Imagine…Non-Toxic, Paraffin-Free, Clean-Burning Scented Candles for a healthy home and safe environment. Coming soon from Chiki Buttah!
Believe it or not, burning candles can have a negative impact on your health. You can find candles everywhere these days in every kind of store and they are usually inexpensive. Most conventional candles are made with petroleum/paraffin wax, synthetic fragrance, and scent boosters, which are full of toxic chemicals that can have a negative impact on your health.
Babies and pets are especially at risk because they are much more sensitive to chemicals and are still developing. Continued exposure to these chemicals can cause all kinds of health risks such as asthma, headaches, allergies, lung, heart, and reproductive issues.
Most candle companies either choose profit over health or simply are unaware of the health risks attributed to cheap wax made from petroleum and scented with synthetic fragrance. According to the CDC, evidence shows that scented candles release toxic chemicals and particulate matter into the air, including formaldehyde and benzene which are known to be cancer-causing.
You may be asking, what constitutes a clean candle? Candles that are made from natural waxes such as soy, beeswax, and coconut wax do not contain chemicals because they are not processed from crude oil. These waxes are in fact all- natural.
Paraffin wax is a by-product of crude oil and goes through very harsh chemical processes to achieve the final product. When these candles burn they emit these chemicals into the atmosphere. On the other hand, candles made from natural wax and pure botanical scents will enhance the ambiance and atmosphere of a room without the risk of exposure to these chemicals.
What about candles scented with synthetic fragrances? We usually burn candles when we are winding down from work, reading, yoga, meditating, bathing, etc. This is mainly when we are inside with the windows shut, which means if you are burning an inexpensive candle made from paraffin wax and synthetic fragrance, you are breathing in some very toxic chemicals.
You may also notice the black smoke that burns off of the wick when lit. This soot is not only toxic to breathe in but also covers the walls, furniture, and curtains. The soot also circulates through your air ducts. In other words, it gets on everything! This soot contains 11 toxins, including two carcinogens: toluene and benzene.
How do you know if your candles are safe? Look for candles that are made with pure essential oils. Unfortunately, it is difficult to be certain that a company is in fact using pure essential oils, pure botanical essences, or a combination of both.
Always read the ingredients and do some research on the company you are buying from. What is their mission statement and ethics concerning health and wellness? If you are buying candles from chain stores you are very likely buying candles that are not clean and free of chemicals.
Candles made with pure essential oils and good quality wax are more expensive to make and the scents will not throw as far. The scent is usually more subtle so most companies would rather use synthetic fragrances for this reason. Even if they are using clean soy or coconut wax and still use artificial fragrance, it defeats the purpose!
These days, it is so important to reduce the number of chemical toxins in our daily lives. As we use more and more products that are not clean this creates a cumulative effect of toxicity in our lives. Especially when it comes to our home environment. Your home is your sanctuary and a clean environment will support your health, vitality, and wellbeing.
Check out Chiki Glo from Chiki Buttah here.
As we become more and more aware of what to look out for, we can feel empowered to make better, healthier choices in our day-to-day lives. Our mission here at Chiki Buttah is to inform and educate ourselves and our community, as much as we can, so that we can begin to make incremental changes for a healthier, brighter future for us all!
A sweet roundup of health and wellness gifts for anyone on your list
Let the countdown to Valentine’s Day begin! 💙💙💙
Today I’d like to share a list of 5 personal care products that are perfect gift suggestions for people who want to make healthy choices and use clean products.
What’s so great about the products on this list?
These products are not tested on animals. And you can rest assured none of the suppliers from which we source all of our ingredients do any animal testing of any kind. Chiki Buttah is a certified partner of the Leaping Bunny program.
Looking for handcrafted products made with the purest organic ingredients? Chiki Buttah products do not contain parabens, fillers or artificial fragrances. This way you can feel good about taking charge of your health and knowing exactly what you put in and on your body.
And here’s the list of 5 perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day.
It’s a topical pain relief massage oil that is great for massaging sore muscles and stress relief. This massage oil is extremely soothing and nourishing for your skin. It’s an awesome massage oil for couples.
The Chiki On The Go Bag a wonderful travel bag of organic skin care essentials: Chiki Buttah, (whipped body butter), Chiki Lips, (therapeutic lip balm), Chiki Chill (fast acting pain relief balm) and Chiki Shape Shifter (all natural dry shampoo).
The 4 products come in TSA approved size to take in the carry-on bag on trips or romantic getaways. 😉 It’s perfect to give as a Valentine’s Day gift for both men and women and it comes with a “To” and “From” hang tag attached as a ready to go gift!
$ 39 Buy Now, Chiki On The Go Bag
Make your skin look radiant for men and women! This face serum is packed with organic super healing oils and herbs and 125mg of pure CBD oil (THC free). It balances oil production, prevents breakouts and fades dark spots.
$ 59 Buy Now – Healing Hemp Face Serum
Our Chiki Chill Balm works great on your partner’s aches and pains. It’s an amazing all natural anti-inflammatory, and it will help soothe tension and tired muscles. What better way to please your boo than giving some pain relief?
From $ 20 Buy Now, Chiki Chill Balm
The version with CBD is also available. The Chiki Cannabliss Balm has 200mg of pure CBD oil, wildcrafted arnica oil, magnesium oil and a special synergistic blend of 6 essential oils, to take you and your partner on a vacation from pain.
From $ 34 Buy Now, Chiki Cannabliss Balm
CBD oil can contribute to relaxation and better rest. It is great for its known benefits.
