About us:
The Modern Sonoran began with a candle‑sensitive mom, a love for intentional living, a hatred for hidden toxins, and a mission to create something beautiful, safe, and soul‑stirring for the home.
From the first hand‑poured batch in our desert kitchen to our signature hemp + coconut wax, poured for our own peace of mind, every step has been about reimagining what a candle can be.
We’re so glad you’ve asked! We’re an artisan, family-owned & operated candle studio where every scent is curated with intention and soul. Rooted in a love for the raw, unspoiled beauty of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert,
We are committed to CLEAN, sustainable ingredients & earth friendly practices.
Our candles are made with our own Hemp + Coconut wax - always free from soy, paraffin, phthalates, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, and endocrine disruptors found in most candles.
Here at The Modern Sonoran, our candles are designed to do more than scent a room. They’re made to make you feel.
From peace of mind through our clean, toxin-free ingredients to the grounded warmth or sense of calm & connection a fragrance evokes, every detail is intentional.
We believe home should be a place of beauty, safety, and meaning. Our hope is that each candle invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and feel truly at home.
Without question.
We make every candle in our home and test-burn them around our own children—because “clean” isn’t a buzzword, it’s a promise.Every ingredient is vetted to meet the highest safety standards and is free from:
- Known toxins and carcinogens
- Endocrine disruptors and reproductive hazards
- Neurotoxins and harmful VOCs
- High-risk pesticides and toxic solvents
The result? A candle that burns beautifully, scents luxuriously, and never compromises the air you breathe.
For us, sustainability isn’t an afterthought—it’s woven into every step of our process.
We intentionally create with minimal waste in mind. Most of our shipping materials are recycled from the packaging our suppliers send us, and every box is sealed with plastic-free tape.
Our candle vessels are modern, earthy ceramic jars—chosen not only for their beauty, but for their second life. When your candle is finished, they make perfect succulent planters, pen holders, or decorative storage.
Every ingredient we use is sustainably sourced and cruelty-free, from our hemp + coconut + beeswax blend to our clean, IFRA-certified fragrance oils. Because luxury should never come at the expense of the earth—or the beings who inhabit it.
Why Did You Choose Hemp & Coconut?
We believe the wax is the foundation of a candle’s soul. That’s why we created our own blend—originally for ourselves—using:
- USA grown Organic Hemp
– clean flame, grounded energy - Coconut
– slow, even, luxurious burn Non-GMO & not sprayed with pesticides & herbicides, of course. - Beeswax
– nature’s air purifier and a natural way to firm our candles for safer shipping
This blend offers a quality, cleaner burn than anything mass-produced.
Soy may be marketed as “natural,” but the reality is far from pure:
- 94% of U.S. soy is GMO and 98% are sprayed with pesticides like glyphosate & ALL soy being used in candle wax here in the US is gmo & spayed with chemicals
- All soy wax has to be even further chemically altered to turn it from oil to solid (yay - now we've created gmo + chemical laden + hyrogenated seed oils) And they want to call this "natural" because it's it's techically still plant derived?
- Soy farming is a major cause of deforestation.
- Soy candles can be headache-inducing for some. While not everyone reacts to soy candles, some experience headaches, nausea, or respiratory irritation when burning them.
So. Much. Nope.
That’s not what we want burning in your home.
Our customers value truth over trend, and we refuse to compromise with cheap gmo, glyphosate laden, government subsidized, greenwashed ingredients or clever marketing spins.
Pure coconut wax is too soft to hold its shape—it must be blended with a harder wax. Most “coconut candles” are actually:
- Coconut + soy
- Coconut + paraffin
That “luxury coconut wax” candle marketed as soy-free? Likely contains paraffin (petroleum byproduct).
Marketed as paraffin-free? Likely soy (gmo, pesticide sprayed, hydrogenated seed oils).
At The Modern Sonoran, we've gone out of our way to create our own blend -no soy, no paraffin, no sneaky additives- for a candle that’s truly clean, longer-lasting, and luxuriously fragrant.
Shipping & Returns
We ship throughout the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii.
We offer flat rate shipping of $7.99 within the U.S.
While we can’t offer free shipping every day (we’re not Amazon, after all), we do occasionally run free shipping promotions. Join our email list to be the first to know about special offers and subscriber-only perks.
Orders are processed and shipped within 1–4 business days. Please allow extra time during major sales or holidays.
