Tart Burner Gives me a Headache.....Literally!

Wasn't sure where to post this but wondered if anybody else has had problems with their YC tarts (or candles?) giving them headaches or migraines?
I love my new tart burner but have been suffering this week with a bloomin' migraine (& still feel a bit fluffy headed & queasy a couple of days later!), which seems to be caused by some of the tart smells?

I was OK with the Vanilla & Lime, Pomegranate Cider etc. but a couple of the strong Xmassy ones (Home for the Holidays I think it was?) were not so good.
I'm pretty sure it is the tarts as I rarely get migraines these days & two in a week is a bit odd I thought & they were quite bad ones, throwing up & everything!

I am a bit nervous about getting any more tarts now as not sure which smells would be OK or not, so just wondered if other people had a similar problem & there was any sort of 'pattern' as to which smells, or types of smells, might be best avoided?
(I don't do well with air-fresheners as such but thought these would be OK as the smells had more 'natural' oils in them, or am I being stupid here?)

I get migraines but so far haven't had a problem with YC. However I do avoid the 'fantasy fragances' as they seem to me to be a bit more perfumey than the fruit or flower ones. Maybe you could try putting half or quarter of a tart in the burner and see if you can tolerate it better? I've been burning a tart for over a week and still find it plenty strong enough for me rather than changing it after 8 hours as Michaela suggested on the show.

Yes I have the same problem.

Anything flowery or strong like The Silver Bells or simliar give me a headache. I prefer cooking smells but NOTHING with MINT in it though as that also gives me a headache, just the smell of the mint tart/candle gives me a headache. Strange though as I love eating mints (not candles or tarts though).

The trick is to find out what doesn't give you a headache and stick to it.

Hope this helps.

Pollybelle said:

I get migraines but so far haven't had a problem with YC. However I do avoid the 'fantasy fragances' as they seem to me to be a bit more perfumey than the fruit or flower ones.

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Thank you Pollybelle, good idea & yes, that would seem to fit as I have been OK with the 'simpler' fragrances (I think!), it is the more complex ones that seemed to have caused the problem?
I am also going to try moving it farther away from where I sit, as I think it might be a bit too close.....happened to be where a spare plug was! lol
(I don't want any more migraines, the pain is bad enough but even worse, I have an almost paranoid horror of being sick & find that the worst aspect of it! lol)

yazrose said:

Yes I have the same problem.
Anything flowery or strong like The Silver Bells or simliar give me a headache.

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Thanks Yazrose - the Sparkling Snow one was nearly as bad as the Home for the Holidays (very strong!) one, so I will def avoid those!
Bl**dy typical, I said to my OH that this was easily the best (& easily my most favourite) thing I have bought from smelly old QVC ever & then the very next day..........! lol

Totally sympathise Kitten..sickness with migraine is the worst part for me too.
I found Home Sweet Home triggered me, maybe the cinnamon, so I avoid this ingredient now. Unlike Yazrose I'm fine with Silver bells, in fact it's one of my favourites.
I think the migraine triggers are a very personal thing and it's a case of trial & error, though I can understand you not wanting to try anything that might start off one of the horrible migraines.

alibeth said:

I think the migraine triggers are a very personal thing and it's a case of trial & error....

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You're right of course Alibeth, it was a bit of a silly question on my part really - I was just so disappointed, having actually bought something I really liked for once....! lol
(I've made a list anyway, so will hopefully be able to cross reference after a while, as I really, really want to keep this if I can. I can't use spray air-fresheners at all, or many cleaning chemicals, as they all give me at best a headache & worst, trigger off a migraine - not so many now as I have cut out so many things over the years that set me off! Don't know why I thought the tart burner would be any different, think I'd convinced myself it was more 'natural', so would be OK......! lol)

I don't get headaches but find that some Yankee Candles irritate my eyes - I'd wake up in the morning and they would be streaming and really sore. It's taken me ages to figure out that it was the candles! :what:

Some are worse than others and I've had to give all the floral ones away. I've got a stash of xmas ones and foodie ones so I'll start working my way through them and hopefully some will be ok.

