We were lucky to catch up with Jordan Reddington recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jordan, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

In 2022, I was diagnosed with an allergy to methylisothiazolinone, a synthetic preservative that is widely found in many of the household and personal care products that line our American big box retail shelves. It’s a shelf-stabilizing agent that is colorless and is known to be a hazardous chemical, dangerous to both humans and the environment. Because of its strong allergen makeup, the European Union has actually begun to restrict the use of methylisothiazolinone in body products among others.

(source: https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i16/Preservative-leavecosmetics-banned-EU.html#:~:text=Methylisothiazolinone%20will%20be%20banned%20in,preservative’s%20ban%20earlier%20this%20month.)

Before my formal diagnosis of my allergy to methylisothiazolinone, I was living with a slew of side effects that made every day a bit more complicated. Many of my days were filled with constant coughing, head-to-toe itching, scaly-like fingers, red patches on my body, and the worst was the chronic cystic acne that lined my chin.

What I didn’t realize was, I was buying gimmicky “all-natural” and “free-and-clear” products thinking I was doing my body, my home, and my family good. I was buying products that were higher in price at a natural grocery store so that I could free myself and my family of chemicals. What I didn’t realize was, these products, just like their big brand competitors, are filled with methylisothiazolinone and its -one chemical compound sister agents. I was washing my clothes and sheets in MI-filled liquid products, constantly washing hands with synthetic preservative-filled formulas, and lining my home with trendy but cheaply produced mass-commercial wall fragrance units. I didn’t realize I was triggering and flaring my allergy from every angle.

Since learning about my allergy, I have slowly removed synthetic preservative products from my home and my overall life. It has been no easy feat, because products that are even marketed towards us as “clean” and “safe” are just as bad for those living with chemical and dermal allergies as those that made by big brand retailers and private brand companies.

In fact, it’s nearly impossible to find access to products when you live with an allergy to methylisothiazolinone (MI). The EPA and FDA have such negligent restrictions on MI that it can not only live in a majority of the products we have access to as Americans, but also allow manufacturers to include MI into products under disguised trade names such as Kathon, Microcare, Isothiazolinone, among others.

I have always loved candles, and been almost a collector-type of candles when they come out each season. With my allergy and the corresponding symptoms in mind, I stopped buying candles immediately after my diagnosis. I started to join MI allergy groups on Facebook, to educate myself on the products others were using. I’d research MI+candle in the group search and all of the posts that returned included statements such as “Just don’t use them! You can’t trust any of them!” And I figured that the population living with an MI or a dermal allergy couldn’t just throw all of our candles out for good.

I decided I wanted to start evolving my household with clean products that I could trust – that I could make myself – so I had comfort in knowing every single ingredient in the product was compliant to my allergy and safe for my family. I started hand blending and perfecting a soy candle formula that I’ve been selling since March of 2023. Now, I offer over 60 custom clean scents that are free of MI-like agents to customers nationwide, and also private label for brands in the Tampa and Orlando areas.

My formula is 100% soy based, and my vessels are recycled and meant to be reused. When my customers are done with burning their candle, I offer the ability to upcycle them where I re-pour a new scent into the same vessel limitless times.

Owning an allergy-friendly business has allowed me to learn so much about the candle making industry. There are so many corners that can be cut in this industry. There are so many cheap ingredients that can be procured to jumpstart and quick scale a candle business, where anyone can jump in and create candles. What’s important is knowing what’s in the formula. We always remain free of all three phthalate types, including diethyl phthalate – a phthalate that exists in fragrance oils to extend aroma strength but cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. (Source: https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0707.pdf)

When I learned about my allergy to MI, I was also diagnosed with an allergy to nickel and lead. Also included in cheaply produced large retailer manufactured candles? Lead and nickel wicks. With education, I created a product that is paraffin, paraben, phthalate, lead, nickel, and most importantly, greenwash free. No gimmicks, no hidden catches, all ingredient transparency. My goal is to dispel the thinking that candles cause headaches or nausea. And to begin to bring those that are more weary of candles back into being candle and home fragrance lovers.

Every product my customers receive has been meticulously curated, cured, and quality assured by me. So you can feel good about using, or gifting, our products to anyone who is fragrance-adverse, has a preservative allergy, or is ready to say goodbye to toxic formulas.

While a main stake of our portfolio is candles and wax melts, earlier this summer we launched a skin-safe room and body spray that can be used in home, on linen, on skin, and on-the-go via our rollerball component. Currently we’re developing products that are the largest gap for those living with MI – a household cleaner, and a body butter formula. We’ll be launching both in early 2025!

Link to Interview on my business (if needed for context): https://www.fox13news.com/news/allergy-leads-bay-area-woman-create-synthetic-free-candles

Jordan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started off my professional career in public relations, and then grew my career into visual merchandising. I have the pleasure of working with big brands ranging from Samsung to PayPal, General Motors, and more recently led the visual imagery content team out of Staples Corporate in Framingham (Boston), MA. Earlier this year, I left my corporate role to give Canarie my full focus, so I could begin to disrupt the personal care products industry and offer clean products for those living with allergies. I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset, and have always been proud of my more non-conventional ways of thinking. I want to shake up the personal care products industry.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

As someone who has always been passionate about social media, I have brought together all that I know from my professional career in public relations and social media, mixed with my most recent professional experience as a visual merchandiser, to find ways to connect with my B2C and B2B customers. Most of the interest of my business finds its way to me by way of Instagram, and thats the platform I have the most fun working on. I pride myself on product workmanship, and also on the connections I am making through social media.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

For me, I think ingredient transparency is key in this industry. Although my allergy seems niche to some, when I have had the opportunity to share my story with others, it has widened a door to educating others of the unregulated products that exist in the candle industry. I get so excited when someone comes up to me at an event, or sends me an email, saying they’ve been living with similar side effects such as scaly fingers, and have empowered them to visit an allergist. I also feel so empowered when someone first visits my table at a market saying they’ve stopped using candles or don’t care to use them because it gives them a head ache – and when I’ve had moments to share my story with them, they’ve converted to a recurring customer. My story has reached beyond our local Tampa and central florida market, and I am proud to say I have passionate customers as far as the Pacific Northwest that get excited and buy from each of our seasonal candle drops.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.canarietampa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canarietampa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canarietampa/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanreddington?_l=en_US