I tested dozens of non-toxic candle brands and have finally created a guide to help you find the best one! I’m sharing how to find the best candle and comparing the top-rated brands to find the winners.

What is the safest candle you can possibly burn?

The absolute safest candle is always going to be an unscented organic beeswax candle without any added fragrance. The wick should be made of 100% cotton or hemp that’s unbleached or wood that’s untreated or soaked in a natural substance only. The best brands may also have certifications like Made Safe Certified or USDA Certified BioBased to prove they’re not greenwashing and their claims are verified to be legit.

Most conventional candles are made with paraffin wax, which is sooo unhealthy to inhale, especially in a poorly ventilated home. When paraffin wax is burned, it can release harmful chemicals such as benzene, toluene, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are potentially carcinogenic and can irritate the respiratory system. It’s basically like breathing car exhaust in your own home (gross!). Additives like fragrance and dyes combined with paraffin wax can make their effect even worse. People who suffer headaches from candles likely experience this due to the combo of unhealthy fumes and chemical fragrance.

Burning chemical fragrance releases phthalates into the air. We then inhale these hormone disrupting chemicals further increasing our body’s toxic load. Buuuut, the debate over whether burning pure essential oils is any safer than burning fragrance oils is still ongoing, so if you prefer to err on the side of caution, then unscented is the way to go.

Types of wax used in non-toxic candles

Look for brands that use natural waxes like soy wax, beeswax, coconut wax and apricot wax. One thing to watch out for is when they say they use a wax “blend” because this can sometimes mean they add paraffin wax without disclosing it (not always!). I recommend always asking the brand directly to be sure you’re not accidentally buying a greenwashed candle.

Toxic candles to avoid

Yes, sadly those Bath & Body Works and Yankee candles that everyone loves are toxic. Avoid candles that contain paraffin wax, artificial dyes and chemical fragrance.

My verdict

After testing dozens of nontoxic candle brands, my favorites are Terralite and Fontana Candle. For luxury options, I’m certain that Aerangis and Flamingo Estate will impress any guest.

I don’t believe someone who seldom burns candles needs to immediately throw out the ones they own. But for people like me who like to have one burning in multiple parts of the home for hours on end, switching to non-toxic candles just makes so much sense!

Best Non-toxic Candle Brands Compared

I Tried Fontana Candle Co

My top organic candle pick is Fontana Candle Co! This is one of the cleanest candle brands certified to the highest level with a MADE SAFE certification, which means it’s free of any toxic ingredients known or suspected. Fontana Candle Co uses a blend of beeswax and coconut oil with a wooden wick. One thing to be aware of is that many Fontana candles are lightly scented, so be sure to go for the ones marked as strongly scented if you want it to fill the room. I find their scents to be on the simpler side, but lately I’ve been in love with their unusual anise-forward Sourdough scent (even though my mom isn’t a fan lol!).

Wax 5/5: beeswax
Scent: essential oils
Scent throw strength: 1/5 to 3/5 (specified by the brand for each candle)
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $25-$27 for 9 oz

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I Tried Terralite Candles (Strong Scent Throw)

I found that Terralite has one the strongest scent throws for a 100% natural essential oil scented candle! This brand is a cut above the rest in a number of ways! The Terralite scents smell amazing (and did I mention strong?!) and I can tell so much thought has gone into make these the most sustainable candles possible. They use coconut wax (because it’s the eco-friendliest wax), wildcrafted, organic essential oils and a hemp core wick housed in amber glasses made of 60% recycled glass. This is also the only brand I’ve seen that offers a zero waste candle (unglazed ceramic vessels that can be put back into the earth).

At the moment, I can’t get enough of their Vanilla Lavender candle. I’ve tested almost all their scents (as you can see with my collection) and the ones with the strongest scent throw in my personal experience are Woodlands, Bourbon Cedar, Lavender Lemonade and Desert Sage. Plus, the vanilla girlies will love that they have a wide array of clean vanilla scents.

Wax 4/5: 100% coconut wax
Scent: organic, wildcrafted essential oils
Scent throw strength: 4.5/5
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $34-$58

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I Tried Hemlock Park Candles

If you[‘re looking for an affordable organic candle that you can easily buy on Amazon, I recommend Hemlock Park’s organic coconut wax candles. They’re hand poured in Nevada, have great scent throw, recyclable amber glass jars and lush scents. Hemlock Park offers a wide variety of 22 different scents and I find them to be longer lasting than many other nontoxic candle brands because their cotton wicks are thinner.

