Does ILLUME offer a list of ingredients for their candles?
The unique wax blends have taken years of development and are highly proprietary, so ILLUME do not share the detailed ingredient lists.
Does ILLUME mix any other type of wax in with the soy?
Yes, they have a variety of different wax bases to satisfy different claims and performance characteristics. They use soy, responsibly harvested palm, carnauba, and paraffin.
Does ILLUME also use artificial fragrances with the essential oils?
Fragrances can be made up of natural or synthetic ingredients, but most contain both. Some fragrances like ozonic/aquatic notes are not available naturally so they are all synthetic. There can be anywhere from 10 to 75 ingredients per fragrance, but ILLUME uses essential oils and absolutes when it is available and/or feasible.
Are the candles organic?
ILLUME® is committed to crafting environmentally conscious products, but candles cannot be certified organic. That said, the candles are crafted from either an FDA-approved food-grade paraffin (like the wax used on vegetables at the grocery store; ILLUME’s is edible, too), or the proprietary all-natural blend of coconut wax, beeswax and essential oils. The wax type depends on the application. The wax is the foundation for a clean burn and, combined with a metal-free wick and proper care, should provide the cleanest burn possible. Additionally, all of the fragrances are free of harmful phthalates and all packaging is made from recycled materials, are recyclable, or are in vessels designed for reuse.
Does ILLUME test on Animals?
Because it matters to ILLUME greatly, the candle and diffuser formulas are PETA certified, cruelty-free and vegan, made with the best intentions and ingredients. Cruelty-free means that the candles are developed without any tests on animals, while vegan means that the product does not include any animal-derived elements.
What ingredients are in the diffusers?
It varies by fragrance, but all of the diffusers contain fragrance ingredients and some solvents to keep all the ingredients dissolved in the liquid. While some of the fragrances contain essential oils, most also contain synthetic ingredients.
How long do diffusers last?
Typically, 8oz diffusers last 6-8 months and 3oz diffusers last 2-3 months. The rate of evaporation depends on the size of the space and number of reeds used. Dry air and air flow (fans, dehumidifiers, etc.) can deplete diffusers faster. To optimize the reeds, ILLUME recommends flipping them when they have stopped throwing fragrance.
Are soy candles safe for people with soy allergies?
Yes. Not only are the bean chemicals that are allergens not present in soy wax, any that were present would be destroyed by the combustion.
Do the wicks contain lead?
No, all of the wicks are metal-free. Depending on the application, they are made with cotton, cotton with a paper core, or cotton and paper woven together.
What can I do to make my candle burn better?
Keep in mind these two things to create the best burn experience:
- The first time you burn a candle, let it burn until the wax pool melts all the way to the edge. For a larger candle this may take a few hours. Wax has "memory," so if is extinguished with just a partial pool, it will struggle to ever get to a complete melt pool. Sometimes this takes some planning ahead but will make a huge difference if you haven't tried it before.
- Trim your wick each time you light the candle, removing any wick 'bloom' from the previous burn. We like 0,7-1,3 cm. ILLUME’s wicks are crafted to self-extinguish at the bottom (1 cm or so), for safety. At that point you can freeze the container for a few hours, pop the wax out carefully with a butter knife, and hand wash so you can reuse the vessel.
Most of the candles ILLUME burns do not have enough wick. There is always about 0,3 cm of wax at the bottom that is wasted. Why?
The wicks are designed to self-extinguish about 0,7 cm above the very bottom of the wax and are glued to the bottom of the vessel so they can't float around. ILLUME does this - in addition to extensive R&D and testing - to ensure Illume candles burn beautifully and safely from first light to last flicker.
