8 Vegan Candle Brands We’re Obsessed With | Inc. Soy Wax & Non-Toxic

Candles are a quintessential part of many people’s routines, having the unique ability to calm the mind and remind the user to slow down. For those who prefer scented candles, the options are aplenty. While orange-laced candles can revitalize and energize, scents like bergamot and lavender can elicit a sense of tranquility, and cozy woody scents to enjoy during the fall and winter seasons.

Our Top Picks

Bia Candle Co | Hand poured soy wax blend candles boasting a 10-12% of fragrance load | Shop on BiaCandleCo.com
Hotel Lobby Candle | Luxury scented soy wax candles nestled in reusable hand painted glass vessels | Shop on HotelLobbyCandle.com
Vigyl | Soy wax candles with natural cotton wicks and useable vessels that are hand poured in Canada | Shop on Vigyl.ca
Skylar | Dreamy, nature-inspired scents that are hypoallergenic, safe for sensitive skin, while also being vegan and cruelty free! | Shop on Skylar.com
Paddy Wax | Clean-burning soy wax blend with cotton wicks and alluring fragrance oils to fill your home with warmth and nostalgia | Shop on PaddyWax.com
Salt & Stone | Candles made using a blend of coconut and soy wax, and functional fragrances that are formulated to infuse your everyday rituals with a sense of escapism | Shop on SaltAndStone.com
P.F. Candle Co | High quality soy wax candles made from US grown soybeans, cotton core wicks, and a blend of fine fragrance oils | Shop on PFCandleCo.com
Voluspa | Clean burning coconut wax blend candles with natural hand-set wicks and unparalleled fragrance integrity | Shop on Amazon.com

Below, we’ve laid out everything you need to know about vegan candles, including what to look for, what they’re made out of, how wicks play a role, and our favorite vegan candles brands that will have your home smelling amazing!

Vegan Candle Brands We Love

Wondering where you can buy vegan friendly, soy wax, coconut wax and non-toxic candles? Here’s a list of the eight vegan candle brands The Garden Party team is obsessed with (and we hope you will be too).

Bia Candle Co

A high quality scented candle brand which uses a soy wax blend, natural metal-free wicks, and uses packaging that can be recycled or reused. They use a 10-12% of fragrance oil in their candles, compared to 6% on average with other brands. So these candles smell amazing without being overpowering.

Hotel Lobby Candle

A luxury candle brand offering premium soy wax candles (made from US grown soybeans), braided cotton wicks, hand-painted glass vessels and a subtle but intoxicating 10% fragrance load.

Vigyl

A genderless approach to candle culture that exists at the intersection of art, tradition, community and the senses. Soy wax candles with natural cotton wicks and useable vessels that are hand poured in Canada.

Skylar

A vegan fragrance brand with a wide selection of perfumes, hair & body mists, and candles. Skylar products are hypoallergenic, safe for sensitive skin, vegan, and cruelty-free.

Paddy Wax

A candle brand out of Nashville that creates their candle collections around a story that adds warmth and nostalgia to your home. Paddywax candles are made from a clean-burning soy wax blend with cotton wicks and alluring fragrance oils.

Salt & Stone

Salt & Stone is a lifestyle brand with a desire to “create beautiful [skincare and candle] products in harmony with nature and a celebration of the all-consuming power of scent”. Their candles made using a blend of coconut and soy wax, and functional fragrances that are formulated to infuse your everyday rituals with a sense of escapism.

P.F. Candle Co

A Californian home design brand offering high quality soy wax candles made from US grown soybeans, cotton core wicks, and a blend of fine fragrance oils, as well as a range of reed diffusers, car fragrance, room & linen sprays, and hand & body washes.

Voluspa

A California based candle brand centered around a global celebration of scent, with a wide selection of hand poured coconut wax blend candles perfect for every occasion.

What Makes A Candle Vegan?

A vegan candle is a candle that is made without any animal derived products (including beeswax) — similar to vegan food and vegan fashion. For starters, we recommend looking for candles that are labeled vegan or plant based. If that’s not present we suggest looking at the ingredient list on the box or website, learn what the candle is made from. You’re looking for terms like “soy wax”, “coconut wax” or “paraffin wax”. Just make sure the candle says it’s made 100% of one or more of these ingredients (or any other vegan ingredient) to ensure it’s vegan friendly.

In addition, some people mistakenly use the terms “vegan” and “non-toxic” interchangeably, but in actuality, they don’t mean the same thing. Vegan candles refer to whether or not animal products play a part in the composition of the candle, and non-toxic candles refer to candles that are made without harmful ingredients and don’t emit toxic chemicals into the air.

