Entrepreneur Prepares to Launch Candle Collection Formulated for Individuals With Autism

A Connecticut-based therapeutic scent start-up company, NorthEnd Rose Scent Studio, is preparing to launch a new collection of candles with scents designed to calm and ease the emotions of individuals with autism.

Hartford resident Dinika Hightower, founder of NorthEnd Rose, created the new candle line, The Spectrum Collection, specifically for individuals on the autism spectrum. A portion of the proceeds from this collection will go directly to Autism Speaks in an effort to support the autism community and their family members.

Her hope with this collection is to help individuals with autism and families that care for them by providing a line of calming scents that will help settle their emotions and relax their body and mind.

The idea for the new line came as she was practicing a calming scent therapy session with her autistic son. The Spectrum Collection, which is currently in the final stages of testing, uses relaxing scents such as lavender and frankincense. The collection is expected to be available for purchase beginning in August.

Looking ahead, as the therapeutic scent company plans to grow and increase production, Hightower’s goal is to employ autistic and special needs individuals and provide them an opportunity to work and grow with a company dedicated to mental wellness and self-care.

Hightowter recently pitched NorthEnd Rose against 13 other businesses participating in reSET’s Impact Accelerator Program; it is a program designed for social entrepreneurs in the Greater Hartford area with business ideas that tackle tough challenges in society.

In March of 2020 Hightower’s work as a massage therapist and holistic coach were put on hold due to the pandemic. She heard from an overwhelming number of her clients who reached out because they were experiencing stress and apathy towards the things they once loved. During a time when so many were experiencing extreme mental fatigue, she wanted to create something that could help relieve the stress of her customers daily life without physical touch, leading to the creation of the therapeutic scent company, NorthEnd Rose.

Using her background as a licensed massage therapist with training in aromatherapy, Hightower established Northend Rose to help her customers tackle mental fatigue through the power of scents.  

Her products include candles, wax melts, essential oils + blends, and diffuser jewelry. The scent of each product aims to reduce mental fatigue, trigger positive memories and emotions and raise dopamine levels to help her clients achieve mental wellness.

Her candles come with guided meditations which walk customers through how to focus their mind on the scent of the candle as it burns. The objective is for the brain to begin associating the scent of the candle with self-care and relaxation. The candle scents are created to intentionally trigger “feel good” memories and emotions.

“NorthEnd Rose Scent Studio was born from my desire to use scent as an easy, conveniently effective way to reduce mental fatigue while at the same time establishing an essential self-care routine,” says Hightower.

The scents and products created at NorthEnd Rose are not only good for mental health and well-being, they are safe for the environment as well, Hightower explains. They are crafted using phthalate free, natural, and eco-friendly ingredients that create scents which go beyond the existing practice of aromatherapy.

As a commitment to give back to the community and support mental health efforts beyond her services and products, NorthEnd Rose has a launched a “Scented for Good” initiative, which donates to organizations that support mental well-being, mental health, and those that support autistic individuals.

NorthEnd Rose products can be purchased online at www.northendrose.com, or to keep up with the latest updates and locations for pop-up events follow their Instagram @northendrose.

The growing therapeutic scent company has big plans to create more scents and reach a larger community to encourage practicing self-care and relaxation.

NorthEnd Rose is seeking donations to fund supplies and secure a headquarters facility in Hartford that would allow for increased production and product variety. Hightower is confident in the up-and-coming innovation that awaits Hartford and wants to be part of that future.   Interested individuals can contact her directly at info@northendrose.com.

As a participant in reSET’s Impact Accelerator program, NorthEnd Rose and the other entrepreneurs are provided with access to knowledge, networks and resources needed to grow their businesses and expand their impact. reSET was founded in 2007, with a mission is to advance the social enterprise sector. It now serves over 205 entrepreneurs each year through a variety of programs, events and mentoring opportunities. You can learn more about reSET and the Accelerator Program at www.resetco.org.

“Each year the businesses in the Impact Accelerator reflect a wide variety of sectors and solutions. This year we are thrilled to include NorthEnd Rose. Dinika Hightower is a serial entrepreneur who had already built a successful small business before deciding to launch her new scent studio. We loved Dinika’s focus on mental health through her use of aromatherapy for self-care and healing,” says Sarah Bodley, Executive Director at reSET.

This article was reported and written by Lauren Malenchini, a CT by the Numbers intern who attends Quinnipiac University. More of her work can be seen at https://malenchinilauren.wixsite.com/my-site