beautiful mountain view

WELCOME TO WILD MOUNTAIN WAX CO.
AND TO LIFE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

We lovingly handcraft vegan, non-toxic, and phthalate-free soy candles inspired by the wild and by life in the Pacific Northwest — the place in which we are fortunate to be nestled.

Here, we live among snow-capped mountains and mossy rainforests; jagged coastlines and high deserts. Our unique fragrance collection was born out of a desire to share the magic of our PNW wonderland with others and to bring the essence of its natural beauty indoors. Gender-inclusive scents like Oregon Coast, Cypress + Spruce, High Desert and Wanderlust evoke the experience of adventure without overpowering.

Each candle is wicked, blended, poured, and labeled by hand in our Portland, OR studio. We are a small but mighty team of three women who are passionate about crafting these amber jars of beautifully scented light.

Heather began pouring candles in her kitchen in 2015. After moving to Oregon in 2017, she set out to create a scent collection inspired by life in the Pacific Northwest. She launched Wild Mountain Wax Co in May 2019 and soon needed to move production into a 200sf backyard studio. Online sales and wholesale orders quickly grew the business, so in 2020 she proudly welcomed her business partner, Kim, to the team, as well as our studio assistant, Ellyn. In the fall of 2021, we moved into a 1600sf candle studio and retail space in Portland, where we sell our candles as well as handcrafted goods from more than 80 makers.

As we imagine our candles bringing you comfort, beauty, and joy in your home, our hearts are filled with tremendous gratitude. Thank you for supporting our small, handcrafted business and helping to make our dreams come true.

HEATHER DOWDY

FOUNDER + CREATIVE DIRECTOR

scent master | vegan foodie | nature lover | dog mom
currently burning: wanderlust or bergamot + orange

Our founder Heather heads up the creative side of our company, from creating scents and pouring candles to product design and photography to social media. She also manages the wholesale side of our business, building relationships with our loyal stockists. She’s an autoimmune warrior, vegan foodie, music lover, and lives for traveling, hiking, and camping with her partner Chris and their rescued pit bull, Briley.

KIM FREIMOELLER

CO-OWNER + BUSINESS DIRECTOR

spreadsheet wizard | book nerd | coffee lover | dog mom
currently burning: farmers market or pacific sunset

A lifelong Portland local and former theatre manager, Kim manages the business end of our company, from accounting and inventory to human resources. She also curates and manages the retail shop. Kim is a racial equity and inclusion facilitator, a book nerd, and loves to roast her own coffee beans. She lives in SE Portland with her partner Peter and their pups Taika and Remy.

Ellyn working making candles

ELLYN CULMSEE

PRODUCTION LEAD

production goddess | avid hiker | opera singer | dog mom
currently burning: cypress + spruce or coconut + wood

Ellyn is our production goddess who does everything from wicking jars and blending, pouring, and labeling candles to product photography and staffing market booths. In her former life, Ellyn was an opera singer. These days, she can be found hiking with her partner Darian and their golden retriever, Alani.