Island magic, true beauty, and childhood memories – it can all be found in a candle. That’s right, a candle. From the sweet smell of dulce de leche to the essence of the ylang ylang tree, Wild Vibes candles will transport you to cherished memories and help you create new ones.
Founder and mastermind of Wild Vibes, Wilda Diaz was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States at nine years old with her mother and siblings in search of the American Dream.
Wilda started her own Home Healthcare agencies, Above and Beyond and Excellent Home Health Care, in 2005 which provide home health aide services to enhance the independence for those who may need assistance with day-to-day tasks, such as the elderly or those who are developmentally delayed.
While she finds fulfillment in Above and Beyond, Wilda’s love of fragrances and scents is something she has wanted to pursue for a long time, and 18 months ago, she started her long-awaited journey.
Wilda was determined to find a company that would allow her to make her own fragrances, and she came across a company called Pike Peaks Organic Manufacturing. She met a woman named Terry Ennis, who collaborated with her and understood her vision.
“It’s important to know that I would not have done this if I had not met Terry. We’ve become a family…Every single order is packaged and made with love.”
The fragrances and flavors from Wild Vibes are anything but generic. The scents of the candles are influenced by Wilda’s childhood, specifically her mother, Argelia, who shared her passion for food, desserts, and fragrances.
“All these fragrances and flavors – it’s my childhood. It’s what I grew up eating or smelling. I wanted to create them in a candle…. I said, how cool would it be if you could smell what a dulce de leche is, what a pan de maiz, what an arroz con leche [is] in a candle.”
Wilda worked with Terry and experimented with ingredients to match the scent of these desserts. After several test runs, they’d find which combination of ingredients was the closest and eventually found the perfect match.
“We started 18 months ago, experimenting with different flavors, different fragrances.
Back and forth, back and forth. And finally, March 20 [2023], we were able to open the website, and show it to the public!”
The dessert fragrances are part of the Kitchen Collection which are mostly Dominican and Latin desserts, mainly inspired by the vivid recollection of her mother crafting the “sweet delicacies” in the Dominican countryside.
When asked what candle fragrance is her favorite, Wilda immediately said, “Oh my god, I love the Kitchen line.” She also added that customers love the arroz con leche candle.
Additionally, the Ylang collection is very dear to Wilda. Every morning, she would smell the ylang ylang tree that was across from her mother’s house. In her bio on the Wild Vibes website, she says the “memory of my uncle plucking Ylang flowers from the tree in front of our house and crafting perfumes is a memory I aimed to revive.”
Although the candles are mainly sold for personal use, Wild Vibes can also send a candle gift wrapped with a special note for anniversaries, birthdays, wedding gifts or any special occasion.
Wild Vibes was never just a candle company. Soap, body wash, body lotion, and body oil are also available on the website in a variety of fragrances that are absolutely delightful.
“I’m very symmetrical. I like things in sets. I feel like if you have an ylang candle you should also have a lotion, [and soap and body wash].”
Wild Vibes candles are “totally organic.” The base ingredients are soy wax, bee’s wax, coconut butter, and are paraben-free. Additionally, Wild Vibes uses cotton wicks that are lead and zinc free and the glass containers for the candles are reusable!
“The ingredients are all organic and they’re good for you. That’s important. It’s something that we take pride in,” Wilda said.
Wilda also takes great pride in her Dominican background. She has a house in the Dominican Republic that she inherited from her mother after her passing.
“I go all the time. I take my children. We’re very Dominican-ized… my children know their roots [and] my poor beginnings.” Wilda is the youngest of six siblings, and from an early age, her mother instilled in her the belief that she could achieve greatness. Today, she is doing just that.
Wilda believes it’s important to stay humble and appreciate everything you get in life. One of the reasons why Wilda loves being Dominican is because “we are very happy people.”
“Dominicans — the world could be falling apart, and they live day by day…they might not have a dime in the bank. They might not know what they’re going to eat tomorrow, but they’re dressed up with their best outfit and they’re having a beer.” She also noted that Dominicans are hardworking people and will come to the United States and succeed. There are so many things that Dominicans have to offer which is why “I’m so proud to be Dominican.”
Every candle made by Wild Vibes is a labor of love and is what brings Wilda joy. Crafted with a vision to evoke a childhood memory, essence of a season, the beauty of a garden, or the sweetness of desserts from Argelia’s kitchen, Wilda hopes to bring the happiness from these fragrances to others.
“Seeing an ylang tree with a flower, that is so amazing to me. So why not have that as a fragrance. Why not be able to light a candle and imagine that beautiful scenery of seeing a tree with a flower?”
Wild Vibes is the perfect place to find candles that will take you on a journey where you can indulge in a journey of scents. Whether it’s a gin martini (yes, you read that right), cafe con leche, or ylang orange blossom, you can relax and enjoy the vibes – the Wild Vibes.
