11 Ethical & Sustainable Candles That Make Your Home Smell Divine

There’s something so comforting about the ritual of lighting a candle. Their warmth and light create a soothing atmosphere that instils blissful feelings of self-care and tranquillity.

However, not all candles are created equal.

Are candles ethical?

Standard candles are often made with paraffin wax as it’s the cheapest wax substance.

Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct that is believed to release toxic fumes when burned.

Combined with synthetic fragrances, your candle could be a toxic cocktail that’s doing far more harm than good.

Fortunately, it’s possible to find candles that are ethical and non-toxic without a hint of paraffin in sight.

From energy-boosting candles to scents that tell a story, read on to discover our favourite ethical candles that make self-care that little bit more rewarding.

11 Ethical & Sustainable Candles That Make Your Home Smell Divine

1. Nomad Noé

Hailing all the way from NYC, Nomad Noé is a luxury sustainable candle brand that’s newly launched in the UK.

Each candle is hand-poured into a beautiful translucent pot and the wax is a natural, vegan and cruelty free blend of coconut and apricot. They’re free of phthalates and the wick is 100% cotton.

We love that each of the seven candles in the range tells a story through their beautiful scents. Dreamer in London has hints of cedarwood and vanilla which evokes the smell of an old theatre or library.

Visionary in Esfahan has calming, opulent scents of saffron and rose that makes for an ideal gift for someone special.

2. Emma Alington

We all know scents have the power to influence our mood, but you might be surprised how much.

Emma Alington’s eco candle range is specially concocted to trigger our olfactory senses and boost our mood, energy and even productivity.

Hand-poured into beautiful ceramic pots, there are three different scented candles to choose from - Grapefruit Eucalyptus and Rosemary, Lavender and Rosemary and Vetiver and Juniper.

All candles are made from 100% sustainable pure essential oil and GM-free soy wax.

3. Brownlow Bouquet

Brownlow Bouquet’s premium candles are vegan and cruelty free. Handmade in Cheshire in the UK, each candle is comprised of soy wax and high quality essential oils.

The brand has eliminated single use plastic from both their candles and packaging.

Choose from a range of seventeen heavenly smelling candles with favourites such as Amber & Sweet Orange and English Pear & Freesia.

Or, you can create your own bespoke colours and scents for special occasions.

4. Sun.Day of London

We love Sun.Day of London’s refreshing natural-smelling botanical candles that capture the essence of nature without the negative impact.

All candles are handmade using only GMO-free coconut and palm-free plant waxes.

The wicks are made out of pure cotton and each candle has a uniquely formulated aromatherapy-grade, essential oil blends.

Our favourite thing about the brand is that one of their candle collections has apothecary jars made from handcut and finished glass cider bottles sourced from local pubs. Chin-chin!

5. 2204

Set the mood with 2204’s utterly delicious smelling candles.

Each candle is made using Kerasoy Wax sourced from North America and Brazil from purely ethical and non-genetically modified sources.

The brand is committed to creating natural fragrances with a transparent supply chain. They carried out a full supply chain audit and only use ethical suppliers that don’t contribute to deforestation.

Better still, the wicks are made from pure cotton with brown paper threads and all candles are free from CMR, phthalates, parabens, and silicones.

6. Cocochi

Bespoke scents based on stories and memories, Cocochi Candles are constructed with cotton wicks and carefully crafted to not pollute when they burn as they’re paraben-free, vegan and cruelty free.

Following the losses both founders experienced these fragrances are formulated to evoke emotions and commemorate precious moments.

Made from the highest quality natural soy wax and imbued with essential oils, these IFRA approved pieces are gently blazing a path towards a better future. Cocochi also regularly donate to the Widowed and Young Foundation.

7. Scintilla

Scintilla candles are hand-poured in small special batches.

They come with a cotton wick, are encased in a glass container and sealed with a stainless steel lid so they’re effortlessly portable and even easier to store.

Every candle is made from natural ingredients, including eco soy wax and essential oils.

All the packaging is 100% recyclable so the planet will enjoy some respite as you savour the scent. Our favourite? The woody notes and floral scents of Jardin is an absolute must.

8. Voya

Voya’s candles are softly scented, they create a cosy atmosphere and they help you recharge and relax. Most importantly, seaweed brand Voya’s candles expose you to no nasties in the process.

Natural ingredients is what they vouch for.

The wax is made from natural soybean oil and rapeseed with a few extra secret ingredients. All nonpetroleum and sourced from renewable resources.

With a long-lasting burn time, they not only light up your living room but boast therapeutic benefits. Light one of these to calm a racing mind.

9. Astris & Green

Astris & Green know where it's at when it comes to beautifully scented ethical candles. Their first soy wax candle created in collaboration with loveumore glow, smells absolutely divine.

The scent is a trio blend of essential oils - lemongrass, lime and bergamot - to create an energising atmosphere for your home. It’s excellent in the kitchen in particular.

There are two candle sizes to choose from and each one comes in an amber glass jar with an aluminium lid. All candles are vegan and handmade in the UK too.

10. Scentered

Natural aromatherapy lifestyle brand, Scentered are determined to make wasteful candles a thing of the past. Their new Wellbeing Ritual Candle Refills are 100% natural and vegan with soothing essential oils for instant calm.

After using up your Scentered candle in its beautiful glass container, you can buy refills of your favourite scents in minimal, compostable packaging. The refills come in either a Refill Duo set or Candle & Refill Gift Set.

Choose from either DE-STRESS with notes of chamomile, neroli and mandarin or SLEEP WELL, a drowsy scent of palmarosa, lavender and ylang-ylang.

11. St Eval

If you're looking for a spring-scented candle, then look no further. St Eval magically capture the heady scents of spring flowers like bluebells, native British plants like gorse and hand pour these vegan friendly candles in their studio in North Cornwall.

They have been inspired by this beautiful slice of the UK in their candles for the last 28 years.

St Eval also produce their own renewable energy, they won the first ever Queen’s Award for a candle manufacturer for their sustainable practices and donate to and support many local charities, more which can be found under their extensive Sustainability section.

Some of their most popular spring ranges are Spring Flower, Wild Gorse, Sea Salt, Bergamot & Nettle and Bay & Rosemary and each comes in recyclable metal tins and no plastic packaging.

Loved these sustainable candle brands? For more ethical home inspiration, check out these other pebble features:

• Everything You Need To Know Before Investing In Organic Bedding
• Home Time: We're Loving These Ethical Online Homewares Stores
• 7 Cost Effective Ways To Make A More Eco-friendly Living Space
• Let's Cosy Up: Why You Need To Embrace Organic Linen