“Oh my gosh, it smells so good in here!”
That’s what we hear 9/10 when people walk in the door for the first time. When people ask what the smell is there’s a 50/50 chance it’s our stunning selection of candles from Queer Candle Co! (The other 50% is our house-made shower steamers!)
We just got a bunch of the fall scents from QCC and I thought it was a good time to talk a little bit about what makes them great and why I love them so much. (And if you’re looking to stock up for cozy candle season, click over here!)
1. Materials
Many conventional candles are made with paraffin wax, a petroleum derived wax, meaning that their production is linked to the fossil fuel industry.
Queer Candle Co only uses US grown soy wax in making their candles, which has been shown to release less soot than paraffin wax. Not only that, but because of soy wax’s lower melting point, the candle burns more evenly and with less tunneling than a paraffin wax candle.
In addition to the wax that they choose, the fragrances that they use are thoughtfully selected. All the fantastic smelling candles that they make are scented with blends of essential oils and high-quality phthalate-free fragrance oils.
2. Quality and Longevity
The materials that make up the candles are great, but QCC’s attention to detail on each of their candles is one of the things that really sets them apart in my mind. Each candle comes topped with decorative botanicals that are visual representations of the scent, and many of them are pressed from QCC’s own garden.
Not only are they beautiful, but they are long lasting too. Each 8 oz tumbler burns for 40-50 hours!
3. Mission
The candles themselves are enough for me to be in love, but did you know that QCC donates 10% of their profits go to support the Sylvia Rivera Law Project? The SRLP has the stated mission to ‘guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence”.
People often ask what makes the candles queer, and the answer is multi-layered. Queerness is at the core of their company: from the name, to the founders, to their commitment to supporting and uplifting the queer community.
Want a personalized candle? Come join us at our Candle Fill events! We will be doing one on September 16, and one on December 3