Lux Noctis Candles
In February, I got invited onto Dale Blagrove's Radio Chatskill segment for Radio Catskill (WJFF). Dale and I had a great exchange about Noctua Diem's sister project, Lux Noctis Candles. I got to introduce my foray into candle-making. Here's a transcript (edited for readability and concision).
Introduction: [T]he story of Lux [Noctis] candles starts with John Vega, his husband, their senior Doxie and their experiences in Smallwood, NY. They call it a project of love and inspiration from the scents of the Catskills...
Dale Blagrove
So tell me about your candles.
John Vega
I have created a collection of candles that are based on the scents of the Catskills. So it's very personal to me. I've been working on it for a year and a half now. And it's been amazing just meeting all the people in the Catskills and introducing them to what my interpretation of living in the woods in a cabin is.
Dale Blagrove
Why candles? Like for me, the first time I when I was younger, I used to have a candle kit with wax and, and I used to have fun with that my first candle was actually a purple teddy bear. So how did you become into making candles?
John Vega
I'm a certified aromatherapist. So I have a background in herbs in essential oils. And so it came very natural to do it. I've been blending different scents for a while now. Maybe . . . 10 years. And it started as a hobby like, like you mentioned, like everyone else, just being alone in the cabin, and not having any internet or TV available and wanting to do something creative. And I developed a candle collection.
Dale Blagrove
And then how did you come up with the name?
John Vega
So 'Lux Noctis' is Latin for light the night so it happened and I'm in Smallwood, near Bethel Woods. And anyone who lives in Smallwood knows that the lights go off a lot. We have a lot of outages all the time. So one of those nights when there was no light for a couple of hours [is] where I came up with the name.
Dale Blagrove
Yeah, I can relate to that. We have a lot of brownouts out here as well. And blackouts, and the wind blows the wrong way. We're out of power now. And you said you've been doing this for how long?
John Vega
Aromatherapy for 10 years, the actual candle company, Lux Noctis, has been around since 2020.
Dale Blagrove
How do you blend the two together? The aromas and the candles and maybe the colors of the candles? What goes into an aromatherapy candle?
John Vega
The way that I made the scents is that each candle, so I have a collection of 12 candles, and it's divided into four seasons; the four seasons of the year. Each one is very personal because I try to immortalize my events or my experiences around those seasons in Smallwood. So it was very interesting to create these blends of infusing what to me might be, for example, the scent of a cabin . . .
Dale Blagrove
What is your favorite season? And what is your favorite candle blend that you make?
John Vega
That's a good one! My favorite season is summer—because my cabin is seasonal, and Smallwood and summertimes are always booming. And my favorite candle from that collection is Lacus, which means 'the lake' because everything happens around the lake in the summer time. So it's a very nice scent: very clean, very crisp. That's my favorite one.
Dale Blagrove
Then we'll have to talk a little bit later because my favorite season is actually fall. What would you recommend as one of your favorite candles for the fall?
John Vega
Arbor is the most popular one. Arbor means 'tree,' is the most popular one for the fall collection. But if you have a sophisticated nose, I would recommend Ignis. Ignis means 'fire' and it's like a campfire. It's very interesting.
Dale Blagrove
So you've been doing this for a while. Where do you see this going while you're creating your candles up here? What is your vision?
John Vega
That's a very [good] question. Well, I've been thinking about that because the collection is complete. So [I have] 12 candles, one for each month . . . I'm very satisfied, very happy with with the collection. I would like to probably get more people to know about the collection. I've had great reviews from little small markets that I've done here and there.
Dale Blagrove
Where can people find you?
John Vega
Well, I've done a couple of small, street markets, farmers markets, I've also done some holiday markets, all of them mainly about around the Bethel Woods, Narrowsburg area. But if you really want to get to know the company and get to know a little bit about me and the story behind it, you can find me online on my website. It's luxnoctiscandles.com.
Dale Blagrove
One last question that I have for you. Where is it that you see the future of your collection? Are you going to expand it? Or are you going to do different items?
John Vega
So you're hearing it first here, . . . this exclusive information. . . So I am currently working on a new collection and it's called Stella. Stella means 'stars,' and it's based on [the] zodiac signs and how it affects, or how aromatherapy affects us emotionally, depending our zodiac sign.
Dale Blagrove
How would a Libra like myself be affected?
John Vega
Oh, wow. We can talk about that in the next segment when you invite me back . . . then we can talk further about that.
Dale Blagrove
Awesome! Hey, John, I really want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me.
John Vega
Thank you, Dale.
Dale Blagrove
Thank you, John.