At the very heart of the situation I am a very simple man. That doesn’t mean I don’t like fancy things. Because I do. Sort of.
Not like rings, watches, shoes and such, I’m talking about bath products baby. I may wear the same clothes nearly every day but, man, I do love me some handmade soaps and good smelling lotions and body potions.
Some say I get that bug from being raised by a gay man. Ha! My dad was as down to earth, rock ‘n roll loving, meat and potatoes sort of dude as they come. For me it was being not the most masculine kid on the row and fortunately was always surrounded by strong women that loved the same form of aesthetic affection.
When Di Luna Candles opened up in their original location on the corner of Hedrick and Campbell, just a few short blocks from where I type blogs like this, I was totally intrigued.
Walking in I was immediately smitten by the whiff of high scented air, all coming from their handcrafted candles, amongst other shimmering objects they make on deck. Pretty sure I bought a candle with the smell handle of Morning Matcha. It just hit like a “you need this in your life” kind of baiting coo.
Not gonna lie, that candle was too much for our lil cabin under the mesquite trees, so I took it outside where it properly belongs. That first aroma dumpling is long gone but currently a Yuzu Blossom varietal has taken its place on the patio and now that the weather is compliant to hanging outside here in Tucson, we spark up that redolence totem and bask in it as we clink glasses and watch blue skies turn to stars.
Di Luna recently moved from the small-ish space in the same run as Del Cielo Tamales and into a bigger and brighter place at 2700 Campbell, just across the street from Prep & Pastry.
Good thing too, because these ladies have expanded their loot.
Oh yeah, not only is Di Luna women owned and operated but it is also Latina owned and operated. Recognize.
Owner Maria Jose and her crew hand make all of their candles from soy but it just doesn’t end with candles. Oh no. Sure its in their name, but aside from the legion of wicked up regalia, they also create wax melts, reed diffusers and bath salts. And if they don’t make in in house, they buy their other wares from small sustainable businesses that are in the very high percentages of also being women owned and operated. Again…recognize.
Di Luna sells pet treats. They don’t have the time nor space to make said pet treats so they wholesale them from independent businesses that do have the space and time. To make the treats. Because that’s what they do. They make pet treats. As a business. C’mon now.
As a guy that loves games and gets involved with problems such as jigsaw puzzles, Di Luna carries a fine selection of those time suckers with the impossibly tiny pieces that just drive you/me insane but, ugh!, you just have to finish it because I want to know what this painting of nocturnal animals looks like with squiggly line creases all over it.
Deep breath. I’m good.
If you’re going to take notes or write that great novel you’ve been meaning to get behind, might as well do so with magnetized chili pepper pens on stationary featuring Pedro Pascal on it. Because they have those too. Plus a bunch of super adorbs kids’ books that I myself found to be far too entertaining. Give me a finger puppet board book and you have a grown azz man sitting in the corner giggling for a good half hour. If not longer. I said it.
Tea lovers unite because Di Luna offers a great selection of teas and whimsical mugs and cups to steep and drink out of. Theres also margarita mixers on the shelves too and, yeah, don’t be ashamed to drink that margarita out of a mug shaped like an aliens head that you recently bought from them. Believe me when I say that I have tipped back many a tequila infused rocker in far more controversial vessels than a coffee mug. You do you boo boo.
Feelin’ cute? Better get you an even cuter tee shirt. Or socks. Or hats. Or slippers. Its all here.
Thing is, if you wander in Di Luna and gander at all of the house created glory and wonder, hey, how do they make all of this gloriousness…wonder no more! Di Luna offers workshops and classes at a reasonable fee so check out their website or pop in to see what hands on tutorials they have coming up. As I type this the holidays are upon us and what better way to say “No clue what to get you so I made this” than a candle that you constructed and smells like a pineapple daiquiri in a pine forest. Grandma will be thrilled!
Best part is that Di Luna hosts a Saturday community market from 9am – 5pm. Every. Saturday. Yes.
Here you will find local vendors selling wares and offering services from baked goods to flash tattoos. Its fun for the whole family. Fun like, yeah its fun, but its also fun to come out and bolster small ventures while meeting new faces and possibly making some friends along the way.
All I can say is that I am glad Di Luna Candles is a part of my neighborhood. Its nice to just walk in, get hit with that power waft of scented goodness, pick out the porch air flavor of the month and know that my small donation is going to such a worthy cause. Its easy to go downtown or some shopping stretch to find something in the ilk of Di Luna, but midtown Tucson on the corner of Campbell and Mitchell, that is a gift indeed.
Speaking of which, Xmas is like in just a few weeks. Maybe I should take one of their workshops. Do you think Di Luna would let me make a SpaghettiOs and dill pickle potato chip scented candle for my wife? Better make a reservation and find out.
Cheers!
Di Luna Candles
2700 N Campbell Ave., Tucson AZ
520.771.8047
Words and photos by
Mark Whittaker
yeahwritemark@gmail.com
Yeah Write Mark 