Are Village Candles Natural?

Table of Contents

What Makes a Candle ‘Natural’?

Natural candles are made from ingredients sourced directly from nature like beeswax, soy wax, coconut wax, palm wax, and essential oils. They do not contain synthetic fragrances, dyes, or petroleum-based paraffin wax.

The key differences between natural and synthetic candle ingredients are:

Natural waxes come from plants and insects, while paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct.
Essential oils are extracted from flowers, herbs, fruits, etc. Synthetic fragrances are formulated in laboratories.
Natural dyes are vegetable-based like beet powder or turmeric. Artificial dyes use chemicals derived from petroleum or coal tar.

The benefits of natural candles include:

Less soot – Natural waxes burn cleaner than paraffin.
Non-toxic – No exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
Sustainable – Ingredients are renewable and often fair trade.
Subtle, natural scents – Less irritation or allergic reactions.

Village Candle Ingredients

Village Candles are made with a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients. According to the company website, their candles contain premium paraffin wax, proprietary fragrance oils, and natural essential oils.

The paraffin wax makes up the bulk of the candle. Paraffin is a petroleum-based wax, so it is not from a natural source. However, paraffin wax burns cleanly and provides an even burn.

Fragrance oils are added to give Village Candles their scents. Fragrance oils are synthetic fragrances crafted to mimic natural scents. They allow Village Candles to offer a wide variety of scents consistently.

To enhance the scents, Village Candles adds small amounts of essential oils like coconut oil, soybean oil, palm oil, and other plant-derived oils. These natural ingredients complement the synthetic fragrances. According to the company, essential oils make up 1-5% of the candle ingredients.

So in summary, Village Candles contain mostly paraffin wax, with synthethic fragrance oils and small amounts of natural essential oils for fragrance.

Manufacturing Process

Village Candles are handmade in small batches at the company’s factory in Wells, Maine. According to Village Candle Behind the Scenes, each candle goes through a meticulous crafting and blending process to achieve optimal fragrance quality. The wax is first melted and essential oils and dyes are added by hand. The liquid wax is then poured into jars and left to cool and solidify overnight. The wicks are inserted, and each candle is inspected before being packaged.

Village Candle uses a proprietary wax blend that contains natural ingredients like coconut wax, palm wax, soy wax, and beeswax. While some synthetic fragrances and dyes are used, the company focuses on maximizing the concentration of essential oils, which are derived from plants, fruits, and flowers. The blend of natural and synthetic scents allows Village Candle to offer a wide variety of intense, long-lasting fragrances at an affordable price point.

Overall, while not 100% natural, Village Candles incorporate quality natural ingredients and are primarily handmade in small batches. Customers appreciate that they offer an artisanal, homemade look and feel, as compared to mass-produced machine-made candles.

Testing and Certifications

Village Candles takes safety and quality seriously. All of their products undergo rigorous testing procedures and must meet strict certification standards.

According to their website, Village Candles tests their candles to ensure they are made with ingredients that meet IFRA (International Fragrance Association) standards for purity and safety. IFRA establishes best practices and standards for the safe use of fragrance materials.https://villagecandlesco.com/

In addition, Village Candles states their products are FDA compliant. This means they adhere to U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations for cosmetics and skin care products. The FDA monitors product labeling, safety, and manufacturing practices.https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/family-of-brands/villagecandle-fob-landing.html

Many of Village Candle’s products are also certified vegan and cruelty-free. This certification indicates no animal-derived ingredients or animal testing is used in production. Customers concerned about ethical sourcing can look for the vegan label on qualifying candles.https://villagecandlesco.com/

Taken together, these certifications provide assurance that Village Candles meet high standards for safety, quality, and ethical production.

Scent Quality and Intensity

The quality of Village Candle’s scents is cited in both positive and negative customer reviews. While some reviewers praise the intensity and strength of the fragrances (source), others note that certain scents are not very strong at all (source). This variance in intensity seems to depend on the specific fragrance, with some Village Candle products giving off a stronger scent throw than others.

