Are Scentsy bars and bricks safe and good for the environment because the scents are from 100% natural fragrances?

Scentsy is a typical wax melt (tart or wickless candle) that you put in a Scentsy warmer (heated by a little bulb). They also have plug in gizmos which are like Glade Plug Ins and the plug in devices from Bath & Body Works.

There are other wickless candles on the market so why have I singled out Scentsy?”Well because of the claims on their site.  Most Scentsy reps are actually unaware of what is in the products they are selling.  Talking to a Scentsy rep you will most likely hear “Scentsy bars and bricks are safe and good for the environment because the scents are from 100% natural fragrances.” They are really passionate and truly believe that what they are selling is truly wholesome. Of course there is no such thing as an all-natural oil scented like birthday cake, blueberry cheesecake, or “Central Park Pralines.” It’s just not possible.

Some facts about Scentsy based on their website & literature. 

*Scentsy products are petrochemicals. When you burn Scentsy, you are buying a product made from crude oil.  To be more specific, paraffin wax is a bi-product of the refining process to make gasoline. Scentsy calls this a food grade paraffin, but it is still a crude oil product and is the same stuff used as a bottle and jar sealant when making preserves.

*The Scentsy site claims that the warmers do not burn wax so that there aren’t any nasties released into the air.   They neglect to mention that you can still inhale what is released from their product.  According to  Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, burning paraffin can contain formaldehyde. So, yes, your Scentsy product may not produce soot, however, formaldehyde may be released into the air when your wax is melted. Your walls and furniture may not have the stains from soot, but your body may be breathing in toxic chemicals.

*They also say something else highly questionable. They make the statement that vegetable waxes cannot produce a good product.   There are hundreds of beeswax and soy companies out there making great products!

*Their website also states that they use 15-18% fragrance oil in their products. In another words, Scentsy is adding higher concentrations of artificial fragrance to each product. This means that you are facing a greater health risk then burning a “non Scentsy” scented candle. Using 15-18% fragrance oil is actually quite extreme.  It is crucial to mention that they use ARTIFICIAL fragrance oils, which are linked to asthma, cancer, and more.  (for more information on this link between airborne toxins and chronic health issues go to www.mercola.com and enter “danger of airborne toxins” into the search engine)

*Scentsy boasts that they use fragrance oils without phthalates, but your typical “fragrance oil” may contain over 100 different chemical compounds such as amines, ethers, ketones, lactones, terpenes and thiones. Many also contain benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and other toxins shown to cause cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders, neurological disorders, and allergic reactions. These compounds also get into the air and can have grave effects on the ecosystem.  Notice that they do not mention their oils are free of other toxic chemicals.

In other words, they’re not going to tell you what’s in there – the ingredient list is secret. What this melts down to is whether or not you trust a company with your life and the life of everyone living in your household. When you buy a product, you place a vote with your dollars to let that company know that you don’t need to know what they put in their products, whatever is in there is okay with you, you’d rather remain in the dark. Consumers who buy products without full disclosure typically fall under the “ignorance is bliss” category because they would rather not have to think about ingredients or possible consequences.

So, Scentsy is no different that any standard paraffin wax melt, just priced higher than most of them. Surely you do not want to make your home smell nice with toxin laden products that will damage the health of your family AND your pets? Many people choose to give candles and perfumes as gifts to our loved ones, so be sure to know what is in them.

Does Scentsy contain phthalates (certain chemicals known to cause endocrine [hormone] problems)? No. Although, this only rules out one category of toxins as the ingredient “fragrance” can hide many, many ingredients under that single term without disclosure, some of which may be toxic or unsafe. Since Scentsy (and many other companies) refuse to openly disclose their actual ingredients, it is IMPOSSIBLE for any consumer to make an educated decision about the safety of their use.

Beware: Some candle companies avoid the phthalate question. Some companies, like Gold Canyon Candles, are tricky with wording by saying they “do not use phthalates which are known to cause problems” – notice the wording to avoid answering the question – they won’t say they do not use ANY phthalates. This is a red flag.

On top of the “secret combination of ingredients” used to synthetically fragrance (read: chemicals created in a lab to make an artificial scent), they admit to using petroleum wax. Petroleum is also what is used to make gasoline. It is not an eco-friendly product in getting to the resource (think about the Gulf BP drilling mess), manufacturing (it pollutes tons of water and creates huge messes to refine it into petroleum from crude oil), or disposal. Although they claim on their website that they were unable to find a vegetable based wax that held their scents, many other companies have proven it can be done and it can be done well! There are plenty of soy and palm wax candle companies whose waxes hold essential oils perfectly for long periods of time. Perhaps the problem is not the vegetable wax, perhaps the problem is the cocktail of chemicals being used for fragrance? Just a thought.

