Bonita Fierce Candles is a premium candle brand that celebrates and elevates Latin@ heritage and home, providing a sense of familiarity, home, and belonging. Our mission is to celebrate the cultural crossroads of being Latin@ and American.

I'm Melissa Gallardo, the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, born and raised by a single mom on Long Island NY.  Only as a young adult did I begin to embrace my heritage, and found myself shopping for products that spoke to my identity, including candles. 

Here's the Problem: 

Latin@s don't have scents and fragrances that accurately represent them in the home fragrance industry. People need to see themselves represented on products as simple as a candle.

What are options? You'll find scents like Ocean Breeze, Champagne Toast or Merry Merlot.  You'll find big brands appropriating our culture and celebrating Latin heritage once a year. 

At Bonita Fierce Candles, we are unapologetically Latin@ and see celebrating your heritage as self-care.

¿Porque Latin@ Candles?

Candles are an ancient symbol of divine life in Latin America. They evoke the ephemeral feeling of home and childhood memories. 

As the face of America is changing and multiculturalism grows, so do underrepresented industries. Hispanics are young, educated and embody 200% of a person, 100% Hispanic and 100% American. By 2024, 25.3% of the millennial population will be Hispanic with the median age of a Hispanic at 28 years old. 

Today's generation is balancing what it means to be Latin@ and American and are deeply connected to their heritage. They see celebrating their heritage and culture as self-care. They're ready to become their most authentic self.

Navigating language, culture, and assimilation in my community was a challenge. I felt insecure in my identity as a Latina and I know how painful it is to feel like you're not from where you're from. 

No soy ni de aquí, ni de allá.

Bonita Fierce is a gateway to celebrate the cultural crossroads of being Latin@ and American through candles.

How We Are Changing The Home Fragrance Industry

With little to no representation of Latin@s in the home fragrance and candle industry, we are formulating fragrances that evoke the ephemeral feeling of Latin@ homes and childhood memories.

We are dedicated to Latin@ heritage and balancing Latin@ cultural preservation with American values. 

Why We Are Crowdfunding

Did you know 2/3 of candle brands are sold in big box stores? We're raising $30,000 to cover the cost of inventory to grow and expand Bonita Fierce Candles into more retail stores nationwide. We've hit select Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom.com and that's just the beginning. Your contribution will help us order in large quantities at a cost effective price to fulfill our retail demand.

How You Can Help Us Reach Our Goal

Contribute any amount you can to our campaign to help us reach our goal! We have also put together a set of rewards you will receive for supporting our campaign!

We also encourage you to help us spread the word by sharing our campaign to family and friends! You can share it on social media, email, or word of mouth!

Thank You

Finally, we want to thank you for your support in expanding Bonita Fierce Candles. Your contributions will directly impact our efforts to bring Latin@ candles that represent our heritage and culture to retail shelves.

To learn more, please reach out to Melissa at [email protected] for additional information.