Frequently Asked Questions

How are your products better than your standard supermarket candle?

Our candles are handmade, so we are able to quality check every single candle before it leaves us. We use natural wax and phthalate and paraben free oils. Supermarket candles tend to use cheap oils that can cause headaches and/or allergies. They also tend to let off soot which can be harmful to breathe in, and leave black marks on your ceilings.
Why don't you decorate your candles with flowers/décor I've seen with other brands?

It is actually a serious fire hazard to place petals, pieces of dried fruit and other décor items on the top of, or inside a candle with a wick. Houses burn down because of these candle makers ignoring fire safety regulations when creating their candles. Insurances will not cover them for this damage so you would not be able to claim back any damages, so its best to avoid these types of products. This is the same for any candles poured in shells, coconuts, and other various items.
This is different to wax melts, which because are kept away from a flame, can include dried fruit, petals and other décor.
Where did the WILDRACE name come from?

The WILDRACE name was created on a sunny day in May 2021. I had the vision of Wildrace becoming this new race of women that were confident in their connection to the earth. Women who were WILD, different and bold. I wanted to create this RACE of women… part of a new era. Our products were then designed as close to nature as possible, with different scents aiding different cycles, emotions and feelings that a woman goes through.
Are your candles safe to burn all day?

In terms of safety in our ingredients, our candles are as safe as you can get. They are soot free, phthalate and paraben free. There will be no damage caused by burning our candles over long periods of time (unless you suffer with an allergy to an ingredient). Our vessels are however recommended for burning up to 4 hours. We have customers that burn our candles for entire days, and have not faced any issues, but we recommend regularly checking the temperature of the glass if burning over 4 hours.
We personally test burn all of our vessels by burning them, the whole way through. Start to finish in one sitting, and have never experiences any shattering of the glass, but the vessel does get very hot at times which could cause damage to a table or surface if not placed on a mat.
Where do you buy your materials from?

All of our materials are sourced from the UK and where possible, from other small businesses.
We will not disclose the exact suppliers as this could cause a scenario where our products/scents were duplicated/copied.
Do you do limited edition items?

We tend to save our limited edition items for our markets and fair’s. This way if you pop along you can pick up something that you might not have seen before.
We do sometimes do limited edition products at Christmas, Valentines day, Easter and Halloween.

What makes a luxury candle : Which decisions are made to achieve this

Starting a candle business from scratch and growing it into a luxury premium product takes a lot of research. What makes a good candle? What choices really make a difference to the end product?

With candle making the obvious first decision would be to choose the type of wax you’d like to work with. What beginners may not realise is that all waxes, oils and wicks are extremely temperamental and reliant on each other being the right choice. Certain waxes don’t mix well with certain oils, and wicks and the same with the oils and wicks not working with certain waxes.

With sustainability at the core of Wildrace, our wax choice was simple. Soy wax is renewable, vegan and creates significantly less, in fact nearly no soot at all. Another great sustainable wax is coconut. I just personally find coconut wax has its own scent and so doesn’t mix with as well with fragrances as soy wax does. I’ve personally watched the price of soy wax grow by 50% in my last year and a half of purchasing it, leaving no choice but to raise the cost of our candles.

Creating a luxury candle comes down to finer details. The quality of the label, the pureness of the scents chosen, the ways in which you are giving back. Its not good enough to ship in loads of materials these days and claim to be eco-friendly without giving back. One of the ways we’ve discovered is great for balancing out our importing is by planting one tree for every order. This allows us to offset our carbon, in particular the miles made to receive materials and ship out orders.

Choosing oils from a reputable supplier who you can trust is important. I work very closely with our oil suppliers and have visited their work premises to see the production line in action. We share all the same values and a company who shares your values and works towards the same ethical and environmental goals is important. This helps to build a trusting relationship with your own clients as you know exactly what’s going into your products and where it came from.

So as you can see, there is a lot of detail that goes into candle making. Each decision we make is thought out so carefully. For the planet and our customers, decisions are made in the thought of luxury and sustainability. Expense is never spared our end, and we know our customers value this and trust out decision making and our word.

Luxury sustainability , the standard of all good businesses in 2022.

Candles as sleep aids : Do they really work?

Can you really improve your sleep or is it just genetically written into you. I’ve always been fascinated by sleep and what happens in our brain when we lose consciousness. Can we control the quality of sleep we get, and does the amount of sleep we have mean anything for our quality of life. During lockdown I read ‘Why we sleep’ by Matthew Walker which opened my eyes to the importance of sleep. Five star review from me. I then became infatuated with my bedtime routines, and really the whole lead up to bedtime itself and what role this played on my nights rest.

Sleep aid candles were top of my list to try. An easy way to inhale all of the essential oils that have been studied for so many years and been seen to reduce anxiety and promote healthy sleep. But do they really make a difference? I am a science girl and if there’s one thing I love about science, its when I can use it to back up my own products.

So the science is - Maybe!

Essential oils used in sleep aid candles like our own have been found to be able to change hormones, feelings and sleep length. This seems to be through quite small scale research but nonetheless its there. I truly believe in the power of nature and its no secret that plants ARE medicine. Pharmaceuticals may have added in a lot of bulk to make their money but the fact of it is, plants. So when you take the oils carefully distilled from these plants and inhale them, that’s when the magic becomes easy.

