By Barbara
Albuquerque de Sousa
English (UK) 
Português 
Español 
Natural ingredients
Do you love candles with natural and organic ingredients? So do we!
Our ingredients are carefully selected to be healthy and safe. Amazing scents and beautiful candle creations is what Onix Wonderland produces, but that comes from a desire to make natural home candles for ourselves and that is passed on to our products.
We choose ingredients and make products that bring health, peace and wellness to wherever you are.
Here’s some more info about what’s in our love filled products, what we stand for and why you can trust Onix Wonderland to always be wholesome, safe and loving to you and the environment.
Now let’s look into some specifics you might be interested in.
The waxes
The wax we use for each product is listed on the product page in our online store. There are some products you can select the wax you prefer.
– 100% Beeswax and Beeswax + Coconut Wax Blend when available (Not vegan and we source from trusted suppliers from Portugal and Spain)
– Coconut Wax + Soy Wax Blend (Vegan)
– Not tested on animals
– Non-toxic
– Clean burning
The essencial oils
The essential oils we source and use in our essential oil scented candles, organic essential oil blends, body mists, body oils and bath salts are 100% pure and organic whenever possible. Organic ingredients give certainty when sourcing the purest and most natural essential oils that are produced with minimal human intervention.
Some essential oils are not available with an organic certification and sometimes a certified organic essential oil does not meet our standards. There are also times of the year some organic essential oils are unavailable and we will substitute with the best possible option when this occurs.
The fragrance oils
Most fragrance ingredients do not exist in nature, but are instead made in a laboratory. While essencial oils are concentrated quantities of nature elements, Fragrances are created to give a similar aroma or smell to nature substances, or to create a smell that evokes an idea or concept, like “Summer” or “Oriental”
To ensure fragrances (VOCs) from candles are safe, fragrance formulas are reviewed against the safety standards established by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). Each ingredient in the fragrance and the finished product is required to meet the specifications set down by IFRA to be compliant with the standard. If the fragrance and product meet the standard, then the fragrance VOCs in that particular product are considered safe for human use.
We also work with the poison notification entities to ensure that our candles are safe and registered. This is determined by the UFI code present in our product labels.
The packaging
We package our products with love. A lot of thought goes into the experience you get when opening your Onix Wonderland package. We do this with the environment in mind and wherever possible we use recycled and sustainable materials. Even our glitter is food safe and biodegradable.
Please note that we often reuse packaging materials from other local businesses. So if you ever see styrofoam or something similar in our parcels please know we have not purchased this, we are only seeking to reuse this waste wherever possible.
Frequently asked questions
Do our products emite VCO´s (Volatile Organic Compounds)?
Fragrance oils have volatile organic compounds (VOC), these are composed primarily of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen that can evaporate into the air. In addition to its evaporation capability, you can identify VOCs by your ability to smell them. Therefore, nearly all fragrance ingredients in a candle are VOCs.
Not all VOCs are bad, unlike what you may have heard on the news. Every time you walk into a botanical garden or a forest, you are surrounded by VOCs from the plants. Many fragrance ingredients in a candle are identical to VOCs in nature. Other fragrance ingredients do not exist in nature, but are instead made in a laboratory.
A 2014 study examining the amount of particulate matter released from burning candles found that the amount released isn’t enough to cause health problems in humans.
If you’re using candles properly in a well-ventilated space, they’re unlikely to have a significant impact on your health.
We don´t use parafin in our candles, so the VOC emittions are even less than what you usually see in the market. But if you are still in doubt, you can opt for our candles that don´t have fragrance.
Can any plant-based vegetable wax including soy wax and coconut wax be classed as organic?
No, due to the hydrogenation process by which soy and coconut wax are made we could not class any vegetable based wax product as organic but we can call the end product 100% natural.
Hydrogenation involves bubbling hydrogen gas through an oil under pressure and high temperatures with a nickel catalyst present. This process turns the unsaturated fats into saturated fats and produces a solid waxy substance at room temperature.
