Joanna Vassi is the Founder of Halarosis (https://halarosis.com/). Halarosis proudly announced its Grand Opening of its brick and mortar on Saturday, December 18, at its new Hicksville location inside of Broadway Commons located at 358 North Broadway – across from Express. Halarosis (Greek for relaxation) is an all-natural, soy wax, vegan and cruelty-free company dedicated to producing home fragrance products that are better for both people and the environment, with a formula that completely eliminates toxic ingredients. “We’re very excited to open this physical location, giving our customers a place where they can come and experience the magic of Halarosis candles in person,” said Joanna Vassi, Halarosis Founder. All Halarosis products are also available online from the company, and through Amazon and Walmart.com.
FWM: As an avid candle lover, you did research and found out some alarming facts. Explain
I used to purchase candles like crazy! No matter where I was, if candles were being sold, I was sniffing and buying. The more candles I used, the more observations I made. Some candles would induce severe headaches, while others would produce a thick layer of black soot on the jar. Many would even stain the walls black with the level of soot that they were emitting.
Becoming concerned about what all these observations could indicate, I began researching the candle industry (and the home fragrance industry at large) to gain a deeper understanding of the components of these candles that I was purchasing. Through research, I understood that it is essential to understand the fundamentals of candles and home fragrance products so that we can make educated purchasing decisions when considering our health. Many products within the home fragrance industry are full of carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, organ toxins, or acute toxins. They lower the air quality in our homes and can cause long-term damage to our health if they are produced with the wrong ingredients.
FWM: Tell us about Halarosis. Share your popular fragrances.
After the research I had done and the information I had discovered, I knew that it was time for me to make something better! I wanted to create a safer alternative without sacrificing the room-filling fragrance I was used to experiencing. Halarosis (Greek for relaxation) is an all-natural soy wax, vegan, & cruelty-free candle and clean ingredient home fragrance company. Halarosis is dedicated to creating products that are better for people and the environment by eliminating toxic ingredients found within the home fragrance products used in our homes. Halarosis has developed formulas free of paraffins, carcinogens, phthalates, and toxins, without sacrificing the consumer’s need for room-filling fragrance. The ingredients used in our manufacturing are sustainable and biodegradable, meaning the company also aims to develop environmentally- conscious products. Our most popular fragrance is Lemongrass Verbena, featuring aromas of lemon verbena, lemongrass, green tea & citrus. It offers a clean, vibrant feel to any space. It is aromatherapeutic in that it has been found to relieve stress, anxiety, headaches, & nausea, while enhancing mood and creating an energized, focused space. Some of our other best sellers include Winter Forest, Spiced Holiday Cookies, and Amber & Musk. Halarosis also offers different aromatherapeutic scents, including Lavender, which is beneficial for relaxation, and Eucalyptus Peppermint, which provides relief from colds and is a decongestant.
FWM: What is important when it comes to candles?
Understanding the individual components of candles allows us to understand what is important when making purchasing decisions! It is crucial to look at the wax and the fragrance in the candles we produce and purchase!
Beginning with the wax, most candles within the home fragrance industry contain paraffin wax, a petroleum waste product. Recently, there has been much debate about whether paraffin wax releases potentially harmful toxins into consumers’ homes. Some studies have shown that paraffin wax releases undesired chemicals, including alkanes, alkenes, and toluene, which are all potentially harmful to our health. Overall, the debate about wax types and the different effects that they may have on human health remains unclear. Still, many people are proponents of soy wax because soy wax candles are considered more environmentally friendly, slower burning, and emit less black soot while burning.
The most crucial fact I found when researching is that fragrance found within candles is typically not focused on enough. Because there is not much regulation on candle labeling regarding the specifics of fragrances and because fragrance blends are often considered proprietary, it is difficult for consumers to make educated decisions on the candles they purchase. It is also important to note that, although naturally derived, essential oils are not always the safest choice as they are not regulated. The strong odors that they emit may contain volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which are chemical gases that can worsen air quality and cause health issues. Fragrances also often contain phthalates, which have been banned in toys and children’s products in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. Researchers have linkedphthalates to asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, Type II diabetes, neurodevelopmental issues, behavioral issues, damage to the liver, kidneys, and lungs, and other serious health concerns. As more and more research is being done on the effects of phthalates on human health, it has been found that phthalates are endocrine disruptors, increase the risk of breast cancer, and lead to fertility issues.
