is a lot of alarmist information out there about candles so it pays to make sure that you always buy candles from a quality vegan source. 

Chic & Raw vegan candles are made with organic, soy wax and natural essential oils.  Try our Paint Tin Candle range for a soothing, home fragrance alternative that uplifts without overpowering, and is unlikely to give you a headache!  These soy candles are hand-poured, and have an organic, cotton wick.  Soy candles are notorious for their weaker 'hot throw' - however, we carefully check all our natural scents to ensure that the hot throw is sufficient in soy wax before creating our candles.  You can create a romantic, scented candlelit dinner without an overpowering scent that takes over the aroma of your meal.  Our tuberose and vanilla scented candle is lightly scented, relaxing and very suitable for such an occasion!