Right around this time last year our baby-company was testing out the idea of creating candles that celebrated the most inspiring women in our lives. We developed a Mother’s Day collection that ignited joy in our team and in so many amazing women we know and love. When we set our sights on International Women’s Day this year, we knew it was an opportunity to spread that same light and joy through the words of women who came before us. The ones who broke down barriers and used their voices in the most unique and powerful ways.  

We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can best show up for the women we admire, and how we can facilitate meaningful connections through gifting. That’s why we decided to collaborate with some of the most incredible women we know at Gravitas New York to bring you the “Women Who Light Us Up” Candle Collection—five inspiring quotes from five legendary women (all of whom you can learn more about in the blog post below). That’s also why we chose to donate 10% of each sale to Girl Up—a powerful movement advocating for opportunity and equality for girls everywhere. 
 

So, without further ado—let's allow these women to speak for themselves. 

 

"I'm Speaking."

The energy that radiates from Kamala Harris’s two-worded shut down of Mike Pence is absolutely unmatched. Whether we're running for Vice President of the United States or having something mansplained to us for the billionth time, it's important to make our voices heard. This candle is the fiery reminder we all need and honors our first BIPOC + woman VP.  

10 Fun Facts About Kamala Harris  

1. Kamala, in Sanskrit, means lotus.  

2. Her parents marched for civil rights with her in a stroller as a toddler—once she was asked “What do you want?” her response? “FEEDOM”!  

3. Her step kids lovingly call her “Momola” instead of stepmom 

4. Harris's supporters are called the “KHive”--similar to Beyonce’s “Beyhive”

5. She collects Converse (they’re her go to travel shoe).  

6. She attended both Hindu temple and a Black Baptist church growing up.  

7. She was the first woman and person of Black & South Indian descent to be the attorney general of California. 

8. She loves to cook and can often be found in either an apron or a pantsuit.  

9. She led her first demonstration when she was 13 years old, fighting for her apartment building to allow kids to play on the front lawn! And of course, the policy was overturned because she’s been a badass since she was a preteen.  

10. She performed California’s first same sex marriage since it was legalized 🏳️‍🌈

 

"The most effective way to do it, is to do it."

 

Next up is exactly what every perfectionist needs to hear—multiple times a day. Sometimes you just need to take a step back to realize that indeed, the most effective way to get something done is to do the damn thing.  

Amelia Earhart touched the aviation industry with her passion and constant pursuit of her goals, and we can only hope to channel her strength with each light.  

10 Fun Facts About Amelia Earhart  

1. No coffee or tea—she would use smelling salts to stay awake during longer flights.  

2. Another female pioneer in her field, Neta Snook, gave Amelia Earhart her first flying lessons.  

3. Earhart’s mother was extremely supportive of her career and used a part of her inheritance to help pay for her daughter’s first plane.  

4. She was one of the first celebrities to launch a clothing line.  

5. She built her own roller coaster as a child (with her Uncles help, but still!! So cool!)  

6. The search for Amelia Earhart was the most expensive search for a person in history.  

7. She wasn’t impressed by airplanes the first time she saw one.

8. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic and second person ever to do it.

9. The name of Earhart’s first plane was “Yellow Canary” 

10. A lighthouse was built in her honor on Howland island, which is a small island in the middle of the Pacific about 2000 miles away from New Guinea.

 

"I am rooted, but I flow." 

A woman who pioneered modernist writing and brought vibrant life to female characters for years, Virginia Woolf’s words have such a captivating quality. She worked through struggle openly, allowing women to see themselves through her writing with raw vulnerability while fiercely advocating for the feminist movement.  

Woolf’s quote “I am rooted, but I flow” brings us deep into the movement of life and can help us channel the beautiful feminine energy of her characters. It keeps us grounded, but allows us to stay soft and flexible too.  