Why Vegan Candles?

Vegan candles come with a multitude of benefits for animals and the environment. For one, you won’t find things like tallow (which refers to fat derived from cows), beeswax (natural wax produced by bees), or stearic acid (also rendered from animal fat but it is sometimes palm-derived) in a candle that’s truly vegan. This is important to those who prioritize using animal-free products in their lives.

In addition, many vegan candle materials are naturally-sourced — take soy wax, for example, which is one of the most common vegan candle materials available today. Soy wax comes from soybeans, which is derived from the crop (many of our favorite vegan candle brands use USA grown soybeans), biodegradable (so it’s better for the environment), and doesn’t release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere (so it’s safe for you and your furry friends).

Soy and coconut wax candles are also known to have a slower burn time, meaning they’ll burn for longer periods and you’ll get more use out of them. This also means you’ll get your money’s worth, as you won’t need to refill it or purchase a new one as often. What’s more, the slower and more even burn times will help give off its scent gradually — they’ll smell better, are less likely to lead to a headache, and will overall be more pleasant in your space.

Soy Wax vs. Paraffin Wax

Soy wax is a vegetable wax derived from soybean oil. Because it comes from a natural crop, rather than animal fat, it’s considered vegan. Paraffin wax, which is petroleum-based, is also considered vegan, but comes with several drawbacks as far as the environment is concerned. 

Soy candles have a cleaner burn unlike paraffin wax, which has higher emissions and has been linked to bladder cancer. They’re known to have a lower melting point — the time it takes for a soy candle to turn from solid to liquid is longer, so you’ll get to enjoy it for longer. Candles made from soy wax also don’t produce as much soot as paraffin candles. This black deposit can stain your walls, furniture, and any other surfaces it comes into contact with. If you need yet another reason why soy wax is better for candles, it’s biodegradable — it’ll decompose naturally whereas paraffin wax takes much longer to breakdown.

So, are soy candles safer for humans and for the environment? Yes. When compared to paraffin wax, soy wax is a much healthier alternative.

Soy Wax vs. Coconut Wax

Coconut wax is made of coconut oil and is another solid alternative to non-vegan or toxic candle materials. While we recommend both soy wax and coconut wax, coconut wax comes with a few unique properties. Like soy wax, coconut wax doesn’t produce as much soot as paraffin wax, but you’ll find even less soot with a coconut wax candle in comparison to soy. Also, coconut wax will need less scented oil than soy wax because it has a good “cold scent throw” — you can pick up a jar of coconut wax candle and immediately smell it once you open the lid. This isn’t necessarily the case for some soy wax candles, as they don’t hold as much scent and need to be heavily fragranced to produce a vibrant aroma that’s distinguishable even when unlit. 

That being said, coconut wax candles are notoriously more expensive than soy wax candles. They also need to be stored in certain conditions (cool, dark environments) to ensure they don’t melt.

Cotton Wick vs. Wooden Wick

You light a candle, then you enjoy it. Sounds pretty straight-forward, right? As it turns out, the candle’s wick, which lives within the middle body of the candle, plays a role in how it’ll burn.  Typically, candle wicks are made from cotton. This type of wick is constructed by twisting pieces of cotton together to form a string that then gets coated with wax to help it maintain a durable form (FYI: though rare, some candle brands may use lead to coat their cotton wicks, which can cause harm when inhaled, so keep this in mind when considering candles). 

There are several benefits to cotton wicks. They’re easy to light and relight, pair well with different wax materials like soy and coconut, and don’t require much maintenance. Cotton wicks do come with some cons, namely, that black carbon buildup can form on the tip of the wick once it’s extinguished, causing a slight burning smell throughout your space. 

Wooden wicks are another option. They’re essentially slim pieces of wood that are precisely cut to fit the desired candle width. The type of wood can differ across candle manufacturers, but usually, oak, balsa, or maple are used. Many people opt for wooden wicks because they produce that satisfying wooden crackling sound when lit. They also are known to burn more cleanly and evenly than cotton wicks. As for the disadvantages of wooden wicks: they may require a bit of effort to light, they can be pricier than cotton wicks, and can be too easily blown out (so they’re best lit indoors).

Both types of wicks will require a bit of maintenance to prolong their lifespan — be sure to trim cotton wicks to 1/4″ and wooden wicks anywhere from 1/8″ to 3/16″ before each use for the best burn possible.

Whether you’re looking to veganize your vegan candle collection for reasons pertaining to animals, the environment, or your health, there are plenty of options for you to choose from. We have added a bunch of our favorite candles to our Amazon store for your to checkout!