A SCENT OF SCANDAL candles are not your Momma’s candle! The candles REALLY smell like heaven and come with Girlie Girl Army approved names like “Eight Inches” (smells like Banana), “Double D’s” (smells like melon), “Milf” (smells like milk and cookies) — you get the picture! They come in 8 oz. eco tins and are hand-poured from 100% soy wax with metal-free, all-cotton wicks. Their burn time is 30-35 hours, so they’re not only long-lasting, but also good for you and the environment! Ari Solomon (and his sassy, hot sister Heather) are the founders of this fab company and were born and raised in New Jersey, where they learned the distinct art of scandal. A SCENT OF SCANDAL products are not only a great and affordable gift, they are vegan and cruelty-free! What else could a gal or gent seeking numerous hostess gifts ask for? And they proudly support some wonderful non profits through the sales of their candles. If ever there was a socially responsible company to support (buy everyone in your office one for the holidays!!), this is it. We had a hot pocket of a moment to sit down with magically deliciously adorable Ari Solomon (this boy is ALL sweetness, intelligence, humor, and musical theater) to ask him a few questions;
GIRLIE GIRL ARMY:Tell me how A Scent of Scandal was born:
ARI SOLOMON: My sister and I conjured up this crazy idea when I was back home in New Jersey visiting family. When I came back to LA, I decided to go for it. I taught myself how to make candles and researched packaging while my husband designed all our graphics, It was collaborative effort that started out of our tiny apartment.
GGA: What is your personal favorite scent, and why?
AS: There are way too many for me to choose just one. But since it’s fall, our “ROUGH PATCH” candle which smells like pumpkin – YUM! And for holiday, our “CHALLAHBACK GIRL” candle that smells like challah and our “HO HO HOMO” candle that smells like fruit cake!
GGA: Where can our sluts buy your candles, and what makes them different from all the other high end candle lines?
AS: Our candles are sold throughout the US and Canada from big chains like Urban Outfitters to fabulous, small independently-owned boutiques. Our candles stand out because not only are they fun and smell fantastic, they’re made from 100% soy wax. Other candles (ED’S NOTE; even the fancy brands you love to buy at Ricky’s!) use paraffin wax which is made from petroleum. Soy wax is a renewable resource and burning soy wax releases no CO2. Also, look out for other candles called “soy candles” because many are actually blends of paraffin and soy. Finally, all A Scent of Scandal candles are completely vegan and cruelty-free!
GGA: Do you feel the mainstreaming of green, and the eco-movement has made a positive impact on your business? If so, how.
AS: Absolutely! People are genuinely concerned with global warming and want to make a difference. It can only help when a business is “green.”
GGA: I know you recently legally married your hot man (screenwriter Mikko Alanne) in California. How frustrating must it be right now to be in a same sex couple, unable to truly have equal rights in our supposedly progressive time? What do you think may help in the struggle for true equality?
AS: First off, thanks for calling my husband hot! It is incredibly frustrating to not be treated equally as a married couple. Even though California now recognizes same-sex marriages, we’re still not recognized federally. I don’t think many understand the obstacles this creates for gay couples. A very dear friend of mine actually had to leave the country because she couldn’t sponsor her partner for citizenship. In 36 states you can still be fired from your job for being gay! I think change is coming though. The world only spins forward. There are many wonderful people out there fighting for GLBT civil rights. To raise awareness, I recently started a news blog called Ari On The Daily (arionthedaily.com) that follows many of these issues.
GGA: As members of numerous social justice movements, we here at GirlieGirl Army are literally scared out of our stilettos thinking what may happen to us if Sarah-Cruella-DeVille-Palin gets into office as VP. What do you envision happening in our Country the McCain/Palin ticket wins the prize?
AS: Unfortunately, I predict more of the same from what we saw during the Bush administration. Our economy is in turmoil, our healthcare system is in shambles, we’re spending 300 million dollars a day in a Iraq… if these things excite you, vote McCain/Palin. But if you really want a new direction for the US, there’s simply no other choice but the Dems. And might I add, Sarah Palin’s stance on animals is truly horrific and should make anyone concerned about animal welfare shudder.
GGA: It’s no secret that Girlie Girl Headquarters is home to 5 gorgeous (and rescued, obviously) animals. How many animals do you have, and tell us about them. Do each have personality traits of you and Mikko?
AS: We have two beautiful rescue cats. They’re both boys and their names are Mini and Hudson. Mini is a gentle, peaceful soul who is just a bundle of love. We seriously call him Zen Pussy. Hudson is a rascal. He run the house! But he’s also a fierce lover… a true Scorpio!
GGA: You are out and proud as vegan (i.e “there is no junk in your spunk”) due to your “Fairy Godmother” Alicia Silverstone. Tell us that story, and how it’s influenced what you do for a living:
AS: I was going about my average American life (eating everything) and one random day I sat down to watch a talk show. Alicia Silverstone came on and said that she was a vegan. I didn’t think anything of it until she was asked why. She said that one day she just looked at her dogs and thought, if I’m going to eat animals, why don’t I just eat them. A light switched on. I knew she did some work for PETA so after the show was over I went on my computer and decided to find out what this vegan thing was all about. For two hours I poured over information about factory farms, undercover investigations, PETA’s Meet Your Meat… eventually my Husband came and found me to ask what was going on. All I could say was, “I’m done. I’m never eating another animal or anything that comes from animals ever again.” And that was it! Luckily, after seeing what I just saw, he was done too. I then wondered if my candles were vegan and did some research. Thankfully, NONE of the companies that produce the ingredients I work with use animal products or test on animals. I then started researching how I could use my business to help out organizations that I thought were doing a tremendous job helping animals. I’m so thrilled to now be involved with Farm Sanctuary, PETA, Mercy For Animals, and Sea Shepherd… it brings a whole new level of joy to my work!
GGA: You’ve said that coming out as Vegan was harder than coming out as Gay. Why do you think that is?
AS: My father was extremely harsh when I told him I’d gone vegan but I also got some negative reactions from friends too. I think as a vegan you hold up a mirror. People know that animals can feel pain, fear, and stress. To go against the status quo and stand up for them is so powerful and yet so easy. You can simply do it every time you sit down to eat. I think it makes some people uncomfortable that as a vegan you highlight what others choose to ignore. Ignorance is not bliss.
GGA: What is next for Scent of Scandal? Other lines? World Domination?
AS: We’ve discussed eventually expanding the line to other bath and body products and world domination is always on the agenda.