Had tart burners for a couple of years and no trouble here, though there was one tart I threw out within minutes and I felt very sick...cinnamon and sugar. So vile and sickly sweet.

I love the spicy and xmasy ones, and silver bells that Yaz can't abide!

I think it's just trial and error to find out what you like.

Hiya

I too have problems with scented candles/tarts. I have a skin allergy (tested at hospital) to cinnamon, and things from tree oils/barks, which mirrors in my sinusses to create headaches.

I avoid tea tree, pine fragrances, cinnamon, - all of which are standard 'Christmas' fragrances, but go for the vanilla types now (eg Christmas Cookie)

If I leave a floral candle on for too long (more than an hour or two) , it bothers my cat too - he tries to 'overmark' the smell

I do find that some fragrances, particularly those with high cinnamon content can be problematic for both my migraines and my asthma, so it could be that?

YES! Baby Powder never ever used to give me problems, but last week I had 2 stinking migraines and the only thing I did the same the 2 nights I had them was have Baby Powder tarts burning. Gutted as it is one of my favourite YC scents. Time to stock up on Jack Frost I think...

oooh this is all a bit scary

Thank you for all replies ladies, interesting that 'cinnamon' seems to crop up quite a bit here? Sorry to hear so many of you have either headache (or even sore eye problems as in Starlight's case!) from all these lovely smellies, it must be very disheartening (as well as unpleasant!) at times, especially if you've found a certain smell you really like!

Lottie said:

oooh this is all a bit scary

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Not at all Lottie, I don't think there's anything particualrly nasty about Yankee Candle scents - I have problems with lots of things, numerous allergies etc., so I certainly can't claim to have suddenly developed a problem from this one particular item - I can't use many household chemicals, perfumes etc. for a start & try to stick to more 'natural' scents as far as possible, though am not always 'safe' with those either!

I can't use any perfume scents like these, they aren't natural products, they are artificially made. I now just use a drop of pure lavender in my burner and that is fine, nice and relaxing too.

kitten_with_claws said:

Not at all Lottie, I don't think there's anything particualrly nasty about Yankee Candle scents - I have problems with lots of things, numerous allergies etc., so I certainly can't claim to have suddenly developed a problem from this one particular item - I can't use many household chemicals, perfumes etc. for a start & try to stick to more 'natural' scents as far as possible, though am not always 'safe' with those either!

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Well, I know some people who have passed out through asthmatic reactions to some perfumes...and unless they had had oxygen quickly they could have died.

now most people on here are citing migraine as a reaction, but if someone with asthma did suffer the sort of reaction I've mentioned, it is pretty scary!

Lottie said:

Well, I know some people who have passed out through asthmatic reactions to some perfumes...and unless they had had oxygen quickly they could have died.

now most people on here are citing migraine as a reaction, but if someone with asthma did suffer the sort of reaction I've mentioned, it is pretty scary!

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I know what you mean Lottie, I just didn't want anyone to think I was saying there was anything inherently wrong with Yankee Candle's scents per se, just because some of the smells gave me a migraine! (Dark chocolate digestives do too & I love those as well......! lol)

Obviously if anybody suffered a more serious reaction to the scents, they would be well advised not to use them - I carry an inhaler, antihistamines & adrenaline with me at all times as I'm allergic to a number of things (all 'natural' I hasten to add!) & having come unpleasantly close to dropping dead on at least one occasion due to this, have absolutely no desire to repeat the process & would stop using something instantly if I thought I was developing an allergy to it but luckily, for me, my headache problems appear not to be related to my allergy problems! lol

I too have a problem with the 'white linen' tart. Which is very strange as I very rarely get headaches and have only ever had one migrane about 20 years age. But when I use this tart I get a banging headache which really annoys me as I love the fragrance!