Choosing the “healthiest” candles means looking for manufacturers who use fragrance oils free from carcinogens, toxins, and hazardous chemicals. If candle makers use safe ingredients, they will most likely label their candles as phthalate-free, carcinogen-free, mutagen-free, toxic-free, and free of ingredients found on California’s Prop 65.FWM
FWM: You have collaborated with celebrities and companies for private labels. What was so special about these candles?
Backstage creations (the originator of the Celebrity Gift Suite concept) reached out to us to see if we would be interested in doing a custom candle for the 2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards celebrity gift bag. We were able to provide them with our Lemongrass Verbena scent. We created a custom label for the candle that featured the logo for the MTV Movie and TV Awards and a custom gift box! Celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Dj Snoop, Addison Rae, Kim Lee, Heidi Klum, the cast of Jersey Shore, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, etc., have received the candles in their gift bags.
FWM: Tell us about your masculine candles.
We really do try to offer a wide variety of fragrances to satisfy every scent preference. We currently have 29 scents and are consistently adding more. We do not swap out our fragrances; all of them are available all year long to ensure that customers can always find what they desire. Our goal is to ensure that we can find something for everyone, whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else! We have a few fragrances that pick up masculine notes, with some smelling exactly like cologne to others offering lighter masculine notes. The fragrances that pick up these scent profiles include Incense & Citrus, Oakmoss & Driftwood, and Amber & Musk, all ranging from different scent strengths.
FWM: You just opened your brick-and-mortar store. How excited are you for the holidays?
We are super excited for the Holiday season! We have had many customers request a location where they can sniff and shop in person, and now, we can tell them that we have a location in Hicksville, NY. So far, we have encountered much success at the new location! The store offers all of our scents in all sizes! Walking through the door, someone can be sure that the wide scent selection will mean that they will find something perfect for them! Our Air + Fabric Freshener, which is available in all our scents, is exclusively available at our retail location! The store offers a modern, clean experience that is key to our brand image and something that we strive for in every representation of the brand. Someone can come to browse, sniff, and shop in a relaxing, calming store environment!
FWM: What is important to you as an entrepreneur?
I consider entrepreneurship equal to leadership. As an entrepreneur, I hope to inspire and lead others, while ensuring that I create an impact in the industry that I am tackling. I have developed a brand in one of the most competitive industries, and I am focused and determined to ensure that Halarosis takes and owns a significant market share within the home fragrance industry.
Entrepreneurship means learning every day, making mistakes, falling and getting back up, fighting battles, and facing problems head-on. As an entrepreneur, determination is what leads to success and the creation of influence.
FWM: Can we expect other sustainable household products in the near future?
Absolutely! We will not be stopping here! The goal of Halarosis is to tackle the home fragrance industry as a whole! We want to create cleaner, safer, and environmentally sustainable alternatives for as many products as possible! While our Air + Fabric Fresheners are currently only available at our retail location, they will be available for purchase on our website at the start of the new year! In addition, we are currently working on wax melts and different types of diffusers which we are hoping to launch in 2022. We are constantly taking requests from customers about what they would like to see next, so we urge consumers to send us an email if there is something that they are dying to have. We will ensure that we will work on customer requests and recommendations as soon as possible! Please share your social media.
Facebook: Halarosis
• https://www.facebook.com/halarosis/
Instagram: @halarosis
• https://www.instagram.com/halarosis/
TikTok: @halarosis
• https://www.tiktok.com/@halarosis
Twitter: @halarosis
• https://twitter.com/halarosis
LinkedIn: Halarosis
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/halarosis/
