Friday, Sep. 04, 2009
Boutique Peek: Isle of Candles in Pawleys Island
Isle of Candles storefront, located at 10880 Ocean Highway, the Hammock Shops #12, Pawleys Island. -Courtesy photo
Isle of Candles Photo Gallery"Have you dipped?" is a question owner Kathy Miller greets visitors with when they enter Isle of Candles, a candle boutique located in the Pawleys Island Hammock Shops Village. This unusual greeting may give pause, but this candle oasis manufactures 100 percent soy lotion candles that are skin-friendly. Once the flame is extinguished on this scented house ware, you can dip into the soy oil and use it as a body moisturizer. This inventive combination allows visitors a fun and functional way to remember the beach.
Miller, along with her husband Bob Miller, opened Isle of Candles, formerly Candle Creations, two years ago. Popular with locals and visitors alike, these multi-tasking candles are in high demand thanks to their eco-friendly composition. Comprised of 100 percent soy oil, these candles are environmentally-friendly and have been manufactured to be safe on the skin. Soy, a renewable resource, is naturally rich in vitamin E, burns cleaner, longer, and cooler, and won't leave any soot residue. The wicks used in these candles are made of 100 percent cotton, no dyes are used, and each fragrance is tested to be skin safe. "We take soy to the next level," Miller says, as she dips into soy oil and smoothes it on her skin.
Available in melts, votives, pillars, tumblers, tins, and jars, Isle of Candles offers 48 scents year-round, with 12 additional scents in the fall. Their best-selling fragrance, pomegranate, is popular due to its sweet aroma. If you don't wish to dip into a candle for the benefits of the soy lotion, Isle of Candles also manufactures a Soy Lotion Ball that is unscented and allows for easy application.
Supporting local artists and the economy is an important goal of the Millers as well. "Since we're local craftsman, and we make our product here on-site, we would like to carry items also made by other local craftsman," Miller says.
They have filled Isle of Candles with creations from local artisans. Working in different mediums including jewelry, acrylics, handbags, pottery, and more, designs from Kate Bibb, Joyce Stewart, Millie Doud, Suz Mole, and Sonia Alvarado, just to name a few, can be found on sale in the store. Once a week, one of the store's featured artisans is invited to work on their craft in the front of the store so visitors may observe.
Isle of Candles also takes memory keeping to a custom level with handcrafted Memory Candles. These round or oval shaped candles preserve flowers from special occasions by being hand placed and embedded into wax. Flowers from funerals, weddings, birthdays, or anniversaries are designed to be illuminated by a disposable oil burner of flameless candle and last forever.
For more tips on how to use soy lotion candles, decorating ideas, and artisan insights, check out the Millers' blog, www.haveyoudipped.com.
Isle of Candles is located at 10880 Ocean Highway, the Hammock Shops #12, Pawleys Island. For more information call 237-2108, or visit www.isleofcandles.com.