Fragrance oil don’t breathe fumes?

[candleskandk]

Hi
I’m new to all this, and trying to start up a side business from home.
I’ve brought some candle fragrance oils and most have been great. But last night I lit one as a test burn and my partner got an instant headache. When I checked the CLP info it says avoid breathing the fumes.....
isn’t that the whole point?
Are these safe to use with that warning?
Has anyone else come across this?
Thanks

 

[DeeAnna]

When you work with fragrance oils or essential oils as a maker, you're going to be inhaling concentrated vapors possibly for long periods of time. It's a smart thing to wear respiratory protection rated to remove organic vapors whenever you're making your products to reduce your amount of exposure to these vapors. And use good ventilation in the area where you use the scents so the indoor air stays as fresh/pure as possible.

As a customer, a person is inhaling less concentrated doses often for a shorter time. That kind of exposure should be considerably safer.

Even if a fragrance is generally safe for most people in a candle or whatever product, that doesn't mean it's safe for everyone all of the time. Some people get migranes triggered by scents, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy scents, they just have to learn which ones to avoid and which ones work. My husband is sensitive to some fragrances too, so I give him a light whiff of any fragrances I buy. If he reacts to one, I don't use that fragrance.

I'm not sure what company you purchased from nor the actual fragrance oils you're using, so cannot say anything specific, but you might want to ask them to clarify their advice and see what they say. They might be giving advice regarding the use of the concentrated fragrance they're selling to you, not advice for products you make that include the fragrance. But I don't know that.

You should also be learning about IFRA ratings and learning what percentages of scent are recommended by IFRA for the types of products you make. That will also give you more guidance.

 

[LilyJo]

If you are making and selling candles you need to familiarise yourself with the CLP requirements, labelling and allergens. Most commercial FOs are packed full of allergens but not everyone will react to them all, hence understanding max fragrance loads and how to ensure you produce a safe candle that is labelled so people can avoid if necessary.

As DeeAnna said, there is a difference handling undiluted FOs and once it is incorporated into a candle but the possibility of a reaction is always there - dont forget of you are planning on selling you will also need insurance...just in case someone were to have a reaction!

 

[candleskandk]

Thank you!
I emailed the supplier and you were quite right that is only for the undiluted solution.
I have been reading up on CLPs and I already have insurance (just in case)
I made sure I only used 10% fragrance to 90% wax, as suggested on the wax. It’s all a learning curve!

 

[LilyJo]

Yep a huge learning curve - CLP is the biggest challenge (aside from getting a consistent candle that burns evenly)so understanding what you can and cant do as well as understanding allergens is vital.