First… What is Scentsy?
Scentsy is a direct marketing company with a variety of fragrant products centered around home scents. The primary product is a wickless candle warmer that heats wax tarts to a point where they are just warm enough to melt. This releases the fragrance (and there are more than 80 scents to choose from) until you turn off the warmer. At that point, the wax tart hardens again for later use, removal and/or replacement.
Regular Candles Vs. Scentsy Wickless Candles
Most people are blissfully unaware of the existence of Scentsy, others are die hard lovers of their scented candles and love to burn the wicks to release that intoxicating aroma. Whether they do it for the smell or the quiet, beautiful flicker of the flame, it's always down to personal preference.
There are unfortunately a number of problems that come with owning and burning normal scented candles with fire.
1. The biggest issue is that when you burn just about anything, especially paraffin wax made from petroleum (used in most scented candles) you wind up with carcinogens. Because most people close windows when they burn scented candles to keep the smell in, you're cutting down ventilation while releasing carcinogens into the air - and then you breath it in. The more you burn, and the more often, the more you poison yourself (and your family).
2.You have to deal with the soot in the house. The smoke curling up from candles clings to the walls, the décor, ceiling, shelves and everything else around the candles. If you burn candles in the same location long enough you'll start to see dark spots collecting where soot sticks to the walls.
3. It's unsafe. According to the United States Fire Administration, "candles cause an estimated 15,600 fires in residential structures, 150 deaths, 1,270 injuries, and $539 million in estimated direct property damage each year. December is also the peak season for candle fires in homes.
The Benefits of Scentsy Wickless Candles
On the flipside, wickless candles are just that - they're wickless and without flame. A Scentsy wickless candle warmer looks like a small pot or urn. Inside is a light bulb covered by a small ceramic tray. That tray holds a small wax tart or a piece of a scented Scentsy brick made of food-grade paraffin wax. The light warms the wax just enough to melt it and release that fragrance, with the wax being only warm to the touch. From that description alone, the benefits of Scentsy wickless candles are obvious.
1. There is no fire hazard with Scentsy warmers outside of the typical (very slim) chance of an electrical fault.
2. Food grade paraffin wax is safe for kids and pets because it's non-toxic. The low melting point makes it only warm to the touch and prevents the wax from reaching a smoke or combustion point. That makes it safe for birds as well.
3. There is absolutely no soot because nothing is being burned. When the small chunk of wax from a Scentsy bar has lost its scent (anywhere from 60 to 80 hours of warming) you simply let it cool until it's hard, remove the wax and discard it. The warmer bowl can be wiped out with a warm towel and it's ready for the next scent. Overall, your cleanup and maintenance is pretty well limited.
And of course it's important to mention that candles in any form tend to be limited in what they lend to the décor and the environment while Scentsy warmers are all handmade and very decorative. From seasonal designs to pro-college teams they fit into to just about any lifestyle.
