why we actually care about what goes in our candles
i was burning candles every single day. had been for years. and then one afternoon i picked one up and actually read the label.
not great. quietly alarming, actually.
i won't name the brand. it was a well-known one. the kind that smells incredible in the shop but the ingredient list was either vague or absent, which i'd always just assumed was normal. it isn't, it turns out. it's a choice.
that afternoon is why blissli exists.
what's actually in most candles
the short version: a lot of candles are made with paraffin wax (a petroleum by-product) and scented with synthetic fragrance oils that can contain phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors linked to hormone disruption. you burn them in an enclosed space, often for hours at a time. your home has no idea what it's absorbing.
this isn't a scare story. it's just the thing most candle brands would rather you didn't look up.
what's in a blissli candle
every blissli candle uses 100% natural soy wax, a renewable resource that burns cleaner and slower than paraffin. the fragrance oils are phthalate-free and paraben-free. the packaging is recyclable or biodegradable. the jars are reusable.
none of that is a marketing line. it's the minimum standard i was willing to work to when i started making these.
i burn blissli candles in my own home every day. i needed to be comfortable with that. so the ingredients had to be ones i'd genuinely choose to have burning in a room where i eat, sleep and work.
why "natural" isn't always what it sounds like
it's worth saying: not every candle labelled "natural" or "eco" lives up to it. soy wax blends can still contain paraffin. "fragrance" on a label can legally cover hundreds of undisclosed synthetic compounds. "clean burning" is not a regulated term.
the only way to know what you're burning is to ask, or to read a label that actually tells you something.
with blissli, the answer is: 100% soy wax, phthalate-free fragrance oils, vegan, cruelty-free, no nasties. if you want the full list, ask. i'll tell you exactly what went in.
this isn't about being preachy
there's a version of this post that lectures you about your current candle collection and asks you to feel bad about it. this isn't that.
it's just worth knowing. once you know, you can make the choice that feels right for your home. plenty of people read this and carry on exactly as before. no judgement. others find it useful and make a switch.
either way, the information should be available.
april is a good time to think about it
earth day falls in april. it's become one of those occasions where sustainability conversations surface naturally. and while one candle isn't going to reverse anything, the aggregate of what we choose to bring into our homes adds up over time.
small, considered choices. that's the blissli approach.
if you're curious
all blissli candles are hand-poured in small batches. they burn for 40 hours. they come in reusable glass jars. and every single one was made with ingredients i'd choose to burn in my own home, because i do.
if you have a specific question about ingredients or want to know what's in a particular scent, drop us a message. genuinely happy to answer.
love, amy