From $ 69 Buy Now, High Potency Pure CBD Oil by Chiki
From $79 Buy Now, Full Spectrum CBD oil by Chiki
I couldn’t finish this list without mentioning our signature product, Chiki Buttah. As a massage therapist for many years, I can say that this is an amazing body butter for a sensuous massage on your partner. It is also great for foot massage!
Our skin becomes much drier during the winter due to both the cold temps and heat blowing on us. This sucks the moisture right out of our skin! It is important to replenish it and Chiki Buttah is great to nourish your skin the natural way.
From $15 Buy Now, Chiki Buttah
May we have a season filled with love and self-care! 💙 Wishing you all the best in health, peace and love,
Kim Keeshin
CBD DISCLAIMER
The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.
The history of perfume is an interesting subject!
Since Egyptian times back in 1000 B.C., perfumes and scents have always played an important role for humanity.
Back then, perfume was used for hygiene and cleanliness as well as for ceremonial rituals. It was also a symbol of nobility.
Perfumes were also used for purification purposes. The ancient Chinese and medieval Europeans believed that fragrance purified the air and prevented diseases. Ancient doctors would use perfumes medicinally to treat infections and even mental illness.
Perfume has an immediate effect on our limbic system! The Limbic system of the brain is a group of structures which governs emotions, behavior and memory and is closely associated with the sense of smell.
When we smell a particular natural fragrance, such as a flower, a forest, or a fresh peach, we instantly and subconsciously connect that smell to a place in our memory. Smells can evoke feelings and bring back memories that we had forgotten.
Perfumery is the mastery of artfully combining the essences of flowers, bark, wood, resins, roots, leaves, seeds, fruits and herbs and spices to reproduce these scents and creating a balanced bouquet with an alluring quality reminiscent of these familiar scents.
Sadly, perfumes of today are much different. Commercial brand perfumes are now primarily made with synthetic fragrances and ingredients for duration of the scent and preservation of the product. Basically, they’ve become nothing but toxic chemicals.
This is causing some serious health threats to us all and is especially dangerous for the reproductive and endocrine systems of both men and women. Particularly harmful in pregnant women, children and babies!
The fragrance mixture itself can be comprised of dozens, even hundreds, of individual chemicals, and laws do not require that they be listed on the label.
The FDA actually allows these perfume companies to lump fragrance chemicals together and list it as simply, “fragrance”. So, there is really no telling how many chemicals are in your perfume! There are SO many chemicals in commercial perfumes that they refuse to list them all.
Some people are more sensitive than others and even though you may not have a reaction to these chemicals, they can still have a negative impact on your long term health. Did you know that the perfume you are wearing can also have a negative impact on those around you? Kind of like the way second hand smoke does.
Some of these symptoms can include:
1.Headaches
2.Wheezing
3.Asthma
4.Dizziness
5.Fatigue
6.Disrupting the endocrine system causing hormonal imbalances. This can be harmful to your reproductive system.
7. Cause skin sensitivities like hives, itchy flaking skin, burning and redness.
8.Anxiety
9.Poor memory
Here is a list of some of the most toxic ingredients to look out for:
1.Fragrance
2.Parfum
3.Phthalates
4.Styrene
5.Galaxolide ketone and other musk ketones
7.Ethylene glycol
8.Acetaldehyde
9.Oxybenzone
Allergic reactions to perfumes aren’t uncommon. You can even develop an allergy to a product that you’ve used for years because of overexposure or changes to the formula’s ingredients. It’s important to know that chemicals found in fragrance are considered to be a neurotoxin and can affect the brain’s biochemistry.
Look for perfumes that list all of the ingredients on the label and that are made with all natural ingredients. Avoid ingredients like: “Parfum” or “fragrance” not only in perfume but all personal care products even cleaning products and laundry detergent.
If you are still unsure about a product, you can always use resources like Madesafe.org or EWG’s Skin Deep cosmetics to help you decide if the product is worthy.
Here’s to healthy living with clean natural products!
Wishing you all the best in health, peace and love,
Kim Keeshin
With Mother’s Day around the corner, it is a time to celebrate all of those wonderful attributes that the archetype of Mother represents! Creator, giver of life, unconditional love, nurturer, protector, devoted, caring, and supportive are all words that represent motherhood.
Not all of us have had the opportunity to birth and raise a child but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t tapped into the aspects of Mother. We are all creators and have given birth to many things in our lives. And we will continue to do so. This also calls for celebration!
For example, I feel like I have 6 toddlers with my Chiki Buttah organic beauty product line. It keeps me going in so many directions and I love the opportunity to “raise” my babies and “grow” my business!
There are also those that may have/had an estranged relationship with a mother. This is another aspect that I can relate to as I did not grow up with my mother and never really had a solid relationship with her. As I have evolved over the years, I have learned to release the emotions around the past and bring myself to a state of total acceptance and gratitude. I can now celebrate Mother’s day in gratitude for my mother gifting me with this life!
And to all of you Mamas out there that did give birth and have raised, praised, nurtured, protected and given bottomless support – this truly is a special day to share with your loved ones. You are the creators and givers of life and you should revel in your achievements!
We all have the power to tap into the aspect of Mother for support when we need it. Self care, loving yourself unconditionally, making the best choices for your health and well being, these are all mothering and nurturing qualities.
Let’s make this Mother’s Day special and celebrate life in all of its many forms. Let’s project gratitude and love for all Mothers that have passed, all that are present and all that will be.
Wishing you all the best ion health, peace and love,
Kim Keeshin
