Scents play such a big role in setting the mood this time of year. Holiday fragrances, especially, have a way of bringing back all kinds of cozy memories.

You’re probably not baking Christmas cookies all day, every day in order to fill your home with those to cozy scents. So lighting festive holiday candles is the next best thing for filling your home with that magical, nostalgic warmth.

The catch? Many conventional candles are made with ingredients that can add unnecessary toxins to your indoor air. That’s why choosing non-toxic Christmas candles is such a smart (and healthy!) swap for your home and for gifting.

To make things easy, I’ve rounded up my favorite safer, natural picks for the season. Here’s to a warm and cozy holiday—but with cleaner air! 🌲✨

(P.S. My favorite Christmas plug-in scents are below too!)

images of different brands of  non-toxic and natural holiday candles

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!


Here’s Where to Get Non-Toxic Christmas & Holiday Candles

There’s no reason to burn toxic candles anymore when there are so many great options for a clean and healthy burn. Here are my favorite brands:

Fontana Candle Co.

Price: $15+
Sizes: 6 oz tin or 14 oz glass jar (+ wax melts)
Burn time: 24-48 hours
Made in:  Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA
My personal favorite: Tough choice, but I think Fir Needle & Pine is my favorite of Fontana’s winter scents!

Fontana’s non-toxic holiday candles are MADE SAFE certified, which means they’ve been third-party verified to be free from a long list of potential toxins like petroleum byproducts, stabilizers, harmful dyes, and phthalates. Instead, they use natural ingredients like beeswax, coconut wax, and only natural essential oils. They’re also Leaping Bunny Certified cruelty-free.

Their winter holiday scents this year include Peppermint Twist, Fir Needle & Pine, Citrus Peel & Pine, Starlit Forest, Warm Flannel, Cozy Cabin, Peppermint Bark, and Homewood.

You can also grab a Holiday Bestseller Bundle, which gets you a discount on a 3-pack that includes the Peppermint Twist, Citrus Peel & Pine, and Fir Needle & Pine.

You can use the code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off your order.


Natural Sloth

jars of non-toxic beeswax candles of Natural Sloth in Merry Christmas, Vanilla Woods, Ginger Spice, Cozy, Christmas Tree, Winter scents

Price: $17-35
Sizes: 4 or 9 oz (+ wax melts)
Burn time: 22-50 hours
Made in: Texas, USA
My personal favorite: Merry Christmas

Natural Sloth’s natural Christmas candles also come with the MADE SAFE certification. They’re made with essential oils, wooden wicks, beeswax, and organic coconut oil.

Each candle is hand-poured into a reusable glass jar in small batches. This season’s Winter scents include Merry Christmas, Winter, Joy, and Sweater Season.

I personally love the fact that Natural Sloth is a truly small business. The founder, Tatiana, was actually inspired to create the brand when her sweet dog, Dino, was diagnosed with cancer. 😭 In researching the potential causes of Dino’s illness, she discovered the impact of environmental toxins and started making her own candles out of safe, natural ingredients.

You can use the code THEFILTERY10 for 10% off your order.


Grow Fragrance

Grow fragrance non toxic scented candles in Palo Santo Pine, Forest Fern, Holiday Hearth, and Snowscape scents with two fabric sprays at the back

Price: $34
Sizes: 3.5 or 6.5 or oz.
Burn time: 21-45 hours
Made in: Durham, North Carolina, USA
My personal favorite: Palo Santo Pine

Grow Fragrance is one of my favorite brands when it comes to non-toxic Febreze alternatives, but they also have soy wax non-toxic Christmas candles, too!

Grow’s soy and coconut waxes are made in the USA and their lead-free cotton wick comes from Germany. Their candles come in recycled and recyclable aluminum tins, which you can place into a beautiful, minimalistic concrete vessel. Once your candle runs out, you can just buy a refill for your vessel.

Grow carries a core collection of scents year-round, but they also release seasonal collections as well. Their winter holiday scents include Palo Santo Pine, Forest Fern, Holiday Hearth, Snowscape, and their newest for 2025: Vanilla Peppermint!

