Happy July everyone! The sun is shining more often than not, temperatures are on the rise here in Canada and vacation season is in full swing. June was a month of celebrations as we saw holidays like Father's Day and end of school year celebrations for teachers, educators and bus drivers alike.
Here's a took at what was popular here at Pretty by Here for the month of June:
Helping Tiny Humans Shine | Candle
Hey Teach You're a Peach | Candle
Punch Today in the Face | Candle
Helping Tiny Humans Shine | Mug
The World Needs More Teachers Like You
That Sounds Like a You Problem
Don't Make Me Use My Mom Voice
Darling, You Are Fucking Magical
Good Mood Salt Soak by Epic Blend
Refresh Salt Soak by Epic Blend
Shower Steamers by Bar of Soap
Pina Colada Lip Balm by Epic Blend
Talking shit in the group chat sticker by Stay Home Club
Lemon + Lavender Bath Bomb by Buck Naked
Did you snag any of these bestsellers in June? What did you think of them? Let us know in a comment below and be sure to share your favourite bestseller list to Pinterest (and give us a follow if you're not already <3 )
]]>Did you know that you can clean and reuse the candle jars that Pretty by Her candles are made in? Reusing your empty candle jars once you've finished burning your candle is a great way to reduce your environmental impact while diverting more items out of landfills. It also helps keep money in your pockets since you didn't need to buy yourself a new container for storage or decor. Win-Win!
Our candle jars make great vessels for all sorts of things, including home organization, storage and decor. Have a stock of empty PBH candle jars that you want to reuse for yourself? Keep reading to learn about 4 easy ways to clean your glass candle jar once you've finished burning your Pretty by Her candle.
This method is great if you want to leave the sticker or label on the exterior of your empty candle jar.
Place your spent candle jar on a heat protected surface such as a pot trivet or a heat-resistant towel/pad. Using a kettle, bring enough water to boil so that you can fill your empty candle jar. Once boiled, carefully add water to the empty candle jar, filling it to just below where the lip of the lid section begins. You will notice that the hot water will melt any remaining candle wax relatively quickly and it will float to the surface of the water. Allow the water to remain in the candle jar until it has cooled.
Using a strainer, we recommend pouring the cooled water and wax into a large bowl. The strainer will allow you to collect the melted wax chunks and pieces. Discard these wax pieces into your trash and dispose of the water (we suggest dumping it outside so there's no chance of wax build up in your drainage pipes. If you must pour the water down the drain, take extra care to ensure it is free of ALL traces of wax.)
This method is similar to the boiling water method above but uses your kitchen sink to hold the empty candle jars. This water bath method works particularly well when you want to clean more than one candle jar at once. It's also more efficient if you are wanting to remove the labels from your candle jars.
Placing the drain stopper in your sink, fill your sink with enough hot water so that it comes to about 1" below the top of the candle jar. Place the empty candle jars into the water bath in your sink and allow them to sit for about 30 minutes, or until the wax has melted enough to release from the bottom and sides of the empty candle jar. Once melted, pour the remaining wax and any debris pieces into the trash.
Did you know you can freeze your candle wax to remove it from the jar? How cool, right?! Remove the lid from your empty candle jar and pop it into your freezer. Leave it for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Once the jar and wax are frozen, use a butter knife or spoon to gently pop the wax out of the jar.
How does this work? It must be magic, right?! Actually, the wax shrinks in the freezer, allowing it to pop right out of the candle jar. The best!
One last way of removing wax from your empty candle jars is by heating them up in your oven. CAUTION: Make sure you remove all labels and stickers from your candle jar before using this method.
Using the oven to clean your empty candle jars is fast and efficient for when you have multiple glass candle jars to clean. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. Using a large cookie sheet, line the sheet in aluminum foil and place your empty candle jars upside down onto the aluminum foil. MAKE SURE TO REMOVE ALL STICKERS AND LABELS PRIOR TO PLACING IN THE OVEN. This method works fast so keep a close eye on your candle jars.
After about 10-15 minutes, you will notice the wax melting down from the empty candle jars and onto the aluminum foil lining. Once all the wax is melted, carefully remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place it onto a heat safe surface. Allow jars to cool for a few moments before using oven mitts to remove the hot, empty candle jars from the cookie sheet.
Once you've removed the leftover wax from your candle jar using any of the above methods, use a butter knife or spoon to loosen the wick from the jar. Give the jar one last wipe with a cloth or paper towel to catch any remaining wax from inside the jar. Warm water and dish soap should work great to clean out the insides of your glass candle jars. If you need to, you can clean any stubborn wax spots with a bit of Goo-Gone. Soot marks? A Mr. Clean eraser works really well for that!
Now that you have an empty + clean candle jar, let's reuse it! Candle jars make great storage for items such as:
Have you reused your candle jars before? What did you store in them and where did you store them? Tell us in the comments so we can share all of the wonderful ways to reuse our empty candle jars.
PS. did you love this blog post? If you did, don't forget to share it to social or pin it to your Pinterest account! Don't follow us on Pinterest yet? Click here to follow along for all things Pinterest!
]]>Pretty by Her was built on strong brand values, one of which is Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, which is why we are so excited to announce this exciting partnership between Changing the Flow and Pretty by Her.
