Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Alagha.
Hi Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
W I L D A S P E N was founded to create a sensory experience connecting you with nature all from the comfort of your own home. Deeply rooted in nature, our company reflects our inspiration, care and love for all things nature—nature is our balance. It started as a passion project during lockdown where creativity helped ease a lot of anxiety surrounding current events. With a background in biochemistry, I decided to set up my own lab that would later become our candle studio. After a lot of trial & error over a span of nine months and working with other professionals in the industry, we were able to develop unique formulas exclusive to our brand. Every blend we create have fragrance notes that are inspired by the essence of nature and my favorite destinations around the world. Our olfactory system is so powerful that many of us experience an instant spark or connection to a memory by scent. When we create these positive associations we are reminded of our favorite childhood memories, seaside holidays, home or connections with people we love by smell. I wanted to capture these special scents that can transport us to those happy moments and create a personal ambiance with our home fragrance collection. As a growing business, we will always continue to do our research and find areas of development where we can improve. To make sure we only use ingredients that are sustainably sourced we only work with American suppliers and local farmers to have better quality control of our raw materials. Our mission is to always fill your home with products that are sustainable, good for you and enhance your aromatic experience. We love helping our clients find their signature scent for each space to relax and share more moments in.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business during COVID was not easy—but I decided this was my time to go all in. From the start, we were faced with supply shortages from the largest companies with no clear or near the date of delivery. With so much uncertainty and supply delays that kept getting pushed further, I decided I needed to work with smaller companies and preferably find businesses that are local. Although this was a very stressful time, it allowed me the opportunity to work closely with my local suppliers and be more involved in the process. I can stand behind the quality of our raw materials, manufacturing and knowing that everything has been ethically sourced. Working together for almost a year, I appreciate all the knowledge and support during all stages of our product development. With every new scent, product, vessel or new blend we always complete testing phases to ensure product safety and performance. During these tests, we can discover that a particular wax blend, wick type, fragrance potency or vessel does not work so we always independently adjust each variable until we have a safe and performing product. These tests are performed in controlled environments so we can isolate any problems. We consider all factors for every new formula and in order to pass a product for development, we make sure that each scent is IFRA and RIFM compliant meaning they adhere to the highest safety standards in the industry.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At W I L D A S P E N, we are influenced by our Scandinavian roots characterized by simplicity & minimalism. This influence has been essential not only in working with natural ingredients but making sure our containers, glass, wood, labels and packaging are made of 100% recycled materials too. Our shipping and packing materials are also economically and environmentally friendly. We only use materials that are 100% cruelty-free, phthalate-free, natural, skin-safe and vegan. Pure formulations are a must for our brand, and with a science background, I am always working on our formulation to discover new methods to incorporate more natural ingredients into our line. I am proud of all the grit it takes behind the scenes, research, development, design, our final products and being a female-owned business in Colorado. We are also proud to support our local community and foundations that support victims & children of war by donating a percentage of proceeds to foundations that provide direct relief.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
After living here for the last 10 years, I am happy to see all the growth Denver and our entire state has seen. I love that our city offers a safe and diverse community for young adults, families and seniors. We have access to an abundance of nature, a thriving food and beer scene, outdoor recreation, prime real estate locations, education and a promising job market across many industries. Since Denver is experiencing rapid growth, we do have some serious growing pains with increased levels of smog in the city and some infrastructure issues that the city is trying to keep up with.
Pricing:
- C A N D L E S from $22.99-64.99
- D I F F U S E R S from $19.99-45.99
- L I N E N + R O O M + S P R A Y $18.99
- W A X + M E L T S $14.99
- M O D E R N + C U S T O M + C A N D L E from $54.99-84.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wild-aspen.com
- Instagram: wild.aspen