SAFETY CLAIMS: 

(directly quoted from the Scentsy company website)
“Scentsy Warmers only warm the scent out of the wax – the wax remains in the warmer, thus there is no danger of chemicals being released into the home.”

No danger of chemicals being released? Really? Fragrance oils are made from chemicals created in a lab. The fragrance oil is completely released until the wax is unscented. Obviously, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you are inhaling chemicals from the fragrance and CHEMICALS ARE BEING RELEASED INTO YOUR HOME AND BODY.

Made in China. Need I say more about the same people that brought you melamine in adulterated milk, lead in hundreds of thousands of toys and organic food. Like I said, need I say more. Made in China

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)From Scentsy website : Where are Scentsy products made? https://scentsy.com/about-scentsy-fragrance/frequently-asked-questions Scentsy’s wickless candles and home-fragrance products are made in Scentsy’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Meridian, Idaho. Our ceramic warmers are designed by Scentsy and made to our exact specifications by our manufacturing partner in China.

The toxic chemicals released by air fresheners –particularly those with pine, orange and lemon scents – are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are well-proven toxins, many of which have been linked to a range of diseases and conditions when being inhaled even in low concentrations over a long period of time.

Some of these chemicals include benzene, petroleum-derived chemical, which causes cancer in animals and has been linked to leukemia; xylene, which has been linked to nausea and sick building syndrome, as well as liver and kidney damage;phenol, which can cause kidney, respiratory, neurological and skin problems; naphthalene, a suspected carcinogen, which has been linked to blood, kidney and liver problems; and formaldehyde, a colorless, unstable gas. Inhaling formaldehyde fumes in even small amounts can cause coughing, a sore throat, and respiratory and eye problems. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer, particularly in the nasal cavity.

The Indoor Fatigue Plague

Indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health. Why add to ANY MORE contaminants in the home that attributes to asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems.

Choosing to ignore the mountains of documented information from a wide variety of credible scientific sources that synthetic chemicals in any form, candles, air fresheners, hair spray, etc does nothing but put yourself, your family and the people you relay this misinformation to, in harms way. One such credible source is Dr Joseph Mercola and this is one of MANY articles all scientifically referenced that he has posted on his site.
https:// articles.mercola .com/sites/ articles/ archive/2011/12/ 26/ how-to-purify-th e-air-in-your-h ome.aspx?np=tru e
Exerpt from this article:
“Switch to non-toxic cleaning products (such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar) and safer personal care products. Avoid aerosols. Look for VOC-free cleaners. Avoid commercial air fresheners and scented candles, which can degass literally thousands of different chemicals into your breathing space.”

So what other options do you have?

1)  NON-GMO soy tart or candle is one option.  (only non-GMO or else it’s just as bad as breathing in paraffin)

2)  Beeswax. It has a natural light honey aroma, burns clean, and can actually HELP your health! Beeswax emits negative ions into the air and can help rid your home of toxins. Add100% pure Young Living essential oils to your DIY candle mix

3) Diffuse.  Diffuse Young Living essential in your home to clean the air, add scent, and actually improve your health..

  Did you know that 66 percent of the chemicals found in everyday products haven’t been tested at all? According to the Environmental Working Group, …

Any of the above options are a MUCH better choice than dumping toxins into the air of your home!  Avoiding ALL synthetics and synthetic fragrances for humans and animals – no matter what the product.  Inhaling something synthetic (even a fragrance) – can indeed be just as significant as ingesting it.

YOU have control over your home air quality! Make wise choices and avoid producing or aggravating health challenges!

The dangers of ALL synthetic fragrances is hitting mainstream news. Watch this very informative interview on Fox news recently that really summarizes this topic well. https:// video.foxnews.co m/v/ 2096039187001/

Final Decision

Air is a necessity; fragrance is not and can actually be harmful to some. Also, Scentsy operates under the self-regualted fragrance industry. The claims they make regarding safety are questionable simply because there are no outside-of-the-industry safety regulations for fragrances.

Scentsy does not have ingredients posted anywhere on their website or product packaging. Why? They have much to hide!
Not written just shared by Kathryn Yateman   October 7, 2016  http://katscorneressentiallysimple.com