Whiskey Barrel Candles handcrafted candles

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⚠️ READING MAY BE SENSITIVE TO SOME VIEWERS (body image, body dysmorphia, eating disorder) ⚠️

My name is Jasmine and this is my story on how and why I created a candle business.

The void within me seemed to grow louder with each passing day, a constant, relentless rumble that echoed in the pit of my stomach. My thoughts, dark and unyielding, gnawed at my mind, leaving no peace. My heart raced with an almost painful intensity, each beat a reminder of the anxiety coursing through me. My skin, cold and taut, seemed to shrink away, the chills seeping deep into my bones, making me feel as though I was slowly withering from the inside out.

My name is Jasmine, and I was born and raised in New Jersey. Just before I started second grade, I moved to different schools, which was very exciting. Growing up, I found joy in playing soccer and ran track for a year in school. However, by the end of seventh grade, my focus began to shift toward my body image. I started working out sporadically, but the dissatisfaction with my appearance became overwhelming. At one point, I was barely eating for about a week because of how much I despised my body.

One morning, my mom confronted me, deeply concerned about my sudden change in behavior. She threatened to take me to the hospital, and that fear helped me jump back to reality—I needed to eat. But even after that, my worries about my body continued throughout eighth grade and high school. 

As my senior year began, students were returning back to school after two years of closure from covid-19. During Covid I lost friends and became increasingly withdrawn, feeling insecure and a reluctance to be in school. I started to focus more on my body again, consumed with the idea that if I cut calories and worked out every day, I could achieve the body I wanted within a few months. This obsession grew so intense that I ended up missing a lot of days at the end of my senior year, crippled by self-consciousness and insecurity.

I began over-exercising excessively, drastically cutting calories, constantly checking my reflection in the mirror, and weighing myself multiple times a day. Social media became a source of torment as I compared myself to others, wishing I could look like them. I would even cook meals for others, just to avoid eating myself. After graduating high school in 2022, I was diagnosed with anorexia. On September 2nd, 2022, I was admitted to Renfrew, a treatment center in Philadelphia, PA.

The memory of that day is still vivid—saying goodbye to my family and my dog Rambo in the early morning hours, around 4:30-5:00 a.m., was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I was in tears as I said goodbye to my mom when she dropped me off. The following days were filled with fear and desperation, as I begged my parents to come and take me home. But looking back, I’m grateful they didn’t come back to sign me out, even though I later discovered I could have signed myself out.

During my seven weeks of inpatient treatment, I had to wake up every morning between 3:00a.m. and 6:00 a.m. to have my vitals checked, often accompanied by blood work. After inpatient care, I transitioned to outpatient treatment, spending a total of six months in recovery. At one point, during outpatient care, I started to struggle again, and my therapist had me sign a contract, committing to follow my meal plan or risk being readmitted to inpatient care. That contract was a turning point for me, helping me refocus on my recovery.

Even now, I still struggle with body image and the temptation to cut out certain foods to avoid gaining weight, and over exercising. But I remind myself every day that weight is just a number and doesn’t define who I am as a person. Everyone is beautiful in their own unique way no matter what shape, size, and weight

After treatment, I tried starting college online, but I ended up dropping out because I lost interest. I then enrolled in cosmetology school, but dropped out of that as well. For months, I struggled to find a job, and the frustration and devastation began to weigh heavily on me. Then, an idea sparked—I would start my own business making candles. Candles have always been something I loved going to the store buying a new candle, and I found joy in creating them. This business became my new focus, catering to candle enthusiasts while also serving as a fundraiser for those who wish to support National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA).

We use only the finest ingredients in our candles, including natural soy wax, bees wax, essential oils, wood wicks, and cotton wicks. Our commitment to sustainable and ethical sourcing means you can feel good about burning our candles in your home.

All candles are hand-poured in small batches to ensure the highest quality. We pay attention to every detail, from choosing the perfect scent to carefully packaging each candle for shipping.