The use of natural ingredients may impact the intensity and longevity of Village Candle scents. Essential oils and other botanical extracts often provide a subtler, lighter fragrance compared to synthetic fragrances. While synthetic fragrances can be formulated for very strong scent throws, natural ingredients may offer a more delicate, nuanced aroma profile. The tradeoff is that natural scents are often perceived as higher quality and more pleasant than artificial fragrances.

Burn Time and Performance

Village Candles are designed to provide an extended burn time compared to many other brands. According to their website, the candles are formulated to have an average burn time of 50-60 hours for the large jars, and 90-110 hours for the extra large jars (Source: https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/family-of-brands/village-candle-care.html).

There are several factors that can affect burn time, including wick size, wax formula, candle diameter, indoor air currents, and personal burning habits. Proper wax pooling is important to maximize burn time and reduce issues like tunneling. Village Candles recommend burning the candle for at least 2 hours per lighting until you achieve a full wax pool, allowing the wax to liquefy evenly.

Compared to other major candle brands, customers report excellent performance from Village Candles in terms of burn time, wax pooling, and lack of soot or smoke. The wax formulation allows for an even burn without excessive drippings. Reviews indicate exceptional scented aroma and long-lasting fragrance as the candle burns down completely.

Product Range

Village Candle offers a wide variety of candle products across different styles, fragrances, and seasons¹. Their core product line includes:

Jar Candles – These classic jar candles come in a range of sizes from 3oz votives to 22oz large jars. They are available in Village Candle’s signature fragrances as well as seasonal and limited edition scents.

Pillar Candles – Pillar candles are available in 2-inch, 3-inch and 6-inch sizes. These give a clean-burning candle perfect for dining tables, mantlepieces and more.

Votive Candles – The votive candle range includes 3oz and 6oz sizes. These are ideal for votive holders and candle luminary bags.

Across the product line, Village Candle offers over 150 signature fragrances like Autumn Leaves, Sea Salt and Orchard, and Vanilla Pumpkin. They also have seasonal collections for Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Holidays.

Some of their most popular seasonal candles include Sugar Plum Fairy, Frosted Cranberry, and Cinnamon Stick for winter, and summer classics like Sun & Sand, Fireflies, and Salty Air².

Pricing and Value

When it comes to pricing, Village Candles offer a wide range of options to suit different budgets. The smallest candles like tea lights start at just a few dollars. Larger pillar candles range from $10-20. Their most popular 3-wick candles retail between $20-30 depending on the size, collection and fragrance.

Compared to other major candle brands like Yankee Candle, Village Candles are very competitively priced. In fact, many customers feel that Village Candles offer better value for money given their quality ingredients and strong scents. As one reviewer on Amazon shared: “These candles are such great quality and the scents are stronger than more expensive brands I’ve tried.”

When considering the natural ingredients, hand-poured process, and excellent performance, most customers agree that Village Candles are worth the investment. The wide selection of fragrances and designs makes it easy to find candles to suit your budget and decor.

Customer Reviews

Overall, the customer reviews for Village Candles are quite positive. On Amazon, the majority of the top reviews give 4 or 5 stars and praise the candles for the strong scents, nice glass jars, long lasting burn time and reasonable prices.[Reviews for Village Candle Creamy Vanilla – Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Village-Candle-Creamy-Vanilla-Scented/product-reviews/B002RB71ZM) [Reviews for Village Candle Just For You – Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Village-Candle-Glass-Scented-Large/product-reviews/B00AQSG78K)

Many customers mention how Village Candles have a better scent throw and last longer compared to more expensive brands like Yankee Candle. The most commonly cited pros are the intense, true-to-life fragrances and excellent burn quality with no soot or smoke.

There are a few negative reviews from customers who found the scents to be too overpowering or got headaches/nausea from the strong aromas. A small percentage also complained about receiving broken or damaged candles in the mail. However, the positive reviews outweigh the negative by a large margin, with over 75% giving a 4 or 5 star rating.

Customers consistently say Village Candles offer excellent value for money and high-end quality at affordable prices. Most reviewers seem very satisfied and would recommend the brand to others looking for strongly scented, clean burning candles.