"What's in the air my daughter breathes matters to me. What goes on my skin matters. This isn't a marketing position. It's the standard I hold myself to in my own home — every day."
-Melissa, Founder of Cali Meets NYC
OUR CLEAN STANDARD
You Deserve Both.
Beautiful fragrance and safer ingredients. We don't think you should have to choose.
01. Our Philosophy
Why we care about what goes in and what doesn't.
Ingredient transparency isn't a trend we're chasing. It's a standard we set for ourselves before we ever poured the first candle because the products you bring into your home deserve the same scrutiny as anything else that touches your body.
We define "clean" ourselves.
The word "clean" means something different to everyone. To us, it means every ingredient is evaluated for safety, performance, and the experience it creates. If an ingredient doesn't align with our standards or with your trust, it doesn't make it into our products.
Transparency, not just marketing.
Most candle brands aren't required to tell you what's behind the word "fragrance" on the label. We think that's a problem. So we tell you what's in our products and, just as importantly, what isn't.
Formulated in-house. Held to our own standard.
Every product at Cali Meets NYC is formulated in-house. That means we control every decision: what goes in, what stays out, and when something needs to change. We don't outsource that responsibility.
Hand-poured in small batches.
Our typical production run is small for a reason. Everything is hand-poured and created in Lake Worth, FL. Small batches mean more control, more consistency, and more intention in every product we make.
"We'll never claim to be perfect. We'll claim to be honest and always improving. Progress over perfection is the standard we actually hold ourselves to."
02. Our Standards
What we promise across every product.
These aren't marketing claims— they're the baseline we hold every formula to, every year, across candles, body care, and room sprays.
Phthalate-Free
No synthetic scent extenders that disrupt hormones. Our fragrance throws beautifully without them.
Paraben-Free
No synthetic preservatives that mimic estrogen— across every product in the collection.
Sulfate-Free
No harsh detergents or skin irritants that strip natural oils or cause sensitivity.
Formaldehyde-Free
No carcinogenic preservatives or formaldehyde-releasing agents in any formula.
No Endocrine Disruptors
We go beyond phthalates. Our formulas avoid the full category of chemicals that interfere with the body's hormonal system
Cruelty-Free
Never tested on animals. Every product, every time.
California Prop 65 Compliant
We meet California's strict chemical exposure and safety standards — one of the most rigorous in the country.
IFRA Compliant
Every fragrance meets the International Fragrance Association's safety standards for concentration and use.
100% Vegan
No animal-derived ingredients across any product — candles, body butter, sugar scrubs, or room sprays.
USA-Made Fragrance Oils
All fragrance oils are sourced and made in the United States, essential oil enhanced for a richer scent profile.
03 · By Product Category
What goes into each product we make.
The specific ingredients, bases, and standards that apply to each product in our collection.
Wax
Our wax is a coconut soy blend with a small amount of food-grade paraffin. It was chosen for clean burn, excellent scent throw, smooth finish, and consistent performance across our full 65+ hour burn time.
Wicks
All wicks are 100% cotton — completely free from lead and zinc. No metal core. No additives. Just a clean, even burn from the first light to the last.
Fragrance Oil
Every fragrance oil is made in the USA, IFRA compliant, and enhanced with essential oils for a richer, more complex scent experience. They are phthalate-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and California Prop 65 compliant. We verify supplier certifications annually.
Body Butter
Our body butter is anhydrous, meaning it contains no water. Because water is what creates an environment for bacteria and mold, an anhydrous formula requires no traditional preservatives. Apply to clean, dry skin after cleansing for best absorption.
Sugar Scrub
Our sugar scrub uses Optiphen, a paraben-free, formaldehyde-free preservative that meets EU and Prop 65 standards. One of the gentler preservation systems available, chosen because it protects without the ingredients we've committed to avoiding. Moisturizing formula that absorbs without needing additional lotion.
Packaging
Both our body butter and sugar scrubs are packaged in containers made from recycled plastic. What goes into your body care matters, and so does what happens to the packaging when you're done with it.
Our Formulation
Our room and linen sprays use an alcohol base for fast-drying, clean diffusion — no oily residue on fabrics or surfaces. The fragrance oils are the same USA-made, IFRA-compliant, phthalate-free formulations used in our candle collection. Safe on linens, upholstery, in any room of your home, and even on skin.
Every ingredient earns its place.