Grow’s products are also Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free.


Bee Lucia

Price: $17 – $32
Sizes: 4 or 8 oz.
Burn time: 20-40 hours
Made in: Portland, Oregon, USA
My personal favorite: I can’t choose between Loved (which is very pepperminty—smells like candy canes!) and Grounded.

Bee Lucia’s natural Christmas candles are made out of clean and healthy ingredients like coconut oil, beeswax, a cotton wick, and therapeutic-grade organic essential oils. Plus, they add crystals on top too, if that’s your thing!

Even though they don’t have a large ‘holiday’ collection, they do have a limited edition Evergreen Forest candle for the 2025 holiday season.

They also have an “Awakened” candle which smells like peppermint and is great for the winter season. Other good ones for the holiday season include “Grounded,” which has notes of cedarwood, fir, bergamot, rosemary, and cinnamon; “Healed,” which has notes of cardamom, bergamot, ginger, and clove; and “Loved,” which is peppermint with fir & Peru balsam!


Primally Pure

an image of a lighted non-toxic candle of Primally Pure on the wooden table with two wrapped gifts next to it

Price: $24-$58
Sizes: 2, 6, or 9 oz.
Burn time: 12-35 hours
Made in: California, USA

Primally Pure has a Limited Edition Holiday Collection, which includes only one candle scent but also includes other things like deodorant, lip balm, and body butter.

They use a blend of beeswax and coconut oil, and the scent is a mix of crips black spruce and warm vanilla.

Check out our full Primally Pure review to see about their skincare, personal care, & more.

Use code THEFILTERY for 10% off.


Basic Bee Candle Co.

an image of non-toxic candles of Basic Bee Candle Co. in Mulled Cider, Log Cabin, Christmas Tree, Peppermint Stick and Gingerbread scents

Price: $10-$45
Sizes: 8 oz jars (+ wax melts)
Burn time: ~15 hours
Made in: Michigan, USA
My personal favorite: Gonna have to go with Log Cabin

Here’s another great small business for you. Shaina, the woman behind Basic Bees Candle Co., is on a mission to provide safe and healthy candles that even those who are extra sensitive to synthetic fragrances can enjoy.

These completely natural candles use primarily raw, local beeswax, combined with some coconut wax and lead-free cotton wicks. For fragrance, she only uses pure essential oils.

Her winter holiday scents include Christmas Tree, Peppermint Stick, Gingerbread, Log Cabin, and Winter Wonderland!

Shaina also makes non-toxic Christmas wax melts, in case you’d rather use a wax warmer instead of an open-flame candle.


Esas

Matte black ESAS candle jar with lid, styled beside cinnamon sticks, cloves, greenery, and wood on a neutral background.

Price: $62
Sizes: 8 oz.
Burn time: 75 hours
Made in: USA

Esas is actually one of my go-to personal fragrance brands, but they have a candle collection as well.

They offer some scents year-round, but then they also have limited edition clean Christmas candles as well, such as the Cinnamon & Cider pictured above, Winter Fir, and Cashmere Glow.

They use a mix of organic coconut and olive for the wax blend, and then combine that with all-natural fragrances. These candles are MADE SAFE certified and Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free.

Esas was started by two women who left the traditional fragrance industry to start their own, healthier brand. I love how they have combined their chemistry degrees with their love for sustainable agriculture and their diverse heritage to create a brand that’s better for people and planet.


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 (like so many of us!) has dealt with chemical sensitivity and experienced negative symptoms from burning conventional candles.

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 “Winter Chapter” scents include Blanket of Snow, Frosted Winterberry, Milk & Cookies, and Through the Woods.

Use code THEFILTERY10 for 10% off.


Stonelight Candle

image of three non-toxic candles of Stonelight Candle in Latte, Ladybug and Limeade scents

Price: $25 – 38
Sizes: 9 oz.
Burn time: Up to 50 hours
Made in: Long Island, New York

Started in honor of her late young son, Jake, Denise started Stonelight out of a desire to get the carcinogens and mystery chemicals out of home fragrances.

