Picture this: It’s lightly raining outside, so you grab your favourite cozy sweater and a good book. Nestled in a mound of blankets, scents of pine and earth waft through the air and you settle in with your coffee as the sound of falling rain taps against the window.

Sounds pretty perfect, right?

We thought so too, that’s why we created Santo! Santo is one of our signature scents that combines the refreshing, woodsy scent of Palo Santo with earthy aromas of sage to bring you a comforting and natural smelling candle you can burn time and time again.

We chose the name Santo (Saan-tow) as a way to pay homage to our founder’s Latin roots. Palo Santo and sage, the most prominent fragrances in Santo, have intricate histories as sacred and ceremonial plants. Both of these fragrances have many spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits that can be helpful when practicing mindfulness and spatial cleansing!

The Power of Palo Santo

Although we all enjoy the refreshing, woodsy scent of Palo Santo, it’s important to understand how spiritually significant this ancient wood is to many South American cultures.

Palo Santo grows in Ecuador, Peru, and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and it was named “Palo Santo '' by Spanish monks, which translates to “holy wood” or “the wood of the saints”. South American healers and shamans believe that Palo Santo has a strong spirit and must be treated with respect, as burning it has tremendously positive impacts on physical and energetic wellbeing.

Palo Santo is used by shamans and healers to purify air, dispel evil spirits, and cleanse negative energy while also curing depression, emotional pain, and any other emotional or physical illnesses. 

On the more technical side, Palo Santo releases limonene and a-terpineol terpenes, which both have anti-inflammatory compounds that act as antioxidants and help to regulate the immune system. Today, Palo Santo is used worldwide for aromatherapy, meditation, spatial cleansing, and so much more, while also being used by indigenous groups in South America for ceremonial purposes.

The Power of Sage

Sage is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico but was most often used in Native American rituals in order to rid spaces of unwanted energies, to ask spirits for blessings, as well as for prosperity and protection against negative spirits. Sage comes from the Latin word “salvere”, meaning “to be saved”, which is very fitting giving the spiritual meaning behind the sacred herb.

Sage has been used to communicate with the spiritual realm for centuries and burning sage can help to cleanse and protect your space, body, and energy. Although sage is primarily used for spiritual reasons, practicing smudging and burning sage has so many other benefits to our mind and body

When sage is burned with intention, it creates a cleansing scent that calls upon the spirits of the plant being burned to give you a heightened spiritual experience. The use of sage during yoga and meditation has skyrocketed, which has increased the popularity of this herb worldwide.

After reading this, you’ve probably already added Palo Santo and Sage smudge sticks to your Amazon shopping cart. 

But, before you do, you should ensure that you are purchasing sacred herbs from businesses that understand the cultural and spiritual significance they have to North and South American indigenous groups. 

Although these can be amazing tools to help you feel more grounded and refreshed, Palo Santo and Sage can easily be culturally appropriated. That’s why it is so important to understand where businesses are sourcing these herbs from and to support businesses who aim to educate on the spiritual significance, instead of simply profiting off of it. 

Palo Santo + Sage Candle

Santo, our Palo Santo and sage-scented Clean Candle Refill Kit, is made with a blend of coconut and soy wax that is free from toxic oils and phthalates and parabens. We are also passionate about sustainability, so our Refill Kits are perfect for giving new life to your old candle vessels, and they are even packaged with compostable materials!

SANTO smells like: The refreshing, woodsy scent of palo santo with earthy aromas of sage.

SANTO feels like: A rainy day spent inside reading, hidden away from the world.