BrewView: Candles and Cocktails at ‘Ike Loa Candle Co.!
By Brandilyn Mitchell
Updated 10.21.2024 Scroll to the bottom for details
If you were scouring Facebook looking for something special to do for Mother’s Day like I was, and if we happened upon ‘Ike Loa’s Mother’s Day Candle and Dinner workshop at the same time, and I purchased the two tickets you wanted, I apologize and wish you better luck next year. Because you won’t want to miss out on this annual event!
We arrived at ‘Ike Loa a little early and decided to pre-game at Javi’s next door (Oopsies? Nah!). As 6pm rolled around, we walked in and the store had been transformed into a purple paradise, inviting us inside with flowers, balloons and the scent of happiness.
Our workshop started with delicious charcuterie from Get Toasted in Riverbank and boy-howdy, was it incredible. They mixed and mingled textures and tastes that left you wondering how in the heck you could possibly recreate it at home. Fig, prosciutto, gouda, oh my! We then selected a rum-based cocktail or champagne, and the drinks were bottomless! Have you ever dropped cotton candy into your champagne before? Me neither! The “make-your-own-mimosa” bar had some innovative options.
The workshop was small and intimate. It was fun to get to know the other guests, chatting over our reasons for choosing various scents and oils. We were regaled with so many stories starting with “This reminds me of the time I….” that it made me forget how many of us were stuck in a house, separated from each other and camaraderie, avoiding covid for several years. It felt like “the before times”!
The first creation was a gorgeous little pineapple candle. The glass pineapple is reusable after the candle has been enjoyed. Yay, sustainability! We chose from three popular scents, and we blended and poured the candle at our seat, each of us a scientist for the evening. 
Next, we were given a body wash container with the soap base in it. We got to choose how to finish the base to personalize it for our skin. Different oils do different things for us, like papaya oil, macadamia oil, or rice oil. Their oils are harvested straight from the Islands and shipped while incredibly fresh. They’re not cut with cheaper oils-you are getting the pure, unadulterated oil. Making a product tailored especially for our individual needs with top-quality ingredients means we will use and love it. There is no fear this little bottle is going to sit in a bathroom cabinet unused. Lastly, we made body oil. The bottle started with kukui nut oil, which is a hydrating light oil perfect for all skin types. We then added whichever oils to it that will give our skin what it needs. I choose papaya and rice, knowing it will tighten and hydrate my peri-menopausal skin. 
After making our three products it was time to have our glasses topped up and put dessert on our plates. Cheesecake for me, chocolate dipped strawberries for Mom! The mini cheesecakes came in an array of yummy flavors-blueberry, strawberry, caramel, chocolate or plain. It was time to mingle and be merry! And also…..shop! If you attend a workshop, you get a discount on anything you buy that night. What a deal! Dinner, drinks, three full-size products and a discount?! The memories, fun and photo ops?! Not to mention there was a game with prizes and we were each given a special Mom’s day gift, that I don’t want to spoil in case you come next year. Ticket price was worth every penny. Erica and Tito were gracious, attentive hosts, making us each feel so special.
I conducted a quick interview with owner Erica Escobar so that you can get to know her, too!
‘Ike Loa has been in business for 4 years. They began selling at farmers markets, but have had a brick and mortar since 2022 in Oakdale. Why Oakdale? It is home! “It’s great to have a piece of Aloha in the Cowboy Capital of the World, and people have responded very well to that.”
They started ‘Ike Loa because Erica was a caretaker for her mom. When her mom was diagnosed with cancer and she was going through chemo, she couldn’t handle the candles she was burning at that time. It was giving her headaches and shortness of breath. Erica started researching why a candle would do that, and learned about the chemicals in most big box store fragrances, like phthalates. Then she learned about paraffin wax (what many candles are made with) and how it’s a byproduct of petroleum, then just as bad: most wicks were made with zinc-a perfect recipe for disaster for even the healthiest of people. So she started making candles as a hobby. Her mother is from Hawaii, and Erica wanted to make scents that resonated with her, her culture and the place she called home for most of her life. It grew from there. Other people with allergies or scent sensitivities wanted to try them. “It makes us very happy to know we are allowing so many people to enjoy a healthier candle. We use a pure coconut wax which is the healthiest wax available. It burns slowly, safely and evenly.” They have grown exponentially-now doing private labeling for 30 resorts in Hawaii, and ship products nationwide daily. s of October 2024, they are now sold at 35 Crate & Barrel locations! Where does the name ‘Ike Loa come from? ‘Ike Loa is a Hawaiian term translated to English as “knowledge, wisdom, and perpetual learning”. It is important to never stop learning. Always actively seek knowledge in the world around you for the purpose of your own self-growth.
How can you enjoy the same experience we did without having to wait an entire year? Starting May 18th and every Saturday after, they will be hosting an “open pour” from 1:00pm-5:00pm. Anyone can come in and make their own candle for $30.00 (additional candles are $20.00). Guests will choose their vessel and scent and pour their very own custom candle. (These scents will not be any scents that are sold in-store. They will be unique scents just for the workshops.) Each participant receives 10% off on any ‘Ike Loa Candle Co. products during their pour time.
They also host other small workshops throughout the year. Like the Halloween themed ghost candle workshop on 10.19.24! We created a ghost candle in a precious hand-carved wooden container and then tailored a scrub for our skin type. We got to sip on a gorgeous mango-dragonfruit rum cocktail and eat delicious charcuterie from Get Toasted. Get ready for the Winter Scent release on November 2nd be prepared for the Galentine’s event coming February 8, 2025. Tickets will go on sale soon, so keep an eye on the facebook!
Like them on Facebook to hear when tickets are available. Come for the candles, stay for the aloha! As always, sip on friends!
‘Ike Loa Candle Co., 136 N. Maag Ave #B2, Oakdale
510-673-3571
www.ikeloacandleco.com
sales@ikeloacandleco.com
