Smell-Good Alternatives as I Break My Candle Addiction
Getting cozy and smelling good without all that soot n' sludge…
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It’s no secret I love a candle. I buy them as gifts, love to receive them as gifts, and keep a little stack of ‘em under my kitchen sink. Every morning after my kids head off to school I do a quick five-minute tidy up and then light a couple candles (I gotta get that fresh scent throw!) as I settle into the rest of my workday. It is cozy and quiet, and I can’t stand a stinky home. Perfect, right?
Maybe not because, for the time being, candles and I are breaking up.
Y’all know I love to clean so twice a year I do a full deep clean and reorganization of every inch of my house. Like, every drawer and cabinet. I wash everything down and donate/sell all the things we aren’t using (I gotta make room for more dopamine decor and little trinkets after all!). I started the Big Clean in my kitchen over the weekend and Oh Em Gee. I went to wash down the cabinets by my stove and was SO grossed out by how dirty they were. I just cleaned them a couple months ago and regularly wipe everything down! Color me shocked when I realized that same sooty sludge was on my bathroom walls…and my front room wall…and in my bedroom. Guys, it was the candles. I know, I know. Get soy based! Get non-toxic candles! I cannot unsee the sludge.
After looking up what might be causing that film I came across this piece on Health.com that asks How Bad Are Scented Candles For You, Really? And it was really eye opening. My youngest has asthma! How could I be burning these things every day! Live and learn, y’all.
In the best interests of my walls and lungs and just filling my home with the freshest of fresh air (plus saving some big bucks cause candles get EXPENSIVE when you burn through ‘em like I do), I needed to utilize some candle alternatives. I *need* the beautiful smelling, cozy girl vibes so going cold turkey is not an option. Here’s what I’m replacing those flames with…
It’s Electric: Listen, part of my candle addiction are the smell goods but a big part of it is the vibe. I picked up these battery powered candles last year and dug them back out of my linen closet to offer a little candlelike magic in any room I please. It’s helpful that they flicker like the real deal and I don’t have to worry about blowing them out.
Warm It Up: Time to wax, girl! I’m sorry….anyway. I have a friend who used to sell Scentsy and got me on the wax warmer trend years and years ago. While I don’t buy from Scentsy anymore, I’ve always used a warmer in our basement (of course I keep it kitsch and have this one) and I got a small wall warmer to replace that pesky kitchen candle (I love this plug in too!). I am so lucky because a local lady makes the BEST waxes. They smell so good and last forever. But if you don’t have a micro bakery cart near you that also stocks the world’s best melts, Target has affordable ones that also smell great. Some of my fave scents are the Peony and Cherry Blossom, the Jasmine and Coconut Flower, and I am a true sucker for the Rainbow Marshmallow and buy it every time I see it so that I never run out).
Diffuse the Sitch: You already know I love my disco ball oil diffuser and mix n’ match oils to create seasonally perfect smells for my entryway (my current go-to is orange oil and a lil splash of rose oil). I am keeping it movin’ and diffusion’ so I removed the bathroom candles and added in some reed diffusers to keep things fresh. So far they are working great and I plan to play around with scents when I refill so I don’t have to chuck them after they dry up.
Do Be Salty: Someone told me years ago that salt lamps help purify the air and while there's little research to support this I still love them. We have a few around our house and they create a calm feeling and I love me a pink glow. I have a couple of these wall plug ins and one of these big boys in each bedroom of our house. Even if it isn’t making the air cleaner it is a great nightlight!
Keep it Cozy: Want to get a tiny bit smoky and raise your woo girl vibration? I love incense for some aromatherapy. An alternative that I haven’t tried (yet) but seems to keep the vibes cozy as heck? It seems like everyone on social media has a candle warmer and I’m intrigued but also confused how this is different than my trusty wax warmer but idk, babe. I’m here for it.
I’ll still burn a gifted candle here and there but looking forward to some fresher air and finding different alternatives to my beloved flames! Do you use any flameless candle alternatives I should know about?
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