Are all Onix Wonderland products vegan?
We are introducing and will continue to introducing vegan options into our products. These will be products that use Soy, Coconut and Rapeseed waxes.
Do any of our products contain Phthalates or any other carcinogenic ingredients
No, none of our fragrance oils or products contains these types of ingredients. We always source from suppliers that are trustworthy and are open with their formulas so we can choose which fragrances for example are safe to use. We also work with the poison notification entities to make sure that our products are safe and registered.
Do we use GMO-Free Soy Wax?
To our knowledge, GMO-free soy wax does not exist in commercial quantities. The company that started the “GMO-Free Soy Wax” claim was very clever. In their small print they stated that there are no GMO ingredients added to the wax. But the truth is the original soy beans (not soy wax) are a GMO crop. About 96% of soy bean crops in the world are GMO. A lot of companies have copied this claim either out of ignorance or just to stay competitive because other are making a claim which is not correct.
Why does my candle seem to be sweating on the surface? Is this a problem?
This is a common and normal occurrence with natural wax candles especially when fragranced with pure essential oils. Humid weather conditions, or in very hot regions of the globe, it can make the sweating even more noticeable but your candle will perform exactly as it was designed. Most of our candles are made with Beeswax which require a higher melting point, so this effect is less often to occur.
Keep in mind that these figures are made of natural material like wax, and not plastic.
Can our products be used when you are pregnant or might be pregnant?
If you are pregnant and especially if you’re in your first trimester we do not recommend directly using any essential oils.
Some of our products are directly applied to your skin, like our Organic Body Oils. Other products such as our natural wax candles don’t come into contact with the skin and are therefore a much lower risk.
Even though all our products are used differently we are doing our very best to look after all those mummas and mummas to be.
Please do your own research and ensure you are confident the products you use are safe if you are pregnant.
There are some essential oils which should be avoided altogether if you are pregnant or might be pregnant… and Rosemary is at the top of that list. Reason for why we do not choose it.
Palm wax… Do we use it?
No, we don’t at this stage. We have played with palm waxes before and we do have a little bit in our studio for testing and research purposes. But we, like many people, have some serious environmental concerns about the way palm oil and palm wax is farmed and produced. Palm wax is one of the best waxes available for making candles so we hope this situation changes one day in the future.
We are very keen to start supporting some of the poorest communities in the world who are getting involved in sustainable palm oil production. We applaud the work done by the WWF (Worldwide Fund For Nature) in helping to start the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). These are all wonderful developments but we must act in line with our values and the expectations of our customers.
Yes, we can buy palm oils and waxes from RSPO certified suppliers and although these suppliers may be better than some, we cannot support palm wax because we and our customers want 100% sustainable palm oil. Getting palm oil that is 100% guaranteed sustainable and ethically sourced has not been possible for us yet.
Yes, there are certification programs in place and if a logo is all we wanted we’d be in, but we just can’t support this industry yet. RSPO have different member tiers and in most cases, producers only have to show some of their produce is from sustainable farming, not all, which seriously undermines the integrity of the system.
I hope one day soon we can start using palm wax that is sustainably produced and friendly to the environment.
Where does our beeswax comes from?
We sell 100% organic beeswax candles. We source it from trusted beeskeepers from Portugal and Spain.
Yes, you can buy so-called organic beeswax on eBay, Gumtree, hardware stores and even beekeeping product supply shops. Due to local shortages, much of this supply is from China and is very rarely 100% beeswax. When it is 100% beeswax it will most often have chemical traces due to the chemicals that are used in beehives overseas to combat pests and diseases in bee colonies.
The beeswax from a very large local hardware chain was recently tested by the Australian Honeybee Industry Council (AHIC) and shown to have 85% paraffin wax in it. The are major challenges with sourcing good beeswax and because of this problem counterfeits have entered the market. It’s very difficult to guarantee our customers a very high standard of beeswax. That’s why we use our own chemical free beehives.