How We Choose Ingredients
Before any ingredient enters a Cali Meets NYC formula, we evaluate it across three questions: Is it safe? Does it perform? Does it create the experience our customers deserve? If it doesn't pass all three— it doesn't make it in. We review every formula annually and whenever a supplier reformulates, referencing IFRA standards and EWG guidance as part of that process.
04 · What We Never Use
The list that doesn't need a footnote.
These ingredients will never appear in a Cali Meets NYC product— in any category, in any formulation, at any time.
Phthalates
Endocrine disruptors commonly hidden under "fragrance" on labels
Parabens
Synthetic preservatives that mimic estrogen and are absorbed through skin
Sulfates
Harsh detergents that strip skin and cause irritation
Formaldehyde
Carcinogenic preservatives and formaldehyde-releasing agents
Mineral Oil
Petroleum by-products with no place in intentional body care
Endocrine Disruptors
The full category— not just the most well-known ones
Lead or Zinc Wicks
Metal-core wicks that release toxic particles when burned
Animal-Derived Ingredients
Every formula is fully vegan — no exceptions
Animal Testing
Cruelty-free across every product and every supplier
Can you tell me every ingredient in your fragrance?
Yes, and we welcome the question. While fragrance formulations contain proprietary blending ratios, we partner with suppliers who provide full safety certifications for every oil we use. We can tell you what's not in them: no phthalates, no parabens, no endocrine disruptors, no Prop 65-listed chemicals. We review those certifications annually. If you want to go deeper, email us at hello@calimeetsnyc.co and we'll walk you through what we know.
05 · Frequently Asked Questions
The questions we actually want you to ask.
Ingredient questions are good questions. Here are the ones we hear most often— answered honestly.
What makes Cali Meets NYC products "clean"?
We're cautious about the word "clean" because the industry uses it without a consistent definition. Here's how we define it: every ingredient has been deliberately chosen, evaluated for safety against IFRA and EWG standards, and confirmed free from phthalates, parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, mineral oil, endocrine disruptors, and animal-derived ingredients. We formulate in-house and review annually.
Why don't fragrance labels list every ingredient?
Under U.S. law, fragrance formulations are considered trade secrets. This means brands can list all fragrance ingredients — including phthalates, parabens, and hundreds of other compounds — simply as "fragrance" on the label without disclosing what's inside. It's one of the biggest gaps in consumer ingredient transparency, which is exactly why we go out of our way to tell you what's behind ours.
Are fragrance oils safe?
Fragrance oils, when properly formulated, are safe for home use — especially when they're IFRA compliant, phthalate-free, and free from endocrine disruptors. The concern isn't fragrance oils as a category; it's the specific ingredients some brands choose to put inside them. Our fragrance oils are sourced from USA manufacturers, IFRA certified, and enhanced with essential oils.
Why don't you use essential oils in everything?
Essential oils are wonderful, and our fragrance oils are enhanced with them. But 100% essential oil candles present real challenges: many essential oils don't hold up well under heat, which means the scent disappears quickly or doesn't throw well in a space. Properly formulated fragrance oils, free from harmful ingredients, give you a safer, more consistent, longer-lasting scent experience.
What does California Prop 65 compliant mean?
California Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings before exposing people to chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. It maintains one of the most comprehensive lists of regulated chemicals in the United States. Being Prop 65 compliant means none of our ingredients appear on that list at harmful levels.
What preservative is in the sugar scrub, and is it safe?
We use Optiphen— a paraben-free, formaldehyde-free preservative that meets EU and California Prop 65 standards. We chose it specifically because it protects the formula without relying on ingredients we've committed to avoiding. The body butter is anhydrous (water-free) and requires no preservative at all.
06 · Our Commitment
How we keep getting better at this.
Progress over perfection isn't just a phrase — it's how we actually operate.
Annual Ingredient Review
Every formula is reviewed yearly against current IFRA standards and EWG guidance. When standards evolve, we evolve with them — on a scheduled cadence, not just when it's convenient.
Supplier Verification
We don't take supplier claims at face value. When suppliers reformulate, we re-evaluate before continuing use.
Working Toward Retail Standards
We actively work toward the ingredient standards required by Sephora Clean and Whole Foods — two of the most rigorous clean product frameworks in retail. These are our aspirational benchmarks.
Open Door on Ingredients
If you have a question not answered here — email us at hello@calimeetsnyc.co. We'll tell you what we know, and if we don't know, we'll find out. Transparency is a practice, not just a page.