In theory, it might sound like a good idea to pour some perfume in a wax warmer and allow the heat to spread the sweet fragrance around. However, this is actually quite a risky and dangerous practice due to the toxins and flammability of the perfume. It can also create quite a mess around you while also damaging the wax warmer.
It is better for you to avoid attempting this altogether, but if you wish to spread the fragrance around you, consider using some alternatives like fragrance oils and wax chips or even essential oils in diffusers.
To learn more about why you should not put perfume in a wax warmer, keep reading!
Is It Okay to Put Perfume in a Wax Warmer?
Putting perfume in a wax warmer is not okay. Wax warmers are not built and designed to hold high concentrations of a substance, especially not the high alcohol level and scent concentrations or extracts that perfumes contain.
In fact, the scented wax you make use of contains materials like soy, coconut or paraffin mixed with an extract. The consistency of the wax can then become looser in the wax warmer, something not possible with perfumes.
Potential Drawbacks
There are a variety of drawbacks and risks associated with putting perfumes in a wax warmer. Take a look at some of these below so that you can avoid such situations in the first place.
Toxins
Perfumes contain plenty of chemicals that provide perfumes with their scent and consistency. These properties and chemicals are relatively safe when directly sprayed or applied to your skin or even directly dispersed in the air. However, when they make contact with heat, they are bound to release toxins and by-products in the air.
Breathing these toxins can result in health issues and skin problems, such as rashes, itchiness, infections, respiratory problems, coughing, headaches, congestion and more. Prolonged exposure may also result in chronic conditions.
This is particularly because such chemicals are present in a concentrated form in perfumes that are not generally made for heating.
Flammability
Perfumes contain plenty of alcohol since it is a great carrier of the fragrance of extracts.
This works well for perfumes kept at their required temperatures, but if you deliberately heat them up in wax warmers, this can create a huge risk and danger to the safety of the people nearby while also damaging the furniture and appliances in your house.
Alcohol is a highly flammable and combustible substance, so if there are any sparks nearby, it will end up catching fire instantly. To prevent this, it is best for you to avoid putting the perfume in a wax warmer.
Lack of Cleanliness
Apart from the safety and health risks associated with putting perfume in a wax warmer, you will also need to account for the fact that it will create a huge mess around you.
Heating perfume will release vapors into the air while also leaving behind some oils and concentrates. This is quite difficult to clean up, especially since it can harden up if you leave it to cool down.
Additionally, the perfume might spill over and become tough to clean. Even while heating up, the perfume might keep spluttering and getting on other furniture and devices nearby. This could also play a part in spreading the chemicals around and increasing the risk of a fire.
Expenses
On a practical note, pouring all your perfume into a wax warmer is bound to be highly expensive. If you buy perfumes of high quality and from premium brands, they might already be costing you quite a bit.
If you were to empty the contents of the bottle in a wax warmer, you will not be able to use it for its intended purpose anymore.
You will also need to pour plenty of perfume into the wax warmer, so you might need to buy a few bottles all at once. In this case, if something goes wrong, you might also need to contend with the wastage and damage to other appliances, including the wax warmer.
Warranty Issues
Wax warmers generally come with their own warranty, allowing you to make repairs and replacements at no added cost in case things go wrong. However, if you deliberately make use of them for purposes they are not intended for, this warranty will no longer be applicable.
While this might not sound like an issue, it might present a problem if the process of warming the perfume does not work out. You will need to pay extra to repair or replace the wax warmer.
Make it a point to always go through the manual or instructions that come with your wax warmer (as well as the instructions on the label of your perfume) to avoid any problems.
Are There Any Alternatives?
It is clear that putting perfume in a wax warmer is not the best idea. In this case, consider some of the following alternatives that you can make use of in your wax warmer.
- Buy some fragrance oils and combine them with wax chips or sticks. You can then heat the two of them up together in your wax warmer to result in a pleasant fragrance in the room.
- Many existing wax molds tend to come with their own fragrances, allowing you to melt them directly in the wax warmer. Using the wax warmers for their intended purpose will allow you to spread a scent in a safe manner.
- Apart from fragrance oils, you can also try combining a few drops of essential oils with some wax chips. Melting them together will allow you to create a relaxing atmosphere.
You can also simply pour the fragrance oils or essential oils directly into their diffusers.
Final Thoughts
Despite the possibility of putting perfume in a wax warmer, it is ideal for you to avoid this practice altogether given that it can do more harm than good. The toxins, flammability, mess, expenses and warranty issues are some reasons for you to resist putting the perfume in the wax warmer.