Once picked up by our carrier, most U.S. orders arrive in 3–10 business days depending on location. Alaska, Hawaii, and outlying territories may take longer. You’ll receive a tracking number as soon as your order ships. While we do everything possible to ensure smooth delivery, once a package is with the postal service, final delivery is out of our hands.
Yes, absolutely! We want you to be completely happy with your purchase. If something isn’t right, or it wasn't love at first sniff, please email helpdesk@modernsonoran.com within 30 days of receiving your order.
Products must be unused and in original packaging to be eligible for return.
If your item arrives damaged or defective, please contact us within 48 hours with photos and details so we can assist you promptly.
Clearance items are considered final sale and cannot be returned or exchanged.
Absolutely. Modern Sonoran candles make intentional, beautiful gifts for any occasion. To include a personal note, leave your message in the order notes at checkout and email help@modernsonoran.com after placing your order.
In Person Shopping:
Not at this time. Our current studio is a small, behind-the-scenes space dedicated exclusively to candle making, packing, and shipping.
We’re asked about a storefront almost daily, and it’s something we’re genuinely considering for the future. We’d love to eventually have a beautiful, welcoming space (in Arizona) where you can experience our collection in person, discover your favorite scents, and shop The Modern Sonoran.
When the time is right, we'll be excited for this next step!
Although we don’t have a storefront of our own at this time, we’re fortunate to have a growing group of wonderful wholesale partners all across the USA who carry The Modern Sonoran in their shops and boutiques.
We are working to add a "find a location" interactive map to our website. In the meantime, we wanted to at least share our list of current Arizona wholesale partners, as we recieve this inquiry from Arizona locals the most!
Note: we’ve added an * beside retailers who have ordered Arizona Monsoon, our most requested scent, and a + beside those who have ordered Arizona Orange Blossoms, our second most requested.
Because inventory changes from shop to shop, these symbols simply indicate that the retailer has ordered the scent from us in the past - they are not a guarantee that it’s currently available.
If you have your heart set on a particular scent, we always recommend giving the retailer a quick call before making the trip. We’d hate for you to arrive only to discover your favorite has sold out.
Here's the list:
B&B Market +
122 North 2nd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Cartwheels Gallery *
909 North Main Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
Golden Turtle Giftshop
The Golden Turtle Gift Shop
10001 West Bell Road
Ste 142
Sun City, AZ 85351-1283
Little Moos
41621 North 54th Street
Cave Creek, AZ 8533
Local Jonny's Tavern And Café
6033 East Cave Creek Road
Cave Creek, AZ 85331
Peixoto Coffee Roasters
120 East Comstock Drive
Chandler, AZ 85225
Pima Air & Space Museum *
6000 East Valencia Road
Tucson, AZ 85756
Raya Wellness Care & Medical Spa*+
2055 Highway 95
Bullhead City, AZ 86442
Sharlot Hall Museum
415 West Gurley Street
Prescott, AZ 86301
Superstition Mountain - Lost Dutchman Museum*+
4087 North Apache Trail
Apache Junction, AZ 85119
Sweet Home Arizona Boutique *+
151 North White Mountain Road
STE E
Show Low, AZ 85901
SpaWell at El Conquistador Tucson (A Hilton Resort Spa)*+
4851 North La Lomita
Tucson, AZ 85718-6028
The Artisan's Compass *+
660 East Brown Road
STE 104
Mesa, AZ 85205
Tonto Verde Golf Club*+
18402 El Circulo Drive
Rio Verde, AZ 85263
Coming Soon: Spa at Rancho de los Caballeros
1551 S Vulture Mine Rd
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
At this time, we’re not set up for customer pickup.
For now, there are two ways to shop The Modern Sonoran:
Have them shipped directly to you — We ship orders directly to customers throughout the U.S.
Visit one of our wholesale partners — If you’d prefer to smell our candles in person before purchasing, or you’re looking to avoid having candles shipped during hot weather, you can visit one of our wholesale partners near you. Many of our retail partners carry a selection of our candles and are open to the public.
We’re growing and exploring new ways to make The Modern Sonoran more accessible in person. For now, we’re grateful to have wonderful retail partners who help bring our collection into local communities. 🤎
Candle Care:
- Trim wicks to ¼" before each burn
- If the flame grows over 1½", extinguish, let cool, trim, and relight
- Limit burns to 3–4 hours at a time
- Always burn on a flat, flame-retardant surface—never leave unattended