Wax 5/5: 100% organic coconut wax
Scent: essential oils and fine fragrance oils (check individual candle)
Scent throw strength: 4/5 (good – can fill a room well and subtly scent a large living space)
Burn time: 4.5/5
Price: $20-$25

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I Tried Yield Design Organic Coconut Wax Candles

For winter, Yield’s Entenza scent with eucalyptus, birch and rosemary has my home smelling like a festive forest. Yield Candles are poured in Florida and are made with organic coconut wax and a clean burning cotton wick. I love a vessel that can actually be repurposed into something useful (not a Q-tip or pencil holder) and these can be re-used as a chic tumbler or drinking glass. My only complaint is that they used to be more affordable but not so much anymore.

Wax 5/5: 100% organic coconut wax
Scent: mix of essential oils with fragrance oils
Scent throw strength: 3/5 to 4.5/5 depending on the scent
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $32 for 8 oz

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I Tried Natural Sloth Beeswax Candles

I’ve been testing all the best beeswax candles, and Natural Sloth was one small brand that stood out to me. They’re MADE SAFE certified and completely non toxic using only yellow beeswax, organic coconut oil and essential oils. I find them to be strongly scented, burn evenly and last long. The Spiced Coffee candle has got coffee oil, cinnamon, black pepper, vanilla and clove while Fall has cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and cedarwood. Loooove their scent combinations! I find the scent throw to be pretty good even for my large living room, but best of all, I found their candles to burn for a long time. Maybe it’s a yellow beeswax thing. I noticed Natural Sloth sells out very quickly on their site, so it seems like they keep their batch production small.

Wax 5/5: 100% yellow beeswax
Scent: pure essential oils
Scent throw strength: 4.5/5
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $35 for 9 oz 

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I Tried Bee Lucia Wellness Candles

I find the “look”of Bee Lucia Wellness Candles to be suuuper simple compared to other more “aesthetic” non-toxic candles, but they’re special in their own unique way! I love that they use only organic beeswax (yay!) and that each candle is crystal infused and set around a specific intention around wellness. There’s a candle for feeling grounded, inspired, awakened, cleansed, uplifted, loved, healed and more which I find so rad. The pure essential oil blends are also quite complex and lovely and can fill up a small room, but are less noticeable in a large space. My favorites in particular are their Awakened Candle which has got rosemary, litsea, peppermint, lemongrass and bergamot and Inspired Candle which has clove bud, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cinnamon and lemongrass. Plus they often have great sales on their site.

Wax 6/5: 100% organic white beeswax
Scent: pure essential oils
Scent throw strength: 4/5
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $31.95 for 8 oz 

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I Tried Summer Solace Tallow Candles

When I first tried Summer Solace tallow candles, I felt like I was in a trance. I’ve tried many super high-quality essential oil candles, but the oils used in their Souchong Debut candle are on a different echelon. The wax is super clean (raw California beeswax with organic regenerative tallow) and the highly unique scent results from smoky black lapsang souchong tea, siam wood, warm Moroccan cardamom pods and Choya loban – an ayurvedic oil made from distilled terra cotta pots, and grounding vetiver essential oil. If you’re intrigued by a smoky black tea scented candle, this will blow your mind and your senses. I also tried Strawberry + Fig Melange and found the scent throw to be much more subtle.

Wax 5/5: 100% raw beeswax from local California hives and organic regenerative tallow
Scent: 100% essential oils
Scent throw strength: 4/5
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $37 for 6 oz / $54 for 8.6 oz

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I Tried Arctic Wicks Candles

I find that Arctic Wicks USDA certified bio-based candles have amazing scent throw, but it might lean too strong and synthetic for some. Arctic Wicks is a coconut and beeswax candle brand that uses a combination of safe fragrance oils and essential oils. Their USDA BioPreferred BioBased Certification means you can know for sure their candles are made from 100% renewable resources. I tried a variety of their scents including Honey Spiced Pear and Midnight Whispers and really enjoyed their holiday scents.

Wax 4/5: coconut wax + beeswax
Scent: fragrance oils + essential oils
Scent throw strength: 5/5 (very strong but may smell too synthetic for some individuals)
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $20 for 8 oz

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I Tried Peacesake Candles

For a really long lasting non toxic candle, I truly love these Peacesake Candles and can’t recommend them enough. All Peacesake candles are handmade with 100% soy wax that’s free of herbicides and pesticides as well as genetically modified material. Their cotton wicks are free of lead cores and the dozen or so scents they offer are created using essential oils and fragrance oils. I find that Peacesake candles are generously sized at 14 oz and last longer than other non-toxic candles which are 8 oz. Plus they offer amazing value for money since it’s the same price as these other smaller candles. White Lavender is such a good clean, woodsy and simple fall scent with notes of sweet woodsy birch, calming floral and a little bit of pine. I also love their Palo Santo candle, which is a bit lighter in scent throw, but still so grounding and calming.

