Rebalancing

Meditation may sound a bit strange to some,  but I have found it to be one of the best ways for me to de- stress and calmly reflect on my life and what I can do to make the needed adjustments to be a better person.

Mornings are good for me, that is my quiet time when everyone else is sleep and the house is peaceful. I grab my journal, bible and I light a scented candle, get a cup of coffee, my comfy throw, depending on the time of the year and I just breath, pray and read.

When outside thoughts interrupt my meditation, rather than getting frustrated I take a deep breath, focus on my blessings and continue  meditating.

When I am done I feel more at peace, balanced and ready to take on my day. I highly recommend it for others.

“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” African proverb

Much work has been involved in running a business. It takes a fearless attitude and a persistent determined mind set. There will be challenges and many Nos. Focus and determination is vital. What happens? Promises come and go , you hope and you you pray that your hard work pays off. Then an opportunity come and you take advantage of it and you appreciate the fact that you never gave up, and that there are those who never forgot where they came from. You remember that is is important that you not forget either.

A-glow With Laguna Candles

The laughter of friends, candle light, wine and appetizers.  What a delightful evening!

One can only imagine how grateful I was when a friend hosted a spa party in honor of Laguna Candles to introduce our new Bath & Body Collection.  Yes you heard me right, Laguna Candles recently launched their Coastal Collection of Bath & Body products designed to renew the skins radiance.  The six piece set includes a soothing bubble bath, body lotion, healing hand cream, hand & foot scrub, body oil spray and body mist. Our Coastal Collection of bath & body are scented with the beautiful fragrance: Water Lily and Lotus Flower and contain coffee berry extract.

Additionally there are other things you can do to make the skin look younger.  See below:

• Set your hair dryer on the cold setting and use it to dry your moisturizers and sunscreen. This will make the product set and will help your makeup go on more evenly and last longer.

• Use mushrooms. Face products that use mushrooms decrease inflammation and increase skin firmness. Some mushrooms can even slow collagen breakdown and improve your skin’s tone and texture.

• Use products that contain coffee berry extract. This extract comes from the berries that surround coffee beans. Using this extract protects your skin against cellular damage.

• Use moisturizers that multitask. Some moisturizers contain self-tanners, hydrate, and tighten your skin all with one step.

• Use an overnight moisturizer. Many anti-aging ingredients are more effective when they are not exposed to sunlight. Exposure to light will break down the chemicals in the moisturizers and seriously impair their effectiveness.

• Try to sleep on your back. Laying with your face in a pillow while you sleep can actually cause skin damage over time. Sleeping on your back also helps to counter the effects of gravity that take place during the day.

• Eat to nourish your skin. Foods high in protein and zinc will help repair damaged tissue. Vitamin C will aid in the production of collagen. Vitamins C and E deliver anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidant help to fight against sun damage.

• Drink plenty of water. Water will hydrate your skin. It will also help to regulate your oil glands, which will improve your complexion.

What Customers Want From a Candle

There is no getting around it, customers want quality in the way a candle looks and, more importantly, in the fragrance that they throw. The quality of the throw, or the way a candle scents a room or any environment to create ambiance is a major factor that every candle maker must seriously take into consideration.  Additionally, the appearance, price and burn quality are also key factors that consumers look for.  To insure our candles burn clean Laguna Candles uses only cotton wicks, natural, premium waxes like coconut, palm and soy combined with essential oils for fragrance.

So what is it about candles that make them both a popular gift and home accessory for so many people, The national Candle Associates reports that 70% of all households burn candles and that doesn’t include candle accessories! I’ll tell you why candles are so popular, candles make us feel good; they brighten our day; they bring a decorative style to our homes and create ambiance and elegance.

Laguna Candles creates varied and complex scents,  we want our candle to exude personality and become an economical and functional way to enhance your decor. We understand that candles are an emotional purchase and that they influence the mood of your home. We put all the love and care into our product so that you’ll never be disappointed when you choose to invest in Laguna Candles.

And,  did I mention we’re made in the USA and proud of it!

Ways to Reuse Laguna Candles Vessels

Our mission here at Laguna Candles  is to provide a wonderful Eco friendly product, and that is why I thought I would make weekly suggestions as to how you can reuse our product.  One of the unique ways to reuse our recyclable vessels would be display objects on shelves or counter tops, as we have done below.

One  of benefits when using our Soy, Coconut and Palm wax candles , once you are done burning the candle just simply wash  the container  with soap and water and reuse it.

 

There is no one Like a Mother

“Honey don’t work so hard,  God don’t want you to work so hard, he wants to enjoy recreation”.   I just got off the phone with my Mom and these were her parting words.  I will be fifty-six in a couple of days and each and every day I realize how much I appreciate my mom and her wisdom.  I have tried to share this love and wisdom with my three adult daughters and grand daughter,  I am sure that one day they will appreciate this love that I am passing on from my mom.

