My 7 Favorite Natural & Non-Toxic Fall Candles (Hello, Pumpkin Spice!)

If you’re on the hunt for non-toxic fall scented candles that won’t emit carcinogens or hormone-disrupting chemicals in your air, I’ve got you. 🍁

I research products and ingredients so that you don’t have to. I’ve spent years trying different natural fall candles, and for this guide, I’ve rounded up my faves.

I’ve got options for pumpkin spice (duh), warm apple, spicy citrus, and other autumn scents that will bring all the fall vibes into your space.

Plus, I’ll break down what to actually look for in clean fall candles so that you can do you own shopping too—without compromising your and your family’s health.

P.S. If you’re looking for fall-related recommendations, click here for organic trick-or-treat candy, here for low-tox costumes, and here for organic Halloween pajamas! Or, if you’re looking for non-toxic Christmas and wintery-scented candles, click here.

This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

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Why Go for Natural, Organic, & Non-Toxic Candles This Fall?

The two main reasons to switch to natural and non-toxic candles have to do with:

• the type of wax used
• and the chemicals with which they are scented

Why Paraffin Wax is a No-Go

Most conventional candles are made using paraffin wax, which is petroleum-based (a.k.a. made from fossil fuels). Just like other petroleum-based products, paraffin wax is not healthy to breathe in, especially in high doses or over long periods of time.

When they’re burned, paraffin candles release chemicals such as benzene and toluene, which are carcinogens. These chemicals can also cause other problems like headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, central nervous system dysfunction, birth defects, and more.

What’s the Deal With Synthetic Fragrance?

Synthetic fragrance (listed as either “fragrance” or “parfum” on ingredient labels) is one of the most ubiquitous and problematic ingredients used in home, cleaning, and personal care products. It’s in everything from shampoo to laundry detergent to all-purpose cleaners, air freshener sprays, and, of course, candles.

Under U.S. law, companies are allowed to hide over 3,500 different chemicals under the umbrella term of “fragrance.” Some of these ingredients are harmless, while others pose a serious threat to human health.

Phthalates, for example, is one group of chemicals that can be legally hidden under the “fragrance” label. Phthalates have been cause for concern to many safety and environmental groups for a long time now due to their correlation to things like fertility problems and cancer. But it seems like the more research that’s done on these chemicals, the more serious their potential health effects become. In fact, research from NYU shows that phthalates may kill 100,000 Americans prematurely each year.

When you burn candles with fragrances in them, you’re just breathing that stuff in. For this reason, consumers would do well to consider avoiding candles that are scented with artificial “fragrance” when possible. (Or, at the very least, buy from brands that actually provide their complete ingredient lists to consumers—which is very rare.)

If you want to learn more about the “fragrance loophole,” check out this article.

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My Personal Favorite Non-Toxic Fall Candles

You can learn more about the different types of wax used for non-toxic candles below, but for now, let me tell you about my favorite non-toxic fall candles:

Fontana Candle Co.

Price: $11-27
Sizes: 4, 6, 9, or 14 oz. (+ wax melts)
Burn Time: 20-60 hours
My personal favorite: I honestly can’t choose between the Citrus Peel & Pine and the Spiced Latte!

Fontana is one of the best brands for clean fall candles! They are MADE SAFE certified (which is one of the strictest third-party certifications for non-toxic ingredients).

Their fall scents, like Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon Orange Clove, Spiced Latte, Harvest Apple, Citrus Peel & Pine, Fireside, and Ginger Chai, are made using simple, natural ingredients like beeswax, coconut wax, and essential oils. You won’t find any petroleum byproducts, stabilizers, harmful dyes, or phthalates in these candles.

Use the code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off your order.

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Natural Sloth

Price: $18-35
Sizes: 4, 9, or 12 oz. (+ wax melts)
Burn Time: 22-50 hours
My personal favorite: I think it’s got to be the “Spooky.”

Natural Sloth’s candles come with the MADE SAFE certification as well!

These candles are handcrafted using premium yellow beeswax and organic coconut oil, and scented with only pure essential oils. They use both cotton and wooden wicks. Each one is hand-poured into a reusable glass jar in small batches.

Their warm fall scents for this year include Spooky, Fall, Sweater Season, Leaves, Cozy, Home, Spiced Coffee. They also have a Spiced Woods Room Spray.

You can use the code THEFILTERY10 to get 10% off.

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Basic Bee Candle Co.

Price: $28
Sizes: 8 or 14 oz. (+ wax melts)
Burn Time: 4 hours
My personal favorite: Pumpkin Spice!

This one is for you if you’re looking specifically for a natural pumpkin spice candle.

Specifically made for even those who are most sensitive to synthetic fragrances, Basic’s Bee Candle Co.’s non-toxic candles are made in the USA and are completely free of lead, phthalates, and other potential toxicants.