Wax 4/5: 100% soy wax
Scent: mix of essential oils and fragrance oils
Scent throw strength: 4/5
Burn time: 5/5
Price: $30 for 14 oz

I Tried Neom Organics Candles

I love the design and aesthetic of Neom Organics candles! They make 100% natural candles that just look so clean and elegant. They really elevate the look of my home more than any other candle. Hand-poured in the UK, Neom Organics’ bestselling 3 wicks contain up to 3 bottles of essential oils, contain absolutely no paraffin or synthetics for a soot-free burn.

Wax 4/5: 100% natural vegetable wax blend
Scent: 100% essential oils
Scent throw strength: 4/5
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $19-$55

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I tried Rowe Casa Organics Candle

Rowe Casa has one of the best non toxic candles with no added fragrance. I recently discovered their beeswax candles and love their luxe matte black vessel and use of organic ingredients. Their all natural candle is made of organic beeswax, organic coconut oil, pure essential oils and an organic hemp wick. Plus at a generous 8.75 oz for $26 it’s actually wildly affordable for the quality.

Wax 5/5: organic beeswax
Scent: 100% essential oils
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $26 for 8.75 oz

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I Tried Bluecorn Beeswax Pillar Candle

My top recommendation for a 100% natural and non-toxic pillar candle is Bluecorn Beeswax. This has everything I’m looking for – they’re made entirely of pure beeswax, are super long-lasting and have no added fragrance. I recommend burning for at least a few hours and the molding the warm sides in towards the flame. There’s practically no detectable scent to Bluecorn except a very subtle hint of honey that naturally comes from raw beeswax. Bluecorn offers a wide variety of sizes and scented and unscented versions.

I Tried Primally Pure Essential Oil Candle

Primally Pure’s candles are made of organic beeswax and coconut wax with only organic essential oils. There’s just a couple of scent choices available, but each one is beautiful. Sweet Floral Sage contains organic, wild-harvested essential oils of Pink Grapefruit, Wild Lavender, White Sage and Palo Santo. I find Cool Citrus Breeze to be sweetly fruity with a surprising spicy undercurrent. I also tried their limited edition Holiday candle and find it to be quite dark and smoky. I love that their candles combine the two healthiest candle waxes, and I find the scent throw decent for 100% essential oils. But one thing I’m not a fan of is how much smaller Primally Pure’s candles are compared to other non-toxic candles. My special tip to make it burn slower is to trim the wick as short as possible for the first burn and continuously trim every few hours. Their jars are only 6 oz (and pricey!) while most candles are at least 8 oz, making their candles have lower burn time.

Wax 5/5: organic beeswax and coconut wax
Scent: essential oils
Scent throw strength: 3/5 (some scents are stronger than others)
Burn time: 3/5
Price: $46-$54 for 6 oz

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I Tried Flamingo Estate Candle

As a lover of all things that Flaming Estate creates, it’s no surprise I’m a sucker for their candles too. Los Angeles-based Flaming Estate’s candles are made of non-GMO soy wax, cotton wicks and scented with essential oils + fragrance oils. I tested three different Flaming Estate candles and love their natural “slow” approach and unique scent creations. Their Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle is a must try if you’re a candle lover who’s tired of the usual scents. I find the scent throw to be average for their Tomato candle but their darker scents smell noticeably stronger.

Wax 4/5: soy wax
Scent: essential oils + fragrance oils
Scent throw strength: 3/5 to 4/5 depending on scent
Burn time: 4/5
Price: $60 for 8 oz

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I Tried Aerangis Candles (luxe!)

I admit Aerangis’ sustainable candles are very expensive, but they are simply gorgeous with some of the most complex, sophisticated candle scents I’ve ever smelled. My favorite scent is Seven Miles – just so divine, fresh, dewy, floral and heavenly (a girly girl’s dream!). I’ve also tried No 2598 The Ranch, which is a tobacco leather scent that I think any guy would love and No 50 Soiree Noiree, which is a bespoke scent specially created for a bougie New York event. Soiree Noiree immediately became another favorite of mine, with its black wax and notes of Sicilian lemon essential oil, black cassis, lotus blossom, turkish fresh rose petals and cashmere wood. 

The glazed ceramic vessel adds a special touch of elegance – they’re made in the historic Shuili Snake Kiln in Taiwan, where ceramics have been made for over a century. Aerangis candles are sustainable, handcrafted and consciously-made using only plant-based waxes, lead-free wicks and non-toxic scents. The scents are inspired by founder Alicia’s most cherished memories and are created by world-renowned perfumers.

Wax 4/5: plant-based waxes
Scent: essential oils + fragrance oils
Scent throw strength: 4/5
Burn time: 4.5/5
Price: $78

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Best Non Toxic Candles on Amazon (2024 List)

 Here is the full list of non toxic candles that are also available on Amazon:

• Fontana Candle Co
• Hemlock Park
• Craft & Kin
• Neom Organics
• Arctic Wicks
• Yield Design
• Aromatherapy Associates
• P F Candle Co