Materials & Ingredients
Upper Room Candles burn strong, burn long, and burn clean. Every candle is a result of our dedication and commitment to handcrafting a premium fragrance experience. We prioritize quality and safety above all else, using materials that are ethically sourced in a responsible and sustainable way.
CUSTOM WAX BLEND: We start with a natural, eco-friendly soy wax that is produced from 100% American-grown soybeans and is FDA approved and Kosher certified. To that, we add a proprietary blend of food-grade paraffin and vegetable wax, keeping the formula 100% vegan and cruelty-free. The end result is our own custom soy wax blend, specifically designed for strength of fragrance, longevity of the candle, and purity of burn.
100% COTTON WICKS: None of our wicks contain any metals, including lead, zinc, or tin. We use flat-braid, cotton-core wicks made from textile-grade cotton. They are designed to promote clean burning and to minimize mushrooming from carbon buildup, thus producing minimal to no soot when they are properly trimmed and optimal burn periods are maintained.
CRACKLING WOOD WICKS: Our wood wicks create a multi-sensory experience, both auditory and olfactory. They are made of two identical pieces of wood pressed together to create a unique "flowering" effect as they burn. They crackle and blossom as wax is pulled upward between the layers of wood like the stem of a flower, releasing its fragrance throughout the room. Not only do our wood wicks perform beautifully, they are environmentally friendly. The wood is 100% American sourced and manufactured in mills that maintain a Forest Stewardship Council certification and practice environmentally friendly forestry standards. Since wood wicks are natural, the difference in wood grain from one wick to the next may cause a difference in burning characteristics.
FRAGRANCE OILS: When we select fragrances for our candles, we get pretty passionate about the strength and character of the fragrances we introduce to our collections, and we get equally (if not more so) passionate about the safety of the fragrances we put into our candles and people's homes. For that reason, we procure fragrances from American companies that maintain strict compliance with all fragrance industry regulations and that strive to not only meet but exceed industry standards across America, Canada, and Europe. Our fragrance oils are a unique and complex blend of scents, many of which are a result of being infused with natural essential oils.
ESSENTIAL OILS: Fragrance oils and essential oils are not the same. Essential oils are pure liquids containing aroma compounds that are removed from the seeds, flowers, leaves, roots, and stems or bark of plants through methods such as distillation, expression, or extraction. These oils carry the distinctive essence, or scent, of the plant from which it was made, and they are frequently used in perfumes, flavorings, and medicines. However, essential oils are not available for every scent we would like to offer; therefore, we utilize fragrance oils which draw on synthetic aroma chemicals when no essential oil is available.
TRANSPARENCY IN LABELING: Although our candles are crafted with some of the finest natural materials and ingredients available, we do not label our candles as "all natural." The only way to scent candles naturally is with pure essential oils. However, for safety and performance purposes, we do not create candles from 100% essential oils. At best, the candle would smell nice before lit and have very little scent once lit. At worst, the otherwise beneficial properties of the essential oils would deteriorate and emit a fuel-like smell that could be harmful to pets and people. We choose to craft candles with fragrance oils that adhere to the strict Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) standard regarding safety. Our fragrances are non-toxic when used for their intended purpose in candle-making.