About Us…
Meet Mimi and Red Daraa
Maison Palo Santo was founded in 2016 by the husband-and-wife team of Red and Mimi Daraa, who live and work in Ecuador and the United States. Maison Palo Santo was inspired by their own personal transformation when they started working with Palo Santo near their home in Ecuador. They combine their passions for yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, handcrafted quality goods, and social responsibility to offer their uniquely formulated line of products that use pure essential oils as the main ingredient and organic materials, infused with intentional energy and to ensure the ultimate healing experience. This effort results in superior therapeutic-grade products that support your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Our Story…
One foggy evening on the coast of Ecuador in 2016, in a sleepy fishing village, Mimi and Red were walking down the main stroll. Suddenly their attention was drawn by a mysterious and wonderful smoke coming from a little shop. The golden lights from the interior of the shop and the beautiful classical music playing drew them in. It was as if the intoxicating fragrance guided their knocking on the door where they were instantly greeted by an equally interesting man. This man would become their dear friend and Palo Santo mentor. They learned a lot about Palo Santo that night, and took their first sticks back to their Ecuador getaway, just 45 minutes from the forest of Palo Santo.
Due to their busy lives in New York City, Mimi and Red could never stay in Ecuador longer than a few weeks at a time. However, that mysterious little shop, and their continued use of Palo Santo began to take over their thoughts until one day they decided to start experimenting by making candles with its powerful essential oil. Starting with beeswax from the rooftops of NYC hives (yup those exist) and after a year and a half of testing, learning, refining, and traveling back and forth to Ecuador to cultivate a genuine relationship with their supplier, Maison Palo Santo became their full-time reality.
They have spent the last three years diving deeper into yoga, philosophy, meditation and the power of essential oils to evolve their craft and harness their own personal evolution which they channel into each and every product that they create. Their desire is to evoke the highest possibility for their clients with these powerful transformational tools that support wellbeing and an inspired life.
YOUR PURCHASE SUPPORTS THE PALO SANTO HABITAT
Buying ethically-sourced Palo Santo supports the conservation of Palo Santo habitats. The demand for Palo Santo wood means the communities will continue to plant more Palo Santo trees and creates an economic opportunity that otherwise wouldn’t exist. Ecuadorian law states only indigenous people can work with Palo Santo which helps protect this precious commodity.
We work with a single-origin Palo Santo community from the Manabi region of coastal Ecuador and guarantee their sustainability practices by working to maintain the integrity of the ecosystem that provides this magical tree. With your purchase, Maison Palo Santo provides funding to the community to plant more Palo Santo trees and creates jobs for women in particular, creating a domino effect of health and prosperity throughout the village.
“Palo Santo is our Passion. Inspiring others is our Mission. Laughter is our Medicine. Love is our Existence.”