They are made from 100% natural ingredients, including raw local beeswax, coconut wax, cotton wicks, and pure essential oils.

Their warm fall scents include Pumpkin Spice, Cozy Autumn, Log Cabin, Spiced Chai, Mulled Cider, and Apple Crisp. They also have wax melts!

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Grow Fragrance

Price: $35
Sizes: 6.5 oz.
Burn Time: 40-45 hours
My personal favorite: Woodland Sage, but the Ginger Pumpkin is a close second.

Grow Fragrance originally started with their line of non-toxic, plant-based room/fabric spray, but has since expanded to candles as well. Their fragrances are 100% certified plant-based, their soy and coconut wax blend is made in the USA, and their lead-free, unbleached, cotton wick is made in Germany.

You can find every single one of their ingredients transparently listed on each product page, too—something that very few candle companies do.

Not only that, but their candles come in infinitely recyclable inserts that are also made in the USA out of recycled aluminum. Whenever you’re finished with a candle, you can just buy a refill and place it into your refillable vessel.

Grow carries a core collection of scents year-round, but they also release seasonal collections as well. Their fall scents include Flannel & Leaves, Ginger Pumpkin, Woodland Sage, and Autumn Heirloom.

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Candle Stork

Price: $20 – $150 (for a set of 4)
Sizes: Most are 8 ounces
Burn time: Most are 45 hours
Made in: Northern Michigan, USA

Candle Stork was started by Nettie, who has dealt with chemical sensitivity and experienced negative symptoms from burning conventional candles. (Same!)

Nettie is definitely creating a vibe with this candle brand. Poetic aromas, clean luxury, scents as portals—yes please; I’m here for it!

All of the candles are made by hand in Northern Michigan out of locally-sourced beeswax and essential oils. All of the ingredients are listed right on the product pages. So if there’s anything you have a sensitivity to, you’ll have no trouble avoiding it.

Their 2025 “Autumn Chapter” scents include The Witch’s Familiar, A Forbidden Orchard, Ghost in the Garden, and Tales of Lore.

I have their Through the Woods candle and it smells so cozy. The cinnamon is definitely prominent, which gives it warm, snuggly vibe. You can just tell from the wax, the jar, and the way it melts (so evenly!) that it’s a well-made candle. Being in Ohio, I also love knowing the beeswax comes from not too far away.

Use code THEFILTERY10 for 10% off.

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Primally Pure

Price: $48-$70
Sizes: 6 or 9 oz.
Burn Time: 25-35 hours

Primally Pure is one of my favorite brands for skincare & personal care, but they now have candles, too!

Their candle collection includes several scents that are actually good for year-round burning, including Bergamot + Eucalyptus, Cool Citrus Breeze, and Sweet Floral Sage.

My two favorites for fall specifically, though, are Warm Citrus Spice and Crisp Smoky Woods.

These are made with a blend of beeswax and coconut wax, with essential oils that are organic, wild-crafted, and fair trade.

These aren’t cheap, but they are luxurious and great for gifting!

Here’s our full Primally Pure review (on their skincare & more)

Use code THEFILTERY for 10% off.

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Stonelight Candle

Price: $38
Sizes: 9 oz
Burn Time: Up to 50 hours

Stonelight Candle was started by a mom (and high school counselor!) who tragically lost of one of her sons to cancer. She founded the brand in his honor, and in an effort to create safer products for Denise’s surviving son (and other folks who want to decrease the toxins in their environment).

Stonelight’s autumn scents include Apple Orchard, Autumn, and Pumpkin Latte. They’re all made with a blend of soy and coconut wax and then combined with essential oils for a luscious fragrance. There are no synthetic oils, waxes, or fragrances.

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how strong these candles smell with only essential oils. Denise has really been able to create some unique scents without any synthetics! The ladybug one, for example, has a sweet/fruity scent that I don’t know if I’ve smelled before in a 100% natural candle. (Although that one has more spring vibes than fall—but I love it!)

For the coffee lover, the latte one is cozy for pretty much any time of year.

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Non-Toxic Fall Candle Alternatives

If you’d prefer not to burn anything (or just want some other options to choose from!), there are a few other ways to bring those warm, fall scents into your home in a healthy, natural way. As mentioned above, Grow Fragrance carries a few air/fabric freshener sprays, but here are two more options for non-toxic fall plug-in air fresheners and reed diffusers:

Scent Fill

Scent Fill carries a LOT of different non-toxic plug-in air fresheners, including a large fall collection.

Scents include things like Pumpkin Pie, Spiced Chai, Sweet & Spice Cinnamon Nutmeg, Orange Clove, Cinnamon Apple, and more. You can choose between scents made from 100% natural fragrance oils or ones that include safe synthetics (which are all phthalate-free and Prop 65 compliant to be free from carcinogens and other toxicants).