After discovering that there’s huge lack of transparency when it comes to candles (with both the fragrance and the wax), Denise wanted to start a brand that was truly made with 100% natural ingredients. She uses her own blend of soy and coconut wax so that she can guarantee there aren’t any other additives! She combines that with essential oils to create some really great scents.

Stonelight’s Winter Collection includes Frosty Mint, Gingerbread, Marzipan, Mistletoe, Peppermint Latte, and White Fir. And good news for all you Christmas in July folks: you can buy these scents year round if you want to!


Cellar Door

Price: $16-55
Sizes: 8 or 30 oz.
Burn time: 30-60 hours
Made in: Washington, USA
My personal favorite: Pacific Northwest

This fragrance brand is “obsessed with nature and the future of our planet.” Most of their scents can be burned year-round, but they have a couple that are great for the holiday season as well, including Pacific Northwest, Douglas Fir & Oak Moss, and Ancient Cedar.

The team at Cellar Door Candles only uses natural essential oils for their fragrance, combined with beeswax and coconut wax and an unbleached cotton wick. Everything is designed in-house and hand-poured. Most of their ingredients and raw materials come from the U.S. (including from a local lavender farm!).

They also offer refill options and subscriptions to cut down on waste and save you money. In addition to their candles, you can buy reed diffusers and car air fresheners as well.


Kline Honey Bee Farm

Price: $14-17
Made in: Ohio, USA
Various shapes, sizes, and burn times

If you’re looking for a different option than your traditional votive candles, check out this Etsy shop! Their candles come in super cute holiday-themed shapes, like evergreen trees, snow people, Christmas gnomes, and more.

The beeswax is sourced right from their own bees in Ohio, where they make the entire candle from start to finish! These non-toxic holiday candles are not scented (although beeswax does naturally have a slightly sweet scent to it).


Honey Candles

Price: $10-40
Made in: Canada
Various shapes, sizes, and burn times

Honey Candles makes tea light candles, Hanukkah candles, and super cute Yule tree candles, all hand-dipped in Canada out of 100% pure, locally sourced beeswax. They’re colored using non-toxic dyes and are non-scented (again—just the light, sweet smell of the beeswax!).


+ 2 More Ideas To Give Your Home a Warm Seasonal Smell

Scent Fill‘s Non-Toxic Christmas Plug-In Air Fresheners

Price: $4.50+
Made in: USA
My personal favorite: I’m going to have to go with either the Fraser & Balsam or the Juniper Woods

If you would prefer not to burn something, you can check out Scent Fill’s non-toxic plug-in air fresheners.

They have lots of scents to choose from, including Christmas-y ones like Fraser Fir Balsam Pine, Peppermint, Cranberry Plum, Warm Spice, and more.

You can also grab a Customizable Christmas Tree Kit, which includes 2 Christmas Tree scents and 1 Scent Fill Scented Oil Warmer. Or their Customizable Winter & Holiday Starter Kit comes with 1 Diffuser and 4 Refills. (Either of these could make a good gift idea as well!)

And trust me: these Christmas plug-in scents can really fill up a large space.

Some of Scent Fill’s scents are made with 100% natural oils, while others use synthetics (all of which are free rom toxicants like phthalates and are Prop 65 compliant)… So you can choose based on your preference!


D.I.Y. Potpourri Simmer Pot!

an image of a D.I.Y. Potpourri Simmer Pot

I have one last idea for you: You could skip the pre-made candles and air fresheners and fill your home with your own stovetop potpourri instead!

Here’s how to do it:

  • First, choose your ingredients of choice. Some wintery suggestions include:
    • Fresh Cranberries (1/2-1 cup)
    • Cinnamon sticks (2-4 sticks)
    • Whole cloves (1-2 tablespoons)
    • Orange (1 orange, quartered)
    • Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
    • Other herbs & spices such as nutmeg or rosemary
  • Put your ingredients into a medium-sized pot.
  • Add water so that it covers the top of the ingredients.
  • 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.
  • Add water to the pot every once in a while, as it evaporates.

