"Non-toxic" is a word every clean candle brand throws around, but the truth is no government agency has a strict definition for what it means in candles. Including us. So we wanted to lay out, plainly, what we put in our candles and what we don't.
What We Use
Wax: 100% Coconut Soy
We use a coconut soy blend in every candle. Paraffin (a petroleum byproduct found in most cheap candles) puts out more soot and burns dirtier, which is why we don't use it. Our blend burns cleaner, lasts longer, and at a lower temperature, which means it's safer to leave on a side table while you settle into a hard evening.
Wicks: Cotton or Wood, Never Lead
Lead wicks were banned in Canada and the US years ago, but cheap imports still slip them through. Not ours. Our wood wicks come from FSC-managed forests, and our cotton wicks are zinc and lead free.
Fragrance Oils: Phthalate-Free and Paraben-Free
We source from licensed Canadian fragrance suppliers who give us paperwork on every oil (IFRA certificates, phthalate-free statements). Phthalates get added to a lot of fragrance oils to make the scent stick around longer. They're also linked to hormone disruption, so we leave them out.
Dyes: None
None. Our candles are either natural off-white or coloured with mica.
Allergens
Some of our fragrances contain naturally occurring allergens like limonene, linalool, and vanillin. If you have sensitivities, email hello@wickofhope.com and we'll send the allergen list for any candle.
Why We Use Fragrance Oils Instead of Just Essential Oils
We get asked this all the time. The honest answer is that pure essential oil candles smell incredible in the jar, but most people are disappointed once they actually light one. Essential oils have low flash points and break down under heat, so the scent throw (how much the fragrance fills the room) ends up being faint.
The fragrance oils we use are IFRA-compliant, phthalate-free, and paraben-free. They hold scent through a full burn, layer beautifully, and carry a lower allergen risk than many pure essential oils. Both have their place. They just do different things.
That said, an Essential Oil Only collection is in the works. We're putting one together for customers who specifically want a pure EO candle and don't mind a softer throw. Launching later this year.
What We Don't Claim
We don't pretend our candles burn with zero byproducts. Every burning candle, no matter how clean, releases some combustion products. That's just chemistry. What we control is what we put into the candle in the first place: clean wax, clean wicks, clean fragrance.
We don't carry certifications we haven't earned. We're not MADE SAFE certified or EWG Verified. Those certifications are designed for brands using only naturally-derived ingredients, like beeswax with pure essential oils. We use modern fragrance oils that pass IFRA safety standards, and we'd rather be honest about that than slap on a label we don't qualify for.
Why We Care
Wick of Hope was started by Andy and Selvia after their own miscarriages. The brand exists, in part, because we needed a flame in a hard season and wanted to make something that could carry a little of that for someone else.
Every candle helps fund women and children escaping crisis. We chose coconut soy wax, lead-free wicks, and phthalate-free fragrances because we wouldn't burn anything else in our own home, and because what's on a bedside table during a hard moment matters.
Statements on this page reflect our supplier documentation and have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the FDA. All burning candles release some combustion byproducts. We use coconut soy wax, lead-free wicks, and phthalate-free fragrance oils to minimize what gets added to that burn.
