CANDLES THAT SHOW HOW PASSION LIGHTS INTO IMPACT

By Andrea Briones

Samya Rosario has always loved lighting candles to relax. But traditional candles, which use heavy, synthetic fragrances and chemicals, often triggered her asthma.

At 16 years old, she took matters into her own hands to create a healthier alternative—candles made with 100% soy wax, eco-friendly essential oils and nonallergenic dried flowers.

Today, what began as a personal struggle has morphed into a small business venture known as Samya’s Scents.

“People come up to me, and they're amazed by my candle, and it warms my heart because I didn't know I was capable of doing that,” said Rosario, a sophomore studying public relations and advertising at Barry University.

PHOTO CREDITS: SAMYA ROSARIO

She grew up in a Dominican household in New York that treasures aromatherapy for medicinal herbal practices, but lighting candles caused her migraines and trouble breathing.

After moving to Florida, she found peace lighting candles while talking with God. Yet, the regular candles remained a constant discomfort.

With her first paycheck from working as a retail sales specialist at the Hard Rock Stadium, she invested in a candle kit from Amazon. From there, she watched tutorials and read books until she perfected her formula.

Now, Rosario crafts candles with intentional scents like lavender to calm the mind and white sage to clear the senses. She also makes car air fresheners with aromas like fruit cake, denim jeans and warm sugar.

PHOTO CREDITS: SAMYA ROSARIO

The 19-year-old is also a full-time student in the Honors program and is a social media coordinator and staff writer at the student newspaper—The Barry Buccaneer.

“When you have a passion for something and you love doing something…you’re going to find time for it,” she said.

For more information visit https://samyasscents.com/.