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If you're used to seeing candles sold at big retailers or at craft fairs without this type of labelling, they might 'seem' safer, but unless they are unscented, it is actually just that the maker is not compliant with regulations. Its shows either a lack of research/understanding or worse a blatant disregard for health and safety. So my advice is to steer clear, as you will have no idea what is in those candles!

That being said, I definitely can appreciate that some of the required wording on scented candle/wax/mist labels can be a little off-putting! So let me break it down for you. The warnings are there to keep you and the environment safe in the absolute worst-case scenario of accidental ingestion or a rare allergic reaction to the fragrances in the mixture. These warnings will exist whether you are using essential oils or manufactured fragrance oils - so it's a myth that essential oils are 'safer' in that regard. In fact, some essential oils are much more toxic than manufactured fragrances! In order to be compliant with CLP regulations, and ECHA poison control notices, it is required that scented candles and so forth carry a warning label with very specific wording about the fragrance's affects on aquatic life, skin/eye sensitisers and so on. Stating the most reactive compounds in the mixture, and registering a UFI number with the poison control centres help the NHS identify what might have come into contact with you, a child or a pet if a reaction does occur of if the mixture is accidentally swallowed.

So, make sure you keep the labels on your products in case they come in handy, read through the pictogram instructions so everyone can enjoy their candles, melts and mists safely!

For wax-based products I use only non-GMO, sustainably grown soy wax from a manufacturer in Sweden that contains no toxic additives (only botanical additives that help the wax cure smoothly). I spent a long time researching which wax material was the most sustainable or least disruptive to local ecosystems. Since soy wax is a byproduct of the soy industry and there is so much being made to support popular vegan meat alternatives, it seems for now the best vegan choice. All of my candles and wax melts are made with this natural soy wax, except any taper candles which are made with a beeswax and paraffin blend to eliminate excessive dripping and to make the structure of the taper candle safer. An unfortunate trade-off in the name of safety and utility.

I blend my fragrances using vegan and cruelty-free oils from a specialist UK manufacturer. Sometimes I will use fragrance oils and sometimes I will use essential oils. Essential oil products will be clearly marked. While I know some may prefer essential-oil only products (me too, sometimes!) here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Essential oils have a weaker scent throw, so if you're looking for a candle for its home fragrance properties, essential oils might not be the way to go.
2. Essential oils, although naturally occurring, can actually have more harmful chemical compounds in them than fragrance oils that are manufactured! See the above CLP Compliance tab for more information.
3. Essential oils are often not very sustainable, or worse they are made from endangered species. I love the scent of cedar, but if I used cedar essential oil in my fragrances, I would be doing irreparable damage to cedar forests and local ecosystems.
4. Fragrance oils might be synthetically created in the lab, but also very often they are chemically identical or extremely similar to the chemical compounds made from plants. This is also how medicines work - the more you know!

I encourage everyone to recycle their candle jars, and to do so you can remove the remaining wax by pouring boiling water until it covers the wax, leave for a minute or two and then wipe with a paper towel. Dispose of the wax and paper towel into the trash / in accordance with local regulations and do not pour down the sink. If the little metal wick holder and sticker is tough to get out, you can heat it for a few seconds with a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive and scrape off with the bottom end (non-eating end) of a kitchen utensil.

If your burner is not electric then you can pour a little boiling water to cover the wax, wait a minute and then wipe clean with a paper towel. Dispose of the wax and paper towel into the trash / in accordance with local regulations and do not pour down the sink. If you have an electric burner, re-heat the wax until it melts and pour the discarded wax into the appropriate disposal area (again, not the sink). Wipe the well clean with a paper towel and discard.

If you're like me, and you hate getting wax on your hands (ironic I know for a candle maker!) then I would highly recommend a silicone cup which can be used to gather the wax as it melts. When it hardens, it will be easy to pop out and either throw away or re-use! Win-win.

Don't worry, it's not mould! The white stuff you might be seeing is called 'frosting' and happens sometimes when a natural wax (like soy) has a change in ambient temperature that is too rapid. The wax melts slightly and then re-crystalises in a random pattern that throws light differently to the rest of the wax surface giving the appearance of white 'frost.' It might happen in storage or shipping, and is rather unpredictable. Frosting might have a less attractive appearance, but it is a sign that your candle/wax melt is made from real natural wax (as this phenomenon doesn't occur in store-bought petroleum-based candles) and so I don't mind so much when it happens anymore because it's a sign of mother nature at work!

I have a little fur baby as well! Of course with mobile pets like birds and cats that could easily knock candles over - that's an obvious 'wait til they're not in the room' piece of advice, but for room mists or less mobile pets it can be less obvious whether something is safe or not to use. One thing to keep in mind is that they have smaller lungs than humans, and anything in the air like smoke, candle / wax vapour or sprays can irritate them more than us. Also, always check ingredients because some things (like the rowan berries I use in my Hearth Stone wax melts) are actually even more poisonous than usual (everything I make is poisonous when eaten, so don't get peckish!) so make sure even when you're not using products that you're keeping them well away from children or pets who might be attracted by the smell and be tempted to take a bite.

This being said, most animals are fine around fragrances in short bursts - but if you notice them sneezing, drooling or acting differently, I would stop use and consult with your vet. (If they're drooling or you suspect they've eaten something call the vet immediately) At the end of the day, my best advice is to do your research and make your own decision about what you feel is right for your little ones.