Finding Your Favorite Candle
Candles are functional objects because they shed light, but they also create a whole vibe and make a space feel COZY. Lighting a candle in your home can transform a room because it puts off calm energy - which is great when life can get chaotic!
But with so many options out there—different waxes, scents, sizes, and price points—how do you know which all natural candles are actually worth bringing home?
Here's how to choose all natural candles that are right for you.
1. The Wax
The wax is the foundation of any candle, and it's the first thing you should look at when choosing an all natural option. The three main natural waxes are beeswax, soy, and coconut—and each has its own qualities.
Beeswax is the most natural option. It's made by bees, minimally processed, and burns longer and cleaner than any other wax. It has a naturally sweet, floral scent and produces a warm, golden light. That's why Momo's Place only uses beeswax for our candles. It is the best and we believe you deserve the best.
This is our OG Candle The Honeyglow Vessel- 100% beeswax with a wood wick, nothing else!
Soy wax is plant-based and more affordable than beeswax. It's a good option if you're looking for a non-toxic candle, but make sure it's 100% soy (not a blend) and ideally non-GMO. Chemicals like hexane need to be used to extract the wax from the plant, which is not ideal, but once it comes to burning the candles in your home it is a clean burn.
Coconut wax is another plant-based option that burns cleanly and slowly. It's often blended with other waxes, so check the label to see what you're actually getting.
I avoid paraffin, which is a petroleum byproduct that releases chemicals when burned. If a candle doesn't tell you what kind of wax it's made from, oftentimes that means it is made from petroleum.
2. Scent
If you want a scented candle, look for one that's scented with essential oils, not synthetic fragrance oils. Essential oils are derived from plants like lavender, eucalyptus or cedarwood, and are used in aromatherapy, which has been proven to help with anxiety, stress and improving sleep.
Essential oils and their benefits are awesome, but beeswax has an amazing scent on its own. It has a naturally sweet, honey-like aroma—no added scent needed. The scent comes from the pollen and honey that bees bring into the hive, and it varies slightly depending on what flowers the bees are pollinating.
We have a whole collection of candles that are scented with organic or wild-harvested essential oils. The Moonlight Vessel is one of our top sellers, for its soothing scent and beautiful blue recycled glass vessel. And you can rest easy that it is healthy for your airways!
3. Burn Time
How long do you want your candle to last? If you're someone who lights candles every day, burn time matters. Beeswax candles burn significantly longer than soy or paraffin—often up to twice as long. This means that even though beeswax candles cost more upfront, they can be more economical in the long run. Our pillar candles burn what feels like forever and are definitely the biggest bang for your buck for a beeswax candle! I absolutely love the golden glow of the wax you get from a burning pillar candle, there is nothing like it.
Soy and coconut wax candles have a moderate burn time, while paraffin burns the fastest. When you're comparing candles, look at the estimated burn time on the label, and factor that into the price.
4. Wicks
Most people don't think about the wick, but it's an important part of what makes a candle natural. Look for wicks made from cotton, wood, or hemp—never metal-core wicks, which can release heavy metals when burned.
At Momo's Place, we use FSC-certified wood wicks for our beeswax vessel candles. They're sustainable, self-standing, and create a gentle crackle that feels like sitting by a fire. Our pillars and tapers are wicked with cotton. The wick you choose can affect the ambiance of the candle, so think about what kind of experience you want to create.
5. Ingredient Transparency
A legit natural candle brand will be transparent about their ingredients, their sourcing, and their process. At Momo's Place we are proud to share where our wax comes from, how the candles are made, and what goes into them.
Ingredient transparency is so important to us and one of the reasons why we started this business in the first place!!
6. Consider Your Values
If sustainability is important to you, beeswax is the most eco-friendly option. It's a renewable resource, a byproduct of honey production and pollination, and it supports healthy bee populations. Choosing beeswax means supporting beekeepers and the ecosystems that depend on pollinators.
If you're vegan, soy or coconut wax candles are good alternatives.
If you care about supporting small businesses, look for brands that are open about their process and their sourcing. At Momo's Place, we source our beeswax from a New England apiary with nearly 70 years of history, and we're proud to support their work.
Final Thoughts
Choosing all natural candles doesn't have to be complicated. Start with the wax, consider the scent, look for transparency, and trust your instincts!
XO
Momo
