A Cleaner Candle
Jill Kosdrosky shares how she became interested in clean candles...
In this episode, Jill elaborates on her story (CliffsNotes below):
It all started with a few bites of shrimp in 2004. I hadn’t yet realized I’d become allergic to shellfish as an adult. It wasn’t life-threatening, but the swelling, redness, and pain in my lips and face was enough to trigger years of sensitivities to many other products.
From lipstick to perfume, I found myself with repeated headaches and allergic reactions to chemicals that doctors couldn’t quite pinpoint.
While the shrimp launched an immune response in my body, I found that everyday products were starting to create a sensitivity in my system as well. What I discovered is that many ingredients in our everyday products are unregulated and undisclosed, hiding under an unassuming word... fragrance.
Often listed as “fragrance” or “parfum” on ingredients labels, scent is rarely explained. Yet fragrance recipes can contain hundreds of chemicals (some safe, some unsafe, and some untested), all legally permitted to be hidden from ingredients lists. As part of FDA regulations, anything considered a company’s trade secret does not have to be disclosed, and “fragrance/parfum” is often a protected trade secret.
The bottom line is that we consumers aren’t told what ingredients are in our scented products, and if we ask, we’re not guaranteed an answer. Further, the fragrance in scented candles, including soy wax candles, is almost never disclosed. When's the last time you saw a full ingredients list on your candle?
As a former engineer and amid a thriving banking career, I decided in 2019 to switch gears completely and launch Aspen Clean Candle to give candle lovers a healthier choice.
Women-owned and operated out of the Aspen Valley, our mission is to create beautiful handmade aromatherapy candles with cleaner and safer scents.
Rooted in truth and transparency, we disclose all our ingredients for each product. We only use American soy wax, pure essential oils, and safe synthetic blends that are free from petroleum, phthalates, artificial colors, carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and all California Proposition 65 chemicals.
We ship nationally from Colorado and can be found at Aspen Clean Candle. For every purchase, Aspen Clean Candle donates $1 to US Veterans organizations.
About the Author
Brandy's a formulation scientist and self-proclaimed health geek who loves hiking, gardening, bird-watching, and body boarding.
Her struggle with acne during her teens and 20s led to a holistic and healthy approach to skincare, embracing skin as an organ to be loved and cared for rather than a canvas to wage war on.
Since 2008, she's been developing all-in-one products for a simple routine at home, & Rain Organica started when her backpacking friends asked for a portable skincare routine to keep their skin healthy & happy on and off the trails.
You can try Rain Organica for yourself with The Essentials Kit, a complete skincare routine in just 3 steps.
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