products update: what you see and what you don't

 Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your support as the seeds of this brand slowly sprout! 

Some of you have asked about my products, and I realized that I’m well overdue on giving you a concrete update on what’s on the site, and what’s NOT available for sale on the site yet, but will be soon:

 My almost-finalized selection of candle vessels and fragrance/pheromone bottles.

1. Currently for sale but not made by truerthings:

 I am still very excited about the idea of this space serving as a curated hub for wellness/intentional lifestyle/spiritual gifts and gift-guides… of others’ products that I recommend. Right now, I acknowledge that it’s a bit of a mess— there are random product links that I haven’t blogged about or notated, and the formatting is lacking, to put it mildly. I’ll get to this when I get to this! Just know that what’s available is great stuff… even if it’s randomly assembled, at present. More will be coming, and there will be organization to it… not sure when! 

2. Currently for sale, by truerthings:

The Get Ready With Me candles are lovely little scented soy wax candles, and the GRWM labels are my ode to the trend on social media. However, this is one label out of many that are coming to the shop soon. If you love Get Ready with Me as an aromatic candle idea, then by all means, shop them! But just know that I decided to begin with “get ready with me” as a sort of meta-preview, and a way to test out fragrance, wax, jars, suppliers, shipping methods, etc. As it turns out, they are fantastic candles though, so by all means, grab one if you’re into the vibe. Thanks for your support! :-D

3. Coming soon, by truerthings:

Here are the products that I’m making that will soon be available to purchase (photos of ingredients, a few product labels and my chemistry lab are below!)

— Pheromones.

I’ve decided to start with fragrance blends that contain these. I’m interested in functional wellness, and I’ve got to start somewhere. What’s more fun than literal love potions?! 

If you’re unfamiliar, pheromones are a range of chemicals that our bodies emit that have been shown to boost attraction and interest— among other attributes, ie dominance— within the same species. Scientists have been studying this phenomenon since Darwinian times, and likely longer. I’m using my nerd-brain and investigation-brain... and, if I'm honest, my rabid-squirrel-alcoholic-seeker-brain... to research, source, and compound these materials into the fragrances I’m creating for candles and functional wellness perfumes. The idea of REAL love magic like this is FASCINATING to me. There are fad pheromones on the market but who knows if they actually have the stuff I'm sourcing... it's not easy to get (hello, actual Oxytocin, anyone?) I'm proud of that one but I'm trying to add more and figure out the formulas.

— Other “intentional fragrance” perfumes and oils for healing, wellness, mood, and medicinal benefits.

At first, my starting point was candles, but— perfectionist that I am— I’ve been going straight to the source, and good scented candles start with good scents. We use scent for beauty, enjoyment, personal improvement, and well-being… so why not explore all of the opportunities for some real wellness “magic” within scent? Did you know that when you’re sniffing a scent molecule, you are literally picking up a piece of the object you’re smelling? And what about the healing benefits (or mood, or attraction benefits) we gain from dermal applications of fragrance, lotion, et all? Aromatherapy is the go-to term for essential oil healing, but I think it’s grown stale or has a particular connotation that doesn’t fully convey the potential for scent as actual medicine.  I feel like we haven’t even begun to tap into the opportunities here.

 — Candles.

With a common look but ranging scents and labels that honor specific identities, energies, vibes, and moods. Lots of sensuality, relaxation, spirituality, truth, God, and magic.

These will have a variety of scents I’m designing myself, along with functional benefits (including pheromone candles, duh) and medicinal healing properties . It’s a lot of research and testing, so bear with me!

 

Above: One of my many candle tests for safety and efficacy of wicks, vessels, and fragrance.

 

Above: Two of the labels in the design boards.

—Custom fragrance, pheromone blends, candles, magic spells, and curated gift boxes.

What’s your intention? What’s your desire? Want to make it hyper-specific to you? Tell me your issues and preferences and I’ll handcraft and design something perfect! 

-- Honest labels. Irreverent Reverence. Myth-busting. Myth-honoring. Agnostic products. 

Above: part of my exploration of "truth" in magic: Agnostic smudge candles.

I’m truly interested in what an “honest” product entails. This includes sustainability, ethical sourcing, and “clean beauty” with some real hands-on research of my own, and subsequent myth-busting, so that I can identify what’s true and what’s merely a trend and a bunch of marketing (there is so much to say about “clean beauty” and what’s phony lip-service!) 

What is magic? What is snake oil? Which products can we trust? What are we purchasing into when we buy? What do we believe? Who are we and what do we honor when we embark on the ritual of candle-lighting, or on the personal identity branding of applying a scent to our bodies? How can I add intentionality, meaning and awareness, or even levity and humor to that experience? How can I make spirituality, beauty, and holistic oneness of mind, body, soul, and spirit? 

  

Above left: Hedione, believed to be the most effectively seductive perfume fragrance component, in multiple research studies. Above right: One variant of lab-grade oxytocin, the feel-good "love" chemical our brains emit in states of comfort and belonging.

Again, I’ve taken the micro and literal and turned it into something macro and abstract… oops! But that should give you some idea of where my head is at and why there aren’t many products on my site yet! Because of course, beyond the medicinal and functional scent development, there is ideation, research, sourcing, making, testing, re-testing, re-re-testing... then labels, branding, packaging... marketing, web, social, shipping infrastructure... every day is SO much stuff, and SO many decisions at every step. Who knew I couldn't just make some witch spells and candles and pop them up on Etsy in a day! I'm so grateful though: I'm learning so much. What a gift.

More of my lab set up. My Breaking Bad obsession is coming full-circle. 

I am so grateful to be here and to share this process with all of the magical people in my life. I LOVE YOU ALL - you are perfect! 

Xoxox Melissa 

 

P.S. Please comment below and join the email list for launch deals + updates! It's exciting to feel the love and participation, and I can't wait to share more with you :-)