Can a Candle Be Clean If It Contains Fragrance Oils

Everywhere you look, candle brands are claiming to be “clean,” “non-toxic,” “ good stuff only ” or “ethically kind.”

The packaging is beautiful. The words sound thoughtful.
But many of these candles still rely on one thing:

Fragrance oils.

And that raises a very real question:

Can a candle truly be clean, kind, and safe if it contains synthetic fragrance?

At Bryluen Botanicals, our ethos is grounded in simplicity and honesty. We use only pure essential oils, never fragrance oils—because we believe in full transparency, real aromatherapy benefits, and ingredients that are truly safe for your home, pets, and family.

Let’s gently but clearly break it down.

What Are Fragrance Oils?

Fragrance oils are used in perfumes, beauty products, home sprays, and most mainstream candles. But not all fragrance oils are the same.

There are two main types:

Synthetic fragrance oils: Man-made in laboratories, often using petroleum-derived chemicals to recreate scents like vanilla, cotton, or sea breeze.“Natural” fragrance oils: Made using natural isolates (individual aromatic compounds), but often blended with synthetic stabilisers or scent boosters.

They may sound harmless, but here’s the catch:

 Fragrance Oils Often Contain:

Hidden ingredients (protected by trade secret laws)

 Petrochemicals

Allergenic compounds (not always disclosed)

 Endocrine disruptors

 No aromatherapy or therapeutic benefit

Even brands claiming to be “non-toxic” or “clean” may use fragrance blends that contain dozens of ingredients—most of which are never listed on the label.

 Is It Legal? Yes.

 Is It Transparent? Not Really.

There are no legal definitions or enforcement around words like:

“Clean-burning”

“Safe”

“Non-toxic”

“Kind”

“We only use the good stuff”

Fragrance components in candles (unlike skincare in the EU) do not require full disclosure—even if they contain allergens, stabilisers, or petrochemical carriers.

This creates a massive grey area, where many companies can:

Market a candle as “clean” and “ethical”

Avoid listing what's in their fragrance oil

Say “no CMRs, no phthalates, no parabens” — but still include undisclosed synthetics

It’s not illegal — but it’s not truly transparent, either.

Why We Use Only Essential Oils

At Bryluen Botanicals  we take a different path.

We believe in:

Transparency

Aromatherapy benefits

Ingredients you can actually pronounce

Our candles are made with:

100% pure essential oils

Cotton wicks (no metal cores)

European soy wax

Blends chosen with pet, baby, and pregnancy safety in mind

When we say clean, we mean pure plant ingredients, without compromise.

Essential oils don’t just smell beautiful. They can calm, uplift, focus, soothe, and restore—all while being naturally derived and fully traceable.

 A Note on “Clean Candle” Marketing

We’re not here to shame or scold other makers. Many are doing their best with what they know. But as candle lovers and wellbeing advocates, it’s important to be aware of how greenwashing works in this industry.

If a candle contains synthetic fragrance—even if it's:

Soy wax

Phthalate-free

Packaged beautifully

…it may still emit petrochemicals, sensitising compounds, and synthetics when burned.

Your home deserves better.

 The Bryluen Botanicals Promise

No synthetic fragrance oils

No greenwashing language

No hidden ingredients

No compromise

We use only plants, purpose, and peace of mind.

That’s what clean means to us.