Changing the Flow is an incredible Canadian social enterprise based in Waterloo, Ontario, dedicated to the achievement of menstrual equity and the elimination of stigma surrounding periods. With a vision that menstruation be destigmatized, Changing the Flow works towards this goal through awareness, education and implementation. With your help, one day, every public and workplace washroom will provide access to period products, just like toilet paper.
Periods do not stop for anything, and we won't stop either. Will you help?
The PBH X Changing the Flow partnership is the perfect way for you to be a part of this much needed initiative.
Kelly has come up with this awesome way to help end period poverty and support menstrual equity in the community: an online donation bundle called We Are Community.
Each We Are Community bundle is donated to Reception House to support their work in Waterloo Region.
We are Community bundles can be purchased for $25 and are available here on the Changing the Flow site.
IMPORTANT INFO: When you purchase this item, you will not receive any product. Your purchase is donated directly to the community organization and will help people who menstruate.The box edition, and period products mix may differ from the illustration.
Mostly period products, of course. The sizes and type varies based on the needs of the people we serve, and we always make sure to provide options. We also include a period product holder (a period box) in every bundle.
We currently have three different period box designs available as part of the We Are Community period box donation bundle, two of which were designed by artists from communities that are frequently under represented in the public space.
We chose to work with Black artists for these first two editions, and we are so excited to share these unique creations with the community.
One day, period products will be readily available in all washrooms, just like toilet paper. Until then, each time someone like you purchases this We Are Community bundle, we get a step closer to ending period poverty.
Want to be a part of this incredible initiative? Head here to purchase a We Are Community bundle for donation now or support the Changing the Flow initiative through their period stickers or period tote bags that we carry in our store.
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Our scented soy candles are a wonderful way to start your day off with a motivating scent, unwind and relax after a hard day of work or whenever you need a moment of calm to be present with yourself. Our handpoured soy wax candles also make great gifts for Mother's Day, birthdays or people who love sweary gifts with bad words.
While you may be more focused on the scent and label of your candle when shopping, did you know that candles also need to be loved and cared for in order to get the absolute best experience out of them?
That's why we've created our candle care and FAQ pages, but we thought it was also a great opportunity to chat with you all about why it's always important to trip your candle wick prior to every candle burn.
Start with trimming your wick to a height of 1/4 inch. You can use a simple pair of scissors or a specialized wick trimmer. Nail clippers also work really well if the level of the candle wax has been lowered due use, when the wick sits lower within the candle jar or vessel.
Once the wick is trimmed to the ideal burning height of 1/4", light your Pretty by Her handpoured soy candle with matches or a lighter. Allow your soy candle to burn until the wax pool reaches the edge of the jar. (Usually about one hour per inch of diameter). This is especially important on your first burn.
Once you've enjoyed that glorious first burn and you're finished with your candle for the day, extinguish it and allow it to cool before relighting. Make sure to trim your wick to that 1/4" height again before you burn it next.
Why should you always trim that wick before lighting? Here are four reasons why you should trim the candle wick of your handpoured Pretty by Her soy candle prior to burning:
Starting with a wick that is 1/4" in height ensures that the flame remains at a safe height for burning. If a flame becomes too tall, the wick can produce black soot that may stain your candle or vessel and burning your candle with a flame that is too high may also result in your candle wax burning too quickly. Candle flames that are too high can ultimately increase the chance of a fire and that's something we never want to happen. Never ever!
We don't know about you, but we like pretty candles that stay cute. You know?
Keeping your candle wick trimmed, helps ensure that the wick burns optimally, without too much fuel (candle wax) being delivered to the flame. This can result in gross black, sooty smoke burning from your wick and that's a look no one wants for their cute and sassy candles. If you leave your candle wick too long, an excess of wax is delivered to the flame via the wick and a black "mushroom cap" flame can occur due to carbon buildup.
How do you know if you're wick is too long? Well, if you notice your flame dancing around like the a wacky inflatable tube man - extinguish your candle, let it cool and then trim the wick down to 1/4" before relighting.
You love your Pretty by Her candles, right? So then obviously you want to enjoy them for as long as possible, right? Great!
Trimming your handpoured Pretty by Her soy candle wick to 1/4 inch each time you burn your candle will make sure that your candle has the longest burn time possible. Our Pretty by Her soy candles have a burn time of 50+ hours when burned optimally. Trim that wick to 1/4", light it up and enjoy up to 4 hours of burn time in one burn session. The wax should melt evenly and should be pooled from edge to edge of the candle jar or vessel.
As we mentioned earlier, our Pretty by Her handpoured soy candles have a burn time of 50+ hours when burned optimally and with proper candle care. Ensuring that you start each burn with a freshly trimmed wick of 1/4" in height, you are making sure that your candle has the perfect environment to support that long candle life. By regularly trimming your candle wick, you allow the flame to burn at an optimal height, minimize the risk of soot, smoke or black staining and ensure that the exact right amount of wax is being delivered to the flame during burning.
There you have it: four reasons why you should always trim the wick of your Pretty by Her Candle before lighting it. What do you think? Will you be trimming your candle wicks regularly? What is your tool of choice?
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