Essentially - I love oils...

Hi everyone - given my huge obsession with Young Living Essential Oils - I have allowed my Cousin Meg hijack my blog :). I wanted her to take the stage and give you all kinds of good details about YL products - and the reasons why diffusing oils is SO much better/safer than candles...

Here's Meg...

Hi everyone! I’m Meghan Nasti, one of Barb’s many cousins! She has been gracious enough to share her blog space with me today. Thank you Barb!

Did you know that October is National Fire Prevention Month? I’m sure we all take precautions like don’t overload outlets, make sure your stove is off, change the batteries in smoke detectors, etc. But how many of you have a candle burning right now? There is something about the warm, spicy scents of Fall to make you feel all cozy, right? I use to be a candle fanatic! I worked at a very popular retail chain in college and what money I didn’t spend on books, I spent in that store on products and candles! I didn’t know what I didn’t know…

Fast forward to the Spring of 2016, I was pregnant with my first child and wanted to do what was best for a healthy pregnancy. Upon doing some research one day, I found multiple articles about how candles are not safe to burn while pregnant. Well if they’re not safe when you’re pregnant, why are they safe when you’re not? The honest answer: THEY ARE NOT!

There’s the open flame factor, which as a Momma of two little ones is reason enough alone to never have them in my house, but it gets worse. Many candle are made from paraffin wax - a petroleum byproduct - which can release carcinogenic soot when burned. This soot can lead to respiratory problems or aggravate conditions in those with asthma, allergies, heart, or lung problems. It can also cause damage to your interior walls, electronics, ductwork, and more. Certain candles may emit numerous potentially hazardous chemicals such as benzene and toluene, that can cause to the brain, lungs, & central nervous system, as well as cause developmental difficulties.

Another huge problem with candles and many products are the scent or fragrance themselves. I bet if you took 5 minutes to go look at your candles, shampoo, lotions, etc. you’ll see “fragrance” as one of the ingredients. What is should say is “ any combination of thousands ingredients that do not legally have to be disclosed or tested for safety”, but that doesn’t look great on a label, right?