Bug Out 2015 Updates

Bug Out is a plant-derived blend of essential oils and botanicals that critters just hate.  Unlike a pesticide which kills bugs, Bug Out is highly disagreeable to buggies – they just prefer to steer clear of areas where Bug Out is present.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (the Act) to regulate all products related to insect and pest mitigation.  Since Bug Out is not an insecticide, it is exempt from the Act.  To maintain our exempt status, Bug Out has to comply with strict formulation, labeling and disclosure requirements.  In addition, individual states actually charge us fees to sell exempt products within their boundaries.  The associated costs make the economics of selling in certain states very difficult.

We do not love rules, but we prefer to follow them.  So, for now we are only able to offer Bug Out in these select states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida Hawaii & Maine. Our team is working daily to make Bug Out available in more states.

Essential Oils for Winter, Part III

Spring is on its way for sure, but we’re still knee-deep in snow here in Northern Vermont. If you haven’t read the first or second parts of this blog series, please do so to read more about warming and uplifting essential oils for Wintertime!

We find it is also important to stay grounded and inspired.  When we can’t put our bare feet on the Earth (without fear of frostbite), our friend Patchouli truly helps with this feeling of harmony and content.

We understand that Patchouli is a ‘love it’ or ‘hate it’ scent and for those who aren’t the biggest fans, envision dank, life-giving soil of the Earth and forget the “stinky hippie” references. If patchouli is too strong for you by itself, try burning it simultaneously with sage or lavender to sweeten it a little!  It also blends well with Rosewood, Frankincense and most citrus oils.

Silk Road traders in the 18th and 19th centuries scented their precious exotic fabrics with Patchouli as a way to mitigate pests and simultaneously give the luxurious fabrics an accompanying perfume.  Ink from India was scented with Patchouli, conveying romanticism and linking aroma with the written word. Patchouli is indicative of pure purpose and passion!

Lastly, but certainly not least, for inspiration we look to the woods!  Trees are full of wisdom and in winter conifers are strong, true souls who hold tight to their needles. Spruce, fir and cedar inspire our hearts and minds every time by sharing their gratitude and strength to help keep continual motivation!

Before we know it, buds will be blooming!  The birds have already started singing their Springtime tunes, they know it’s coming, slowly but surely!

Essential Oils for Winter, Part 2

If you haven’t read the first part of this blog series, please click here to read more about warming essential oils!

Along with wanting to feel warm and cozy, in winter,  it is also important to stay uplifted!  For help with this we turn to our citrus allies, our friends the orange and grapefruit (with a dash of clove for a little extra warmth)!

Citrus essential oils evoke feelings of balance and positivity, they know how  to recharge and uplift you when you need it most!  Bergamot oil comes from the rind of Citrus bergamia, which is an orange sized fruit but usually colored like a lemon. Bergamot and Orange are featured in our Indian Summer Clean Air room spray!

Neroli oil transitions us from citrus fruits to flowers as it comes from the orange blossoms themselves and is a delicious scent wonderful for calming and uplifting spirits.  Neroli always reminds us of another joyful and uplifting friend:  Jasmine.  This lovely flower is known to evoke joyful creation and delicate beauty.

Stay tuned for our next post on more essential oil love during Wintertime and thank you for reading.

Essential Oils for Winter, Part 1

The temperatures have been blustery here in Vermont. We love winter because it toughens us up, keeps us grateful, and gives us an extreme contrast to balance the seasons.

We’ve found some pretty magical ways to cope with this intensely cold weather through the use and enjoyment of our essential oil candles!  We find they truly help us create these feelings we thirst for each cold season; feelings of warmth and comfort; feelings of inspiration.  Essential oils, along with the finer things in winter life:  snuggles with loved ones, toasty fires, cozy teas, thoughtful books and yummy soups, always provide sustenance and make us smile!

For warmth, we recommend oils of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.  Along with smelling delicious, like a hot mug of Chai, these spices have been prized throughout the ages for their warming, fiery elements!  Sandalwood is another warming essential oil that is easy to love!  Characterized by rich, mellow, smoky notes, sandalwood easily conjures a strong sense of compassion.

Stay tuned for the next post with more essential oils for winter and cheers to staying cozy!

The Creative Sheep

January has arrived, a new year is here. Many of you may already be aware that January brings forth the year of the elegant, yet timid Sheep. Sheep are associated with the goat and/or ram in the Chinese zodiac. Sheep are gentle, in tune with nature and full of sympathy.

In 2015 the sheep marks pure creativity. The last Sheep year was 2003 and the element was water. In this Sheep year of 2015, the element is wood. Wood is fuel for those creative fires to burn bright; or rather to build them into existence. This year calls for more time spent in and with nature.

