Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer a list of ingredients for your candles?

Our unique wax blends have taken years of development and are highly proprietary, so we do not share our detailed ingredient lists.

Do you mix any other type of wax in with the soy?

Yes, we have a variety of different wax bases to satisfy different claims and performance characteristics. We use soy, responsibly harvested palm, carnauba, beeswax, and food-grade paraffin. 

Do you also use artificial fragrances with the essential oils?

Fragrances can be made up of natural or synthetic ingredients, but most contain both. Some fragrances like ozonic/aquatic notes are not available naturally so they are all synthetic. There can be anywhere from 10 to 75 ingredients per fragrance, but we use essential oils and absolutes when it is available and/or feasible.

Are your candles organic?

Illume is committed to crafting environmentally conscious products, but candles cannot be certified organic. That said, our candles are crafted from either an FDA-approved food-grade paraffin (like the wax used on vegetables at the grocery store; ours is edible, too), or our proprietary all-natural blend of coconut wax, beeswax and essential oils. The wax type depends on the application. Our wax is the foundation for a clean burn and, combined with a metal-free wick and proper care, should provide the cleanest burn possible. Additionally, all of our fragrances are free of harmful phthalates and all packaging is made from recycled materials, are recyclable, or are in vessels designed for reuse. 

Why aren't your products marked vegan even though they are not tested on animals and contain no animal ingredients?

Unfortunately there are very few suppliers who can call their products vegan or organic, and we only do so if all the ingredients qualify. They can be prohibitively expensive or unable to provide the quantities we require. Rest assured we do not test any of our products on animals or use animal by-products. 

What ingredients are in your diffusers?

It varies by fragrance, but all of our diffusers contain fragrance ingredients and some solvents to keep all the ingredients dissolved in the liquid. While some of the fragrances contain essential oils, most also contain synthetic ingredients. All of our diffusers adhere to IFRA guidelines.

How long do diffusers last?

Typically, 8oz diffusers last 6-8 months and 3oz diffusers last 2-3 months. The rate of evaporation depends on the size of the space and number of reeds used. Dry air and air flow (fans, dehumidifiers, etc.) can deplete diffusers faster. To optimize the reeds, we recommend flipping them when they have stopped throwing fragrance.

Are soy candles safe for people with soy allergies?

Yes. Not only are the bean chemicals that are allergens not present in soy wax, any that were present would be destroyed by the combustion.

Do your wicks contain lead?

No, all of our wicks are metal-free. Depending on the application, they are made with cotton, cotton with a paper core, or cotton and paper woven together. 

What can I do to make my candle burn better?

Keep in mind these two things to create the best burn experience: 

• The first time you burn a candle, let it burn until the wax pool melts all the way to the edge. For a larger candle this may take a few hours. Wax has "memory," so if is extinguished with just a partial pool, it will struggle to ever get to a complete melt pool. Sometimes this takes some planning ahead but will make a huge difference if you haven't tried it before.
• Trim your wick each time you light the candle, removing any wick 'bloom' from the previous burn. We like 1/4"-1/2". Our wicks are crafted to self-extinguish at the bottom 1/2" or so, for safety. At that point you can freeze the container for a few hours, pop the wax out carefully with a butter knife, and hand wash so you can reuse the vessel.

Most of the candles we burn do not have enough wick. There is always about 1/8 of an inch of wax at the bottom that is wasted. Why?

Our wicks are designed to self-extinguish about a quarter of an inch above the very bottom of the wax, and are glued to the bottom of the vessel so they can't float around. We do this - in addition to extensive R&D and testing - to ensure Illume candles burn beautifully and safely from first light to last flicker.

Why is my favorite fragrance being discontinued?

We understand the emotional connection to fragrance and carefully consider our decisions to retire fragrances. Just like fashion or home-decor trends, fragrance trends are continually evolving. We only retire fragrances that are no longer performing for us as a business, or that no longer align with our fragrance philosophy. We’ll continue to bring new, on-trend fragrances to the market each year that may quickly become new favorites, but please feel free to contact our customer service department for fragrance recommendations in the event your favorite has been retired.

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