Is our Beeswax GMO-FREE?
Although they are 100% natural and ecologic. they are not GMO-FREE, nor will you find easy to find it. In almost all cases, beehives have to be treated with products to help combat pests and diseases in bee colonies, which is happening more often around the globe.
We do not buy from so-called organic beeswax on Amazon, eBay, Gumtree, hardware stores and even beekeeping product supply shops. Due to local shortages, much of this supply is from China and is very rarely 100% beeswax. The beeswax from a very large local hardware chain was recently tested by the Australian Honeybee Industry Council (AHIC) and shown to have 85% paraffin wax in it. The are major challenges with sourcing good beeswax and because of this problem counterfeits have entered the market.
Where are our candles made?
Every of our candle is handmade slowly in our Portuguese studio with care, love and attention to detail. None of our manufacturing is outsourced, we do it all and love making for you.
Our journey to here is only the beginning. We are always searching for more natural and sustainable alternatives that offer you even healthier products.
Are Scented Candles Toxic to Dogs or cats?
You may crave the sweet aroma of vanilla wafting through your bedroom or the invigorating scent of lemon while you plug away at emails in your office. However, scented candles can cause concern since many of them contain essential oils, which can be harmful to dogs, according to Michelle Lugones, DVM, a veterinarian at Best Friends Animal Society. And while it’s fairly obvious no dog (or human!) should inhale or ingest a burning scented candle, even smelling them can aggravate underlying breathing issues.
“Essential oils can be very dangerous depending on how concentrated they are and whether they contain compounds that are toxic or irritating,” Lugones says.
Some of the most well-known toxic essential oils for dogs include mint, wintergreen, eucalyptus, tea tree, sweet birch, cinnamon oil, and pennyroyal
There are some types of pet safe candles out there that are safe to burn around your cat or dog. One of my favorite types are candles make from Beeswax. Although natural soy wax or any other 100% plant or vegetable waxes are also safe.
- 100% beeswax or other plant/vegetable waxes for example soy.
- Made with a cotton or paper wick
- Use safe essential oils for the scent.
You will find that most of the time candles that fit this criterion are more expensive than they toxic counterparts. This is especially true of 100% beeswax candles which are my favorite to use. These types of candles do not use any petroleum sludge which brings down the cost of the traditional candles.
However, candles made from 100% beeswax have a much longer burn time on average compared to traditional candles which helps to balance out the cost difference. Plus you cannot put a dollar amount on having a healthy pet in my opinion.
In case of doubt, choose plain, unscented candles
While the super fragrant varieties may tickle your fancy, to be a responsible pet owner, you may need to shift your shopping habits to protect your floof. Michelle Lugones, DVM, recommends choosing unscented candles that are ideally soy, beeswax, or vegetable wax-based. Scented candles have the potential to contain chemicals that are harmful to pets.
“Aside from some essential oils that can cause several harmful effects, the fumes and smoke from any candle, scented or not, can make it more difficult for pets with respiratory issues to breathe normally,” she continues. “Animals with asthma are very sensitive to fumes, smoke, and fragrances.”
What to do If your dog ate a candle
First things first: ensure the candle is away from your dog and out of reach. But if it’s too late, as with anything potentially dangerous, call your veterinarian and/or emergency hospital right away. Michelle Lugones, DVM, says the ingredients and the amount ingested will need to be taken into consideration ASAP. “If a dog ingests the wax of a candle, depending on the amount, it may not cause great concern because wax tends to warm and soften inside the body. If a dog hasn’t ingested much, it may be able to pass through the body but potentially cause diarrhea,” she says.
However, if the candle contains potentially harmful ingredients, such as essential oils, or your dog ate the wick or the metal base of a candle, your veterinarian may recommend treatment. “This is because essential oils can cause a variety of health concerns, and a candle wick or metal base can cause potential intestinal foreign bodies or blockages which require surgical removal,” she notes.