Our deep sleep blend made from organic lavender, thyme and ylang ylang features natural plant oils high in linalool which is used for achieving mediative state. This allows your brain to switch off more easily and to achieve a longer nights sleep, less likely to be affected by disturbances. We have 5 star reviews all round with our sleep aid candles and if you are a hay fever sufferer, we have also seen a lot of customers find relief for this.

Understanding the Organic Dilemma: Why Candles Cannot Be Labelled as Organic

Candles have long been associated with warmth, relaxation, and ambiance. However, when it comes to labelling them as "organic," a significant hurdle arises due to the use of wax derived from crops grown with pesticides. This article examines why candles cannot bear the organic label and suggests alternatives for eco-conscious consumers.

The organic movement has gained immense popularity as consumers increasingly prioritize products that are free from harmful chemicals and produced in an environmentally sustainable manner. However, when it comes to candles, the issue lies with the wax used in their production. Most candles are made from paraffin wax, which is derived from petroleum. To counter the use of paraffin, many eco-conscious individuals turn to alternatives such as soy or beeswax. While these alternatives may seem more sustainable, they face a unique challenge—the crops from which these waxes are derived are often cultivated with the use of pesticides.

The use of pesticides in crop cultivation contradicts the core principles of organic certification. Organic standards aim to promote ecological balance, biodiversity, and sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. To achieve organic certification, crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and other harmful chemicals. Unfortunately, the cultivation of soy and beeswax often involves the use of pesticides, making it impossible for candles made from these materials to meet the strict organic requirements.

While candles cannot be labelled as organic, there are eco-conscious alternatives available. Look for candles made from sustainably sourced soy or coconut wax produced through environmentally friendly practices. These options still provide a cleaner burning experience compared to paraffin candles, reducing indoor air pollution.

While candles made from soy or coconut wax offer greener alternatives to traditional paraffin candles, the presence of pesticides in the cultivation of these crops prevents them from being labelled as organic. Nonetheless, by opting for sustainably sourced and consciously produced candles, individuals can still make environmentally friendly choices and create a cosy atmosphere in their homes.

Neom rapped by ASA over organic claims (cosmeticsbusiness.com)

‘British organic body care and home fragrance brand Neom has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making misleading claims regarding the organic nature of its candles.

British organic body care and home fragrance brand Neom has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making misleading claims regarding the organic nature of its candles. According to a video on the brand's website, Neom creates "genuine, organic and luxurious products" including body care and candles. In response to this, a complainant challenged whether the reference to the candles as "organic" was misleading.

Despite Neom's argument that its candles are made using only organic ingredients including vegetable waxes and pure essential oils – as opposed to the paraffin wax used by most candle brands – the complaint was upheld.

The ASA ruled that in the absence of an accepted organic standard for candle products, Neom could not refer to its candles as "organic." The company has been ordered to remove the ad, and only use the term "organic" in reference to products supported by robust evidence.’

Many of us have been burning more candles lately than we ever have before. Candles are a tradition in many cultures, a mainstay in many homes, and even a luxury to treat yourself and others with, but are there real benefits to burning them? Especially at a time like now, when many of us have been quarantined for over a month, can candles truly affect how we feel about our space?

"It is scientifically proven that scented candles can play an essential role in the physiological effects of mood, stress, working capacity, and overall mental health," Chryssa Chalkia, an accredited clinical integrative psychotherapist and cognitive behavioral therapist, said. Chalkia wrote an article on the effect scented candles have on reducing anxiety, but we spoke to her directly about her findings.

"The soothing effect that candles have is based on how the brain processes smells. The smell of scented candles stimulates our limbic system, the part of the brain that is home to our memory and emotions. Hormones like serotonin and dopamine can be produced to help regulate mood. Therefore, our emotional state is influenced by the relationship that exists between scents, memories, and emotions."

In short, certain scents can be attractive to you because of the memories you have in association with them. But some scents trigger the same hormones over and over again in many different people, making them widely popular in calming home scents. These aromas, like geranium, lavender, and peppermint, have "proven to be useful for the treatment of various psychological and physiological disorders.”

While ylang ylang "promotes feelings of joy and ease," jasmine "improves positive feelings and energy levels." Peppermint and spearmint "wake up your mind...enhance focus...and improve memory," but if you're looking for something to calm your anxiety, rosemary, lemon, chamomile, and geranium are for you.

“The Benefits of Scented Candles According to a Psychotherapist
There’s no better time to stock up on mood-improving scents for your home.
”

— By Kendall Cornish Published on May 16, 2020

Keep the flame alive

A quality candle will typically have a far longer burn time than a candle that’s been mass-produced. You’ll not only get more hours of pleasure from a quality candle, but it will also usually be both smokeless and dripless, and create a much more pleasant burning experience.

The proof is in the expected burn time for each candle. This often makes a big difference in a buying decision, because you’re getting more for your dollar since you’re able to use them longer. You pay for what you get: this is a truism for most purchases, but you’ll no doubt notice that you’ll pay more for a better quality candle. While the price point might be higher, you’re paying for a much more luxurious, quality candle that lasts longer, burns cleaner, and looks better.

Flame-polished pillars

Another handy tip is to look for exactly what processes are followed in the production of the candles. Compared to mass-produced pillars that appear shiny and plastic, high quality pillar candles are finished using a live flame to create a rich matte texture. This also gives the candles a unique, individual appeal and a truly sublime surface, with no square edges or typical “mass-produced” markings.