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Enviroscent

Enviroscent also carries seasonal air fresheners, including Scent Pods™ (which are refillable plug-in warmers) and Scent Stix™ (which are reusable reed diffusers). Their main fall-themed scent for this year is Honeycrisp Apple & Cardamom. They’ve had Vanilla Bean + Pumpkin Chai in the past as well, but I’m not sure if they’re bringing that back this year!

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An Easy D.I.Y. Idea for a Natural Fall Aroma

Lastly, you could skip all of the pre-made fragrances and make your own stovetop potpourri! Here’s how to do it:

1. Put your ingredients of choice into a medium-sized pot.
   • Some fall-themed ingredients to choose from are:
     – Cinnamon sticks (2-4 sticks)
     – Whole cloves (1-2 tablespoons)
     – Orange (1 orange, quartered)
     – Apple (1 apple, quartered)
     – Lemon (1/2 lemon, quartered)
     – Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
     – Other herbs & spices as desired (nutmeg! ginger! rosemary!)
2. Add water so that it covers the top of the ingredients.
3. Heat pot on low for a consistent simmer. (Don’t boil.)
   • You can leave the pot on the back burner for hours as long as you’re home and you’re putting all safety measures in place.
4. Add water to the pot as it evaporates.

This easy DIY recipe will leave your home smelling cozy for hours. Here are a few more tips:

• You do not have to peel the produce. (You can even use just the peels if you have some leftover from a recipe and want to prevent some food waste!)
• Keep the lid off of the pot in order to let the fragrance fill the room.
• You can use the same batch for 1-2 days (just make sure to keep an adequate amount of water in the pot).
• You can mix and match the ingredients each time you put a new batch of potpourri on the stove until you find your favorite blend.
• You can also use the slow cooker/Crockpot instead if you’d like to, instead of the stove.
• Put a fresh batch on about 30 minutes before having guests over.

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Which Candles Are the Healthiest to Burn?

Here is some more info about what types of ingredients make up safer candles:

Natural Soy Wax

The most common type of paraffin wax alternative you’ll find on the market is soy wax. It’s a more accessible and affordable option compared to paraffin and is a much cleaner burn. But there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to soy as well:

• Some manufacturers actually add other types of wax (like palm or paraffin) to their “soy” candles in order to keep costs down. So be sure to purchase from brands that are truly using natural soy wax and are transparent with their customers about it.

• Soy wax also has to be processed using not-so-great chemicals like chlorine, as well as heavy metals like nickel and platinum.

• The majority of soy is grown using pesticides and herbicides. But even if the soybean used to make a soy wax candle WAS organic to begin with, the soy wax cannot be certified organic because it has to be processed using hexane, disqualifying it from the organic label. If you ever see an “organic soy candle,” this should raise a red flag for you that the company is not being straightforward with you.

All that being said, soy is still a much better option than paraffin. Soy candles also tend to be more affordable compared to beeswax and coconut wax, so we’ve included several of them in our list above.

Coconut Wax

Coconut wax is a great non-toxic alternative to paraffin wax candles as well. It’s plant-based, has a clean burn, and can actually be certified organic. It tends to be more expensive though, which is why it’s often blended with soy and/or beeswax.

Beeswax

Beeswax is one of the best options for non-toxic candles.

Beeswax is usually more expensive compared to paraffin and soy, but it also tends to burn longer, too.

When shopping for beeswax candles, look for companies that use sustainably sourced wax from local beekeepers. Bees are so crucial to our food supplies, and they are currently in danger. Shopping from small businesses that work with local beekeepers is one small way we can help protect our bee populations.

Natural Essential Oils & Phthalate-Free Fragrances

Look for brands that use natural fragrances (like essential oils) and/or synthetic fragrances that are free from phthalates and other toxins. Even better, look for brands that actually make all of their ingredients publicly available, such as Grow Fragrance and Fontana Candle Company.

Wood, Cotton, or Hemp Lead-Free Wicks

Although it’s not as much of a problem as it used to be, there’s still a chance that candle wicks can contain lead (especially if they are cheap and/or imported).

Look for candle brands that source from suppliers whose wick is explicitly lead-free.

One last note about non-toxic, naturally-fragranced candles… They don’t usually smell quite as strong as candles made with synthetic fragrances, so one candle may not fill up an entire room. Most people like this because the chemically-smell isn’t overpowering, but just be aware that you may need to get a few candles if your goal is to fill up a large space!

Everyone loves the scent of a warm, spiced pumpkin candle in the fall. But that scrumptious smell doesn’t have to come with all of the toxins! Buy from one of the shops above and rest assured, knowing you’re not polluting your home with unnecessary fossil fuels and harmful synthetic chemicals.

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