Essence + Alchemy products are designed and handmade in the Essence + Alchemy Garden Studio in Sheffield.
Are Essence + Alchemy products 'natural'?
Yes. Essence + Alchemy candles are made with rapeseed wax, pure essential oils and untreated wood-wicks. Incense is made from wild harvested fallen dead wood and pure essential oils.
How are Essence + Alchemy candles made?
Each candle is hand-poured in-house using a natural blend of rapeseed waxes. Rapeseed wax is derived from the rapeseed plant and is 100% natural, GMO free, palm free, biodegradable, vegan friendly, cruelty-free, petroleum free and non-allergenic. Rapeseed is a plant which has been grown sustainably for hundreds of years as animal feed with no intensive farming practices and is locally grown, native to the UK and Europe, predominantly France and Germany. This makes it a much better alternative to waxes that have been imported to the UK from further afield such as soy and coconut wax, which are often associated with poor environmental, ethical and animal cruelty issues.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils have been used for nearly 6000 years. They are naturally occurring in plants, fruits and trees and have been used for centuries to promote mental and physical well-being. Inhaling them stimulates the olfactory system, the part of the brain connected to smell and when their aroma molecules reach the brain they affect our limbic system, linked to emotions, heart rate, breathing and memory. This means they can have a subtle holistic effect on our mind and body with true therapeutic wellbeing benefits.
Essential oils used in Essence + Alchemy products are steam distilled and organic wherever possible. Although not possible to source all essential oils locally, oils are supplied by British businesses who provide the highest quality, ethically and sustainably sourced oils from time served approved suppliers.
To read about the ethical and sustainability issues facing essential oils, more information can be found here.
Why do you only use essential oils and not fragrance oils?
Essential oils are used in Essence + Alchemy formulations because they are completely natural and have aromatherapeutic properties, which can truly benefit our emotional wellbeing. Fragrance oils are artificially created to mimic the scent of a natural essence and they are mainly used in the fragrance industry because they are a cheaper alternative rather than a sustainable option. Fragrances made in the laboratory have to be created from raw materials and there is very little information made available by fragrance manufacturers as to what actually goes into making a fragrance oil. Many chemicals in artificial fragrances can also be derived from petrochemicals, which are harmful to human health.
There is ongoing debate as to whether fragrance oils are the more sustainable option over essential oils because they don’t use as many plant resources and land, however without greater transparency from fragrance manufacturers regarding the composition of fragrance oils ie. what raw materials are used in the formulations and how and where they are sourced, it is difficult to ascertain. Reputable essential oil suppliers have far greater transparency, lavender is 100% lavender.
As the demand for natural products and essential oils grow, more and more plants and trees are at risk of extinction, an endangered watch list is available to check. Oud/Agarwood and Frankincense popular in perfume and incense are some of the already thirty or more species on the list. If a plant is being over-farmed or is close to extinction, they will not be used in Essence + Alchemy products, absolutes such as rose and jasmine, which are extracted with solvents and use vast volumes of natural materials are never used. Plants and botanicals are always sourced from certified UK suppliers with long-term relationships to the growers, farmers and distillers. Many essential oils used in Essence + Alchemy formulations are grown and distilled in the UK.
Why do your candles look slightly different?
Essence + Alchemy candles and vessels are all hand made in small batches and may show slight differences between one another, but they are all equal in beauty and aroma. Candles are made with natural ingredients and sometimes their scent and colour may vary slightly depending on when the plants are harvested. Dark essential oils and citrus oils can colour the wax slightly.
Can you tell me what your candle wicks are made from?
All the wicks in Essence + Alchemy candles are made from 100% natural untreated FSC British sourced wood handmade in-house. Wood wicks being a natural product can vary in wood thickness and grain, which will cause every candle to burn a little bit differently, but despite these variations, wood wicks provide a unique burning experience with their warm glow and sounds of crackling wood fires.
Useful Tip:If the candle is allowed to burn for sufficiently long enough for the wax to melt to the edge of the candle container on each burn, it will burn all the way down to the bottom of the container without tunnelling and there will be very little waste. Take a look at Candle Care for burning tips and advice.
How do I clean the candle containers?
You can wash any residual candle wax out of the candle containers easily with warm soapy water. The wax is non-toxic and biodegradable so will not harm the environment.
Are your products or any of the ingredients used in the products tested on animals?
No products are tested on any animal. Essence + Alchemy ensures that all raw materials used are cruelty free and ethically and sustainably sourced direct or via reputable suppliers who can provide evidence of their commitment to cruelty free procurement of ingredients.
What do you mean by 'Botanical'?
Botanical means obtained from a plant or something which is of a plant or relating to plants or plant life. Essence + Alchemy only use plant and vegan ingredients.
Are Essence + Alchemy products suitable to use during pregnancy?
Some essential oils should not be used during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding it is recommended that you seek medical advice from your GP or midwife before using any products containing essential oils.
Do your products contain any allergens?
Some essential oils contain natural components, which are classified as allergens such as ‘Limonene’ which is a common skin allergen found in most essential oils. Where a product contains an allergen(s), it is specified on the product safety information label. In aromatherapy, Limonene can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
Why is a product ‘sold out’ if you make to order?
Most items are made to order. When an item is marked as ‘sold out’, it usually means that a raw material or packaging is out of stock and that particular product or scent can’t be made at that time. You can sign up to notifications for each product and you will receive an email when that product becomes available again.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Essence + Alchemy accept the major credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express as well as direct PayPal account payments and Apple Pay.
Do I need a PayPal account to purchase from this store?
No, you don't need to have a PayPal account to purchase from this store. However, if you already have a PayPal account, you may use it as your payment method.
How secure is this online store?
All payments are processed via the trusted payment gateways PayPal, Stripe and Apple Pay, which use the highest level of encryption and data security to ensure your details are protected. Paypal, Stripe and Apple Pay securely shares your order and delivery details with Essence + Alchemy, but does not share any of your sensitive payment information.
Do you have a bricks and mortar store?
Not at this time, but occasionally Essence + Alchemy will exhibit at events, fairs or pop up stores. Updates are posted on Instagram or sent via the Essence + Alchemy newsletter, subscribe below to stay connected.
