Why We Make Candles the Hard Way
By Barbara Somerville
Growing up in a family that has valued quality candles for generations, I've learned something important: there's an easy way to make candles, and there's the right way. The easy way is cheaper, faster, and more profitable. The right way is what my family has always done.
Most candle companies take shortcuts you'd never know about. Not because they're intentionally deceptive, but because the industry doesn't require them to tell you. Terms like "fragrance blend" or "soy blend" can hide almost anything.
I'm going to tell you exactly what goes into our candles and why it matters. Not to scare you, but because you deserve to know what you're breathing for hours in your home.
Clean Burning & Toxin-Free: Safe Air You Can Actually Breathe
When I source candle wax, I only use one thing: 100% coconut apricot wax. Our wax melts are made with only 100% coconut wax. No blends, no paraffin, no compromises.
Here's why that matters to you: Most big box store candles and melts are made with paraffin wax—a petroleum byproduct. It's cheap, readily available, and burns fine. But when paraffin burns, it releases benzene and toluene into your air. Both are known carcinogens.
Candles and melts labeled "soy blend" often contain 50% or more paraffin. The word "blend" legally allows them to hide exactly what's in that mix. There could also be synthetic chemicals, stabilizers, hardeners and dyes added to that blend.
Our coconut apricot wax comes from upcycled agricultural waste—coconut meat and apricot seeds that would otherwise be discarded. It's plant-based, burns completely clean, and releases zero toxins into your home.
The same goes for our wicks. Many mass-market candles use zinc-core or metal wicks because they're cheaper and help candles burn faster (meaning you buy more). The problem? You're literally vaporizing metal into the air you breathe. Zinc oxide is a respiratory irritant. Lead—still found in some imported candles despite being "banned"—is far worse.
We use 100% natural fiber wicks with a paper core—specifically engineered for clean burning in high-fragrance vegetable wax systems. No metals, no zinc, no lead. Just natural fibers that burn clean with no soot and no black smoke on your walls or in your lungs.
What this means for you: When you light a Nagomi candle during your morning ritual or evening wind-down, you're breathing clean air. No hidden chemicals, no petroleum byproducts, no vaporized metals. Just the scent you chose and the peace you're creating.