Massage Candles
6 "Scentsational" Buying Tips

What are massage candles?  If you’ve not familiar with them, you’re not alone. First appearing on the market several years ago, they are just now starting to gain a market presence.

Whereas candles were once simply a functional way to light the dark, candles are now most commonly purchased to scent homes or to add a romantic or relaxing ambiance. 

Massage candles are a new variety of candle serving several simultaneous functions. While they light a room, provide a delightful ambiance, and scent the immediate area with subtle fragrance, massage candles also contain cosmetic ingredients that make them an excellent body moisturizer and massage oil alternative.

Because of their unique ingredients, a true massage candle will melt at just over body temperature. Much like a hot bath, they are comfortably warm, but not hot. 

When shopping, how do you know if you’ve found a “true” massage candle that's of excellent quality? Here are six tips to help you shop wisely.

1. Does the candle label list ingredients?  Because massage candles are intended for use on the body, they fall under FDA jurisdiction.  All massage candle ingredients must be listed in order of prominence on the product label to comply with FDA regulations. If ingredients are not presented, the maker is not meeting FDA rquirements.
    
2. Does the label list net weight and manufacturer contact information? As an FDA regulated product, the net weight must be included on packaging. The phone number and/or address of the manufacturer or private-labeled reseller must also be present.

3. Is the fragrance skin-safe? Not all fragrance oils are.  Some traditional candle makers are now starting to make massage candles. If those candle-makers are not familiar with the specifics of making skin-safe bath and body products, they may be using fragrances that were never intended for body use.  If you are buying from an independent candle-maker, be sure to ask about the fragrance oils they use in their massage candles. Fragrance that is not skin-safe can cause adverse reactions.

4. Is the fragrance used in skin-safe amounts?  Even if a fragrance is specified as being skin-safe, the amount of fragrance that can safely be used in massage candles is only a fraction of the amount used in a traditional scented candle. Using more can be toxic to the skin. Beware of anyone promoting a massage candle that is “highly scented” or that can “scent your whole room.”  These kinds of claims almost guarantee that there is too much fragrance oil used and that the candle is not skin-safe, even if the fragrance oil itself is skin-safe by definition.
                    
5. Is the candle presented in a way that makes it easy to access the melted lotion / massage oil? Many traditional candle jars and containers will make it difficult to get to the melted liquid for easy and convenient use. The container should be easy to dip into to access the melted lotion. 
     
6. How does the candle feel when applied? If you’re able to sample, a quality massage candle will never feel waxy or leave a heavy residue. If it does, your candle is most likely made with traditional candle wax. High quality massage candles feature cosmetic-grade ingredients that offer skin the greatest benefits. A quality massage candle should melt into a lotion that fully soaks into your skin within a few minutes leaving a silky, soft feeling. 

If you haven’t tried a massage candle yet, you’re in for a delightful experience.  Just do your research to ensure that you’re buying a candle made by a knowledgeable manufacturer that follows FDA guidelines and uses high quality ingredients. Then just light you candle and pamper yourself or a partner with the rich, warm lotion. Enjoy!

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© 2007 Karen Loye Porter. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint rights: You are welcome to reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author credit, and include the resource and bio information above in its entirety.