This is an easy way to fill your home with the holiday spirit for hours using what you already have at home (or can quickly pick up at the grocery store).

Here are a few more tips to make the most of your potpourri: 

  • If using produce such as oranges, you do not have to peel it. (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.

A couple of years ago, I actually made little holiday favors for my friends and family by putting the potpourri ingredients in a mason jar and then tying the directions on how to use it around the jar’s lid with some twine. (Feel free to use the directions tag I made if you feel like doing the same!)


More Info About Non-Toxic Candles in General

There are two main things you should look for when shopping for non-toxic candles:

  1. The type of wax used
  2. What is used to add fragrance to the candle

The Problem with Paraffin Wax

Most conventional candles are made out of paraffin wax, which is a petroleum-based product. It’s basically like burning fossil fuels into your home. Chemicals like benzene and toluene are released into the air as paraffin wax candles are burned. These chemicals are linked to all kinds of issues, such as cancer, respiratory issues, central nervous system dysfunction, birth defects, and more.

Better Wax: Soy, Coconut, and Beeswax Candles

The least toxic candles are made of:

  • Soy wax, which is not the best option due to the chemicals used to turn the soybean into the wax, but is usually the most affordable alternative to petroleum. It’s still a plant-based, cleaner burn, especially compared to paraffin.

  • Coconut wax, which is also a really great, plant-based clean burning option, but which tends to be more expensive than soy.

  • Beeswax, which is usually the least toxic type of candle wax because it actually cleans the air while it burns.

If you want, you can read more about soy, coconut, and beeswax candles.

Natural vs. “Phthalate-Free” Fragrances

Candles that use certain synthetic fragrances are problematic because they can contain a host of toxicants such as phthalates. Under U.S. law, companies are actually allowed to include toxic chemicals in their products without disclosing them because they’re protected under an “industry secret” loophole. All they have to do is label the ingredient(s) as “fragrance” or “parfum,” which allows them to include a number of chemicals (there are over 3,500 of them) without listing them on the label or telling customers.

That’s why I recommend choosing candles that use natural ingredients like essential oils, or at least synthetic fragrances that are explicitly free from phthalates, parabens, and other toxic chemicals. (Look for candle companies that are willing to be transparent about their ingredients, such as Grow and Fontana.)

You should also look for candles that have lead-free cotton, hemp, and/or wood wicks. (It is illegal for wicks to contain lead these days, so most reputable candle brands use lead-free wicks.)

There is one more thing to keep in mind when shopping for non-toxic candles: they don’t usually smell quite as strong as candles rely heavily on synthetic chemicals. So just a heads up that you may need to use a couple of candles if you’re trying to fill up a large room.

This holiday season, focus on gathering together with loved ones instead of worrying about the toxic ingredients in your candles!

If I’m missing your favorite non-toxic holiday candle brand, let us know in the comments below and I’ll consider adding it to the list!

If you’re interested in other non-toxic guides to the holiday season, check these out:

🎄 Find all of our holiday/Christmas guides right here!

Or, if you’re looking for non-toxic fall candles instead, check out this post.

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    About Abbie

    Abbie Davidson is the Creator & Editor of The Filtery. With almost a decade of experience in sustainability, she researches and writes content with the aim of helping people minimize environmental toxins in an in-depth yet accessible way.


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    7 Comments

    1. Hi Abbie,
      Do you have any recommendations for safe fragrance companies? I also have pets and want to make sure I’m burning oil safe for them to breathe as well!
      Thanks!

        1. I should have been more specific, essential oil fragrances. 🙂 I’m worried about the companies that are trying to pass as “natural”.

        2. I should’ve been more clear. I wondered if you knew of legitimate essential oil companies, other than the two big ones doTerra and Young Living? I just don’t know who to trust! Seems like they’re all lying about the purity of their oils!

          1. Good point! Unfortunately, I haven’t done any super deep dives into essential oil companies… I will add it to my list though! I have heard good things about Young Living’s regenerative practices, though.

      1. Hi there, unfortunately Pacha Soap Co. doesn’t disclosed their fragrance ingredients, so I can’t really recommend them at this time. 🙁