Ready for something entirely NEW from us?!
Not a new travel scarf.
Not a travel journal.
A completely different way to TRAVEL, when travel is impossible.
What if there was a way to take yourself on a trip without ever leaving the house?
How can you instantly close your eyes and be strolling along the Champs-Élysées in Paris?
Or drinking mojitos on a patio in old town Havana?
Or hiking through the woods to watch the sunrise over Denver?
The answer is through SMELL.
Smell is a huge component of memory. It can instantly bring you back somewhere you went 10 years ago or 10 days ago in a way that pictures simply can't accomplish.
In fact, smells are linked to emotions as well as memories. There is some pretty fascinating science behind it all. Basically, smells take the nonstop flight through your brain to the memory center while your other senses have a few layovers. The nonstop route results in stronger and less diluted memory being formed in the brain that imprints the scent with specific memory and emotion. The other senses that have to take the route with layovers, end up losing a little bit along the way, like your checked bag.
This is why visual memories, like your photos, aren't as strong as the memories of the smell of a place you have been to.
Totally fascinating!
So... what if we created a way to trigger those scent memories to help bring you back to a past trip?
Or laid the groundwork for memories to build on a place you can't wait to go to in the future?
Welp... we did just that.
I am so excited to bring you WAYPOINT CANDLES!
The very first granule of the idea of Waypoint Candles was sparked somewhere around Day 15 of quarantine when I finally admitted to myself that travel wasn't going to be a reality for the near future. I began a deep dive into what it means to "travel from home" and how to trigger memories and relive past trips. I finally landed on scent as the mode of transport for travel and then that's when the ideas really started flying.
Waypoint Candles is both forward-looking to somewhere you have always dreamed of going, while also being retrospective and engaging memories of a past trip.
I wanted to create a way to "travel" from my living room, not just during this pandemic, but for all of the time I am not traveling. (It's kind of a lot of time actually...)
I set about the rather momentous task of capturing the essence, spirit, and passion of a place through a combination of unique scents and specific aromas into a simple household item, a candle.
Once that was decided, were off and running! There have been struggles that we didn't anticipate and delays but also incredible opportunities and wonderful partnerships created.
Over the next few weeks, I will take you on the journey of creating something entirely new during this crazy time.
Without further ado, I am over the moon thrilled to introduce Waypoint Candles!
way·point
/ˈwāˌpoint/
Featuring waypoints from around the world
DENVER // YELLOWSTONE // HAVANA // PARIS // OSLO // JAIPUR // PAKISTAN
Just a smell can take you across oceans in a moment, no passport required!
Go back to a city you fell in love with through a specific aroma...
Dream of far off places you will travel to in the future...
We created the Waypoint Candle as the vessel for invoking travel memories, both existing and yet to be made.
Energetic // Wild // Adventurous
Denver is truly the Gateway to the Rocky Mountains and the city lives and breaths the natural environment around it. The spirit of the city is curious and adventurous and putting itself on the map as a cultural hub of the west through food and beer, entrepreneurship, and a zest for adventure.
Elegant // Sophisticated // Timeless
Paris embodies all that is elegant and timeless as it captures your heart at first sight! As you stroll along the classic boulevards, the city reveals it's rich history of Art, Architecture, and Fashion. From the first taste of macaroons and croissants to cheese and wine, the essence of Paris is captured in it's cuisine.
Vibrant // Chaotic // Mysterious
Havana is steeped in music and dancing. The city beats to its own rhythm at all hours of the day and night. The people are quick to smile, inviting and incredibly social. The mystery that surrounds this place just adds to the dramatic vibrancy that is Havana.
Stay tuned next week for the "Behind the Design" insights into how the scents were created and how the candles were designed!
(Yep, there will be sneak peeks of the candle designs!)
Waypoint Candles will be available MAY 20th!
Caitlin Blythe
Waypoint Goods // Owner & Founder
Caitlin began Waypoint Goods to help and inspire women to get out and travel while feeling safe and fashion forward. She creates custom patterns and designs for the travel scarves based on her travels. Her past life as an architect makes the brand contemporary and modern while focusing on empowering women to travel.