10 Fun Facts About Virginia Woolf  

1. When separated from her sister, Woolf would write letters to her daily.  

2. She spent hours writing addresses on envelopes of newsletters supporting the feminist movement!  

3. After getting married, Woolf thought she should learn how to cook. Shortly after she accidentally baked her wedding ring in a pudding (HA!).  

4. Woolf hated having her picture taken. The last picture ever taken of her was also the only picture of her in color. 

5. Woolf resented the opportunities her brothers got simply because they were men—in response, she read everything she could get her hands on. She would sneak into her father’s library so often her father ended up giving her the key. 

6. Woolf and her husband were members of the Bloomsberry group. This group rejected Victorian ideals and held more progressive beliefs for the time including believing in gay rights, women in the intellectual world, and free love. 

7. Her family called her “Goat”.  

8. Woolf’s husband had a pet monkey named Mitz that often sat on her shoulder for walks.  

9. She was an Aquarius Sun and Gemini Rising in astrology.  

10. She would often walk up to 8 miles a day exploring the city.  

 

"I will not be triumphed over."

One of the most revered and godly women in human history, we are LIVING for Cleopatra’s quote. It’s simple, to the point, and makes us feel energized in all the right ways.

We've been using these candles as points of reflection, and it’s so amazing to read this quote and realize you defeated something that day! Or even if you didn’t, it gives you that extra bit of strength you might not have even known you needed.  

10 Fun Facts About Cleopatra  

1. She wasn’t Egyptian, her lineage comes from Greece 

2. History points to beauty as her main asset, but she was also incredibly well educated. Women did not typically have access to education at this time, but she knew dozens of languages and was skilled in math and science.  

3. Mark Anthony and Cleopatra created their own drinking club known as the “Inimitable Livers”.  

4. She led her own fleet in a naval battle against the Romans.  

5. She was a very successful Pharaoh. Under her leadership Egypt was the richest nation in the Mediterranean and last country to remain independent from the growing Roman empire.  

6. She lived closer to the time of the moon landing than the building of the pyramids. 

7. Cleopatra was the last Pharaoh to rule over Egypt 

8. She became the Pharaoh of Egypt at the age of 18 and had to share her rule with her ten-year-old brother at the time.  

9. She created a perfume factory and may have been one of the first people in history to use aromatherapy.  

10. Her famous dark eyeliner look was actually a method to prevent eye infections that were common during that time.  

 

"Do one thing every day that scares you."

 

That "thing" doesn't have to be big either—that's what we love about this reminder. It can be as small as sending a risky text message or trying a new food, but doing something every day that you're a little scared of will bring growth and inspiration 🌱 

Eleanor Roosevelt was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and helped bring attention to the astounding inequalities in politics, education, and the workplace for women everywhere. This quote is the perfect example of her fierce dedication to humanitarian action and the innate spark that drew so many to her.  

10 Fun Facts About Eleanor Roosevelt  

1. She loved to play field hockey as a child.  

2. Teddy Roosevelt (her uncle, and President at the time...no big deal) walked her down the aisle. 

3. She held women only press conferences to encourage newspapers to hire women as journalists. 

4. She took a plane ride with Amelia Earhart in DC!  

5. She helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  

6. She earned 35 honorary degrees in her lifetime.  

7. She changed the role of first lady from being one of domestic tasks to activism and political work.  

8. She was the first First Lady ever to hold a press conference.  

9. She was a Civil Rights Activist. She invited Marian Anderson (A famous black singer) personally to sing at the White House when she was denied the chance to sing for The Daughters of the Revolution committee. 

10. She starred in a margarine commercial and gave all of the money she made to make care kits for impoverished families.  

We’re grateful to these women for their beautiful words and impactful actions, which light us up when we need it most. We’re also feeling extra-thankful to be able to work with fellow women-owned businesses to make these candles happen, and to celebrate HOW FREAKIN COOL GIRLS ARE! Happy Women’s History Month 🎉 

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