Why I Don't Use Essential Oils in My Candles

I get this question all the time:

"Are your candles made with essential oils?"

The short answer? Nope. And there's a good reason for it.

Don't get me wrong, I love essential oils. I use them in my skincare and tallow based products where they perform well (safe, effective, and good for your skin). But candles are a totally different ballgame.

Here's the thing: most essential oils are super sensitive to heat. Once you light the wick, they can break down, lose their effectiveness, and in some cases even release compounds you really don't want floating around your living room. Not exactly the safe, cozy vibe we're going for.

They also have terrible scent throw. Translation: you light the candle and... you can't really smell anything. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose. For my brand, at least.

Some makers do commit to essential oils only. I'm not suggesting they're all "unsafe" or "bad" by any stretch. I'm simply saying, to make them safely, they will be expensive and (most likely) give a disappointing performance to the consumer.

What I Use Instead

For my candles, I use certified clean fragrance oils that are phthalate free and specifically formulated for candle making. These get rigorously tested for safety and performance, and when you pair them with the right wax and wick combo, they actually throw scent beautifully and consistently the entire burn.

Every Leslie Ave candle is made with 100% soy wax and 100% cotton wicks. So you get a clean, slow burn with ingredients you can trust.

Candles should be cozy, beautiful, and safe. That's the standard I hold every single one of mine to, and that's exactly what I want for your home too.

xo, Allie ✨