Creating an Allergy for Myself
By Amber
@AmbiePam (96770)
United States
January 7, 2025 6:29pm CST
So I have stated I love candles. And over time I have received several to review for free (I could never afford so many). I take turns on which scents to use, and looking around right now I see the scents of fresh linen, rose, jasmine and freesia, lavender, rose and sandalwood, vanilla, and cashmere (don’t ask me what cashmere smells like as I couldn’t fully describe it even in a review). Does anyone see a problem? Yeah, I’m sneezing my head off whenever I light one. Too many scents lit too close together. So, I wait at least two hours between lighting different scents.
I used to just light one a few hours before going to bed. But the cold weather has kept me inside, and scented candles make me feel better. I can’t imagine how much I’d be sneezing if these were the cheapie candles. The cheap candles make my eyes water and I get stopped up. They didn’t use to!
Should I take allergy pills, cut out the candles, or just cut back? Full disclosure: I take OTC allergy pills twice a week anyway due to my persistent fight with Oklahoma’s natural environment. Maybe I have an addiction to candles. Oh well. 
26 people like this
28 responses
@RevivedWarrior (3733)
• India
8 Jan
From whatever I can think of , it would be better to cut back a bit on the candles. Perhaps the cold weather is also not helping and it could be making things worse for you. It would also be better to check with candle makers , the contents they have used and a full disclosure. I feel that the makers have changed something in the cheap candles. And hence , you are having some of the challenges. Once thwe weather and your health is back , perhaps you can continue with the current set up. I like lavender and sandalwood scents. I have not really tried others but I am open to new scents. Take care!
@AmbiePam (96770)
• United States
8 Jan
I don’t use the cheap candles because like you said, you never know what is in them. But I think you are right about the weather combined with the candles making things worse for my allergies. Hopefully, you try some of the scents I named. When you do, you can tell me what you think.
4 people like this
@much2say (57381)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Jan
So is it the mixture of scents that's making you sneeze? Or maybe particular ones are allergy culprits (have to figure out which one though).
I'm all for experimentation. I guess I would test out each one - maybe burn 1 scent only for the day/night to see the reaction . . . maybe certain ones don't trigger as much as others. If it's all equal . . . I'd cut back a bit . . . maybe it's a matter of how much can be tolerated.
Do you notice a difference on the days you are already taking the allergy pills? Me personally, I wouldn't want to take any more pills than I had to - but that's just me. I hope you can find a solution that eases the sneezes! 
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (162873)
• United States
8 Jan
@AmbiePam Burning candles is actually a major source of indoor air pollution. But I do not see us giving them up entirely. To keep from using more medications, try a simple saline spray a few times daily to wash allergens out of your nose.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (96770)
• United States
8 Jan
@GardenGerty So they’re bad even if they are soy? I’d really hate to give them up. They bring me comfort these days.
@AmbiePam (96770)
• United States
8 Jan
I’ll be honest that I hate taking pills I don’t absolutely have to. I’m on so many due to health problems I can’t fix, and I’m always hesitant to add a new one because I feel guilty. But I don’t want to give up my candles. I think I’ll do what you said, and burn only one a day. I think the problem is mixing the scents, but I suspect a couple might cause me to sneeze on my own anyway. This way I can know for sure.
There is one candle I was given to review, and it retails for $125. I think I might sneeze through that one or I’d feel like an ingrate for not using something stupidly expensive. You know what I mean? When something is unused, but costs 99 cents you don’t feel bad. But $125 I’d feel badly. And it does smell amazing.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (144745)
• United States
8 Jan
I have two prescriptions for anti-allergy meds I take every morning. I sneeze all the time anyway. *shrug* I'd hate to have to give up candles.3 people like this
@AmbiePam (96770)
• United States
8 Jan
@DaddyEvil Yeah, that’s why I occasionally have to. I’ve had those allergies all my life, but they got worse as I got older.
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (144745)
• United States
8 Jan
@AmbiePam I'm actually taking the allergy pills because of pollen and mold in the air but they work well for a lot of other things that could cause me problems.
3 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (63825)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
8 Jan
Take the allergy pill and keep the candles lol.
Did you get your phone to start cooperating?
3 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (63825)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
8 Jan
@AmbiePam That would be what I would do lol.
I did text you the other day, so I'm glad you're okay. What is your phone doing?
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (96770)
• United States
8 Jan
@thislittlepennyearns I noticed the other day I wasn’t getting any text messages. I figured it was either messed up or everyone was mad at me.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (187049)
• United States
8 Jan
You might want to moderate the candles a bit. Some people are more scent sensitive than others I think it a variety of conflicting scents would probably get to anybody..especially in a small space.
3 people like this
@allknowing (143200)
• India
8 Jan
If you give up on reviews will that affect your future reviews of other products?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (143200)
• India
8 Jan
@AmbiePam For a while lthen I think you could quit doing candles.
1 person likes this
@averygirl72 (38526)
• Philippines
8 Jan
I didn't know that scented candles can cause allergy. I have clogged nose for 3 weeks now
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (52786)
• Canada
8 Jan
Like you said, it is probably too many different scents.
Try just to use one for a few days, lighting it less often as it is lingering since you are not coming and going and letting in fresh air.
Out of that collection of candles one of them must have either different wax or a scent that you are allergic to.
Lighting just one for a few days until you feel fine and then going to the next should allow you to figure that out.
2 people like this
@xstitcher (33647)
• Petaluma, California
8 Jan
Cashmere?!? Okay, I was going to ask you what that smelled like, but....
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (84155)
• United States
10 Jan
I love scented candles too but if I burn them too long or too many different ones within a short period of time I find myself sneezing too. Some scents (mostly flowery ones) seem to bother me the most.
Since you're stuck inside and want the comfort of those candles I would probably say to light a different one every day or every other day and not so much a different one within the same day. I would also probably keep taking the allergy pill and not give up the candles.
Hope you can continue to enjoy your candles and not wind up sneezing your head off 
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14915)
• Torrington, Connecticut
9 Jan
My wife has the same problem with candles, she loves them but they make her congested
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (185512)
• United States
9 Jan
Strong scents make me stuff up. I would cut back on the candles a little if you want to feel better. I can't go down a candle aisle or a detergent aisle in the store. I get all stuffed up. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