She was an entrepreneur and probably didn’t even realize it. She was just providing for her seven kids.  She was “The Help”,  she always came home tired but with a positive attitude. She was very proud of the fact that she worked for herself and could always stay home if we needed her. I will always appreciate her sacrifices and her strength.  I guess that is why I decided to start my own business and be there for my girls as well.  Taking on the task of launching a luxury line of Eco friendly candles, that is a mouth full, and believe me it is a lot of work.  Laguna Candles, that’s our family business and I am so proud of it and my girls and husband who supports it, but this weekend I am going to listen to mom and have some recreation and go to the movies. When I get that daily phone call and we talk for a bit I typically hang up feeling so blessed to still have her here and thinking, There is no one like a Mother.

What I admire about Jo Malone

I admire people  who have made a decision to start their own business, and succeed by not giving up and never looking back.  I always say that it is not for the faint of heart, it’s challenging but very rewarding.  There are many Woman Owned businesses that I  am amazed at, and  one in particular is Jo Malone.  She is someone who I have never met. I don’t know much about her, I just  know that she make beautiful fragrances and candles.

I also know that  Jo Malone (now owned by Estee Lauder) makes candles that people absolutely love, and that’s why I admire her. She and her husband started off in their garage as well, (see honey it’s ok).  Well that is one thing that we do have in common, but I must admit sometimes I hate her, not because I get her emails  every single morning introducing me to one of her newest scents,  let me tell you why. Her candles are beautiful, but I doubt  they are made with a natural blend of coconut, soy and palm. She started in the UK we started Laguna Candles here in the USA, and our candles are currently still made here in the US.  Her vessels are beautiful,  so are ours.  Ours are recyclable, and I am certain that hers are as well, but we strongly encourage our buyers to recycle.  Her scents are amazing, and so are ours. We have a perfumer here in the US who have done an amazing job, not just for Laguna Candles  but also for other luxury candle  lines. Jo Malone’s  most expensive candle use to retail for $320.00 now it is $400.00. Here at Laguna Candles  Our most expensive candle is $120.00.

I say that I hate her, but I know I don’t,  because I admire how she has branded herself in a luxury market that many could not have done. I heard it once said that the description of Luxury is “hard Work”, and I totally agree.  Here at Laguna Candles we will continue to work hard and break barriers and maybe just maybe  one day  we will be described as luxury and get featured in a major magazine, just like Jo.  We  will keep you posted!

Sharie

Creative Ways to Recycle our Vessels

Luxury and sustainability don’t always go hand in hand but here at Laguna Candles we pride ourselves in the fact that our candle products are 100% Eco-friendly.  Our wax is a mixture of natural coconut/palm & soy wax, our wicks are 100% cotton and our vessels are made from recyclable glass and can be reused in a number of creative ways (in other words, Please don’t throw them away)!  Instead consider some creative ways to recycle our vessels in your home or office.

Check back often for these weekly posts!

Creative Way to Recycle #1.  As a Jewelry keep and organizer.

Use our vessels to keep earrings and bracelets you wear often.

Laguna Finds (Submission #2)

 

 

Laguna Candles is an Eco-friendly luxury line of candles, proudly manufactured in the USA.

Luxury is hard work.  I once read this in a magazine, if you’re willing to put in the work I believe that luxury can be had by all.  We simply have to know what to look for and where to find it!  Keep your eyes peeled for vintage items this fall.

Look for quality workmanship and great materials like leather, wool tweeds, silk, cashmere, hand-blown glass, silver and more.   Laguna Finds Submission #2 is yet another example of a luxury item that I found during one of my favorite past times, yard sales!  Vintage Ralph Lauren hand bag.  Price at yard sale $25.00 estimated value $$$$ (compare Ralph Lauren Alligator Hand Bag Circa 2011 at this link: http://tinyurl.com/4xa9s22) 

Please feel free to leave a comment or question.  Happy hunting!

Ralph Lauren Vintage Alligator Hand Bag Circa 1967

Candles For Special Events

Candles are an essential accessory to all events, but especially weddings! The soft, seductive, and romantic feeling it gives to a wedding just adds the perfect touch. There are so many different ways to use them as well, many use gorgeous candelabras when walking down the aisle. Also, they are perfect for center pieces, when paired with beautiful flower arrangements, the combination is breath taking. We were especially excited to see Kim Kardashian use candles all throughout her wedding, many celebrities are doing so because they add that small touch of warmth to their big day. Candles are also very thoughtful wedding favors, they are symbolic to how bright the couple’s future will be. Laguna Candles are definitely a hot pick right now, for all types of events. If you need help finding that perfect one, go to lagunacandles.com.