Since we at WOW tend to view the world through the lens of pure botanicals, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the essential oils that best complement the Year of the Sheep. In the Hindu (Sanskrit) tradition, the sacral chakra is a power center located between the belly button and the groin. It is linked with our creative fire and intertwines creativity, sexuality and the birth of our creative endeavors. Essential oils that activate and sustain our sacral chakra include Patchouli, Sandalwood, Jasmine, Neroli and other citrus oils.

Patchouli is intense, expansive and layered. If it were an art piece hung in a gallery, it would be sexy, earthy and hard to ignore. If it speaks to you, you want its colors and aromas to follow you everywhere. Truth be told, Patchouli can be the ‘great divider’ with passionate fans and staunch opponents. Love it or hate it, you just can’t ignore it!

So this year, we vow to stoke our creative fires, get outside even more and find the sacred place and/or part of mama nature that calls to us, further open our hearts and get inspired. Join us —let’s CREATE! 🙂

 

Another Great Year Ends & A New Begins

“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.”  ~Albert Einstein

To celebrate the end of year, our team of rugged waxers took a retreat to Stone Hut nestled on the top of Mount Mansfield. We reveled in the winter wonderland here in Vermont, enjoyed skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowshoeing, and had fun trying out snowskating. We love living in the green mountains and all of the opportunities we have to continue fostering our connection to nature and the great outdoors!

At the end of each year, we reflect on the things that we accomplished throughout the year and what we strive to achieve in the year to come. This year we underwent a lot of awesome changes; from new faces, to improved packaging and an updated website. We are grateful to all of you who followed us through these transformations and to all of you who joined us along the way. Our amazing and experienced team grew and brought in new positive momentum. Although our look is new, we maintain the same very high quality ingredients and rigorous standards to bring you the best pure aromatherapy experience― because you deserve to burn a better candle!

Coming into the New Year we’re excited for what the future will bring! We know that hard work pays off― so we’ll continue being busy like bees crafting delicious, new and exciting products to enhance the candle culture and communicate the power of pure aromatherapy. We are so grateful to share this journey with you!

Staying Healthy with Cedarwood

Cedarwood has been used throughout history in the Middle East. The ancient Egyptians utilized Cedar for embalming, building water-crafts to sail the Nile and for intricately carved temple doors. Cedars are incredibly hearty trees and grow up to one thousand years old! They are a symbol of resilience and regenerative life force.

Amidst flu season, we turn to these wise trees to stay healthy. Cedar has powerful astringent properties and respiratory inhalation is the most effective means of absorption. We’re illuminating these dark nights with Northern Forest candles to enjoy the natural healing powers of cedar, spruce and fir. Our candles are handcrafted with 100% pure essential oils and GMO-free soy wax— to keep you connected to nature’s healing powers!

Darkness is My Friend

This time of year I always like to reflect upon the shortness of days and slowness of the season. It’s important not to get too stressed with the holiday bustle and to remember that nature is subtly telling us (especially here in Vermont) to slow down, snuggle up, learn, ponder, and plot!

Understandly, short, cold, dark days can bum folks out and make it harder to find motivation or maintain a positive outlook on life. When we notice this shift, it is important to think about that cycle nature passes through year after year. This cycle of renewal and continual flow brings strength, longevity and balance. Ebbs and flows are necessary for maintaining the balance of life. Without the dropping seeds in Fall, certain plants wouldn’t come back the next Spring to grace us with their beauty and wellness. Feeling cold and tired are signs that our bodies are being pulled into this natural current. Too often, we forget or overlook nature’s patterns in our busy schedules and the fast-paced, technologically driven lives we live.

One of my favorite things about winter (besides fluffy snow of course) is the darkness. Please don’t get me wrong— because sunshine is most excellent with its warmth and Vitamin D! But on long nights, you can burn more candles in the dark. Candle light is alluring, warming and inspiring.

Think of darkness as a returning friend who comes to remind us that it is important to slow down, light a candle and reflect on life. To be humble, thankful, and gracious and learn from everything (and one) that crosses your path!

Bedtime Rituals for Better Sleep

As children, bedtime rituals are instilled in us from a young age. Our parents teach us brush our teeth, take a bath, get our PJs on, and read a story to us before we go to sleep. As we get older and adolescence sets in, a consistent set of bedtime habits usually falls to the wayside. Sure, as adults we still brush our teeth and shower– but we often stay up late, use our smartphones 24/7, get stressed out, watch TV before bed, and eat at odd hours.

Sleep plays an important role in our health. It strengthens our immune system, cardiovascular health, helps us recuperate from ailments and injuries, keeps our memories sharp, regulates our weight and mood. To stay on point and well rested, I have been updating my bedtime routine. I turn off all my screens at least 30 minutes before bed. This includes not only the TV and laptop, but also my smartphone. I light the Sweet Dreams candle on my bedside table. I practice a sequence of floor stretches/yoga to stretch out my spine, legs and shoulders.  I cuddle up with my favorite book and read until my eyelids grow  heavy and extinguish the candle before I fall asleep. What do you do before bed for a good night’s rest?