Meet Lorraine Salazar of Amor y Flor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorraine Salazar.

Lorraine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The entire reason for the existence of Amor y Flor is a deep connection and love for my ancestors. After planning my wedding in 2010, I was in search of a new creative outlet.

I am also a certified paralegal, and at the time while working in environmental law, learned a lot about toxic chemicals found in consumer products. I researched commercial mass produced candles and was shocked at the lack of transparency into the ingredients found in many candles. I also found the price tag of “luxury” candles to be crazy and unnecessary. I took up candle making as a hobby and found it to be very therapeutic. The possibility of starting my own company never even occurred to me. I was just having fun.

After becoming well-versed in the art of candle making, I thought it would be fun to integrate a theme and to officially give my Velas (candles) a name. One morning on my commute to work the idea flashed through my mind. It was in that instant that I knew I would tie my craft, family, memories — my life, into my velas. I would pour these messages into beautiful non-toxic candles made from 100% soy wax, essential oils, premium fragrance, and cotton wicks, without any unnecessary or harmful ingredients.

Most importantly, I would not charge a premium price for them. I think much like buying healthy food, products that are better for us can be so expensive. From day one, Amor y Flor prices have always been reasonable, and always will be. To elaborate a little more on the meaning of Amor y Flor, the memory is based on my grandmother and a memory from when I was about seven years old. I would spend my weekends helping her plant her flower garden. She taught me all about the different species of flowers and how to care for them.

Her favorite flower was the rose of course, which is my logo. My grandmother was also the epitome of elegance and strength. By day, she worked a full-time job while simultaneously running her own Mexican restaurant in South Central Los Angeles. The food was amazing! People would drive there from several towns over for her authentic and delicious Mexican dishes. She was a hard worker and beyond creative. There was absolutely nothing she could not do.

I guess she must have instilled her work ethic into me because I find myself in a similar situation being a mother, wife, full-time employee, business owner, and student. I could never compare to her though. My parents and grandparents have always been an inspiration to me. They are hard workers and providers. I have always looked up to them all.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The struggles I faced actually came before I began making candles and fueled my inspiration to create something positive. In 2005, I lost five family members over the course of nine months including my father. The gravity and depth of the grief I felt at the time was tremendous.

Now after all these years I can see the beauty in it. Grief can devour us, but it can also serve as a catalyst that can be used to find our calling, purpose, and reason for being. It is important to have faith, keep our memories close to our heart, and to keep going.

This is what the red rose represents in Amor y Flor. The rose bursts from the soil of the cold hard ground. It represents the beauty of life to me. It represents strength and overcoming challenges. The meaning of Amor y Flor is essentially about love, memories, and family. By family, I mean everyone in our lives, everyone who means or has meant something to us.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Amor y Flor story. Tell us more about the business.
Amor y Flor Velas are inspired by my Mexican-American culture and by the beautiful City of Angels. I seriously love Los Angeles!! My favorite band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and I am a huge Laker fan. No matter which freeway I am on when I see the DTLA skyline I smile, and my heart beams. It is the city my grandparents and parents grew up in, and my entire life is here. My scents represent all of this. Some of my original scents were La Rosa, Horchata, Sangria, Pina Colada, and Luna.

My current best sellers are Pink Nopal, Cálmate, and L.A. Woman. I have a signature line that runs year round, with rotating seasonal scents. Some of my most popular scents have also been from my Selena collection and include The Washing Machine, Dreaming, and Siempre Selena. For the Dia de Los Muertos season, we have Gracias, a beautiful fall scented candle and Cempasúchil in honor of the sacred marigold in Mexican culture. We have also just released our Navidad scents in El Pino, Angelitos, and Velvet Cranberry. I am proud to say that Amor y Flor candles are one of a kind, high-quality velas.

I am most proud of the loyalty of my customers. It means so much to me when they come see me at local pop-ups, or when customers who know my brand are excited for new scents. I love hearing their feedback, and it is so humbling. Their support reinforces everything I put into my candles. I think my customers understand the importance of quality ingredients and do not want anything toxic in their products. They are also serious candle lovers and have set a bar that I always strive to meet. They inspire me to create more unique scents and products.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amoryflor.com
• Email: amoryflorshop@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/amoryflor
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/amoryflor

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