Our Values

What we believe, how we give back, and why it matters.

Hey, welcome. Whether you’re new here or already have a wax stash threatening to take over your bathroom cabinet—thanks for stopping by.

At first glance, Bewilderment might just look like a fun little fragrance brand. But under the colorful labels and cheeky scent names, there’s a whole lot of heart. We care—like, actually care—about the people who shop with us, the people who make this business run, and the world we’re all living in.

We built Bewilderment to be a place where working class people can fight back against this broken, failing system. We put every purchase to work. A business that gives back on purpose, not just when it’s trending—and has done so for over ten years.

Let’s talk about what that actually looks like.


We donate every day.

1–2% of every single purchase goes straight to nonprofits. No rounding up at checkout. No weird loopholes. No “we’ll donate if you share this post.” It’s automatic, it’s baked in, and it’s been that way since day one.

On top of that, we launch 3–5 charitable wax melts each month where up to 100% of profits are donated to causes that need it. These happen on the fly in response to what’s happening in the world—so keep an eye out. We’re quick to turn headlines into funding for nonprofits like the ACLU, who are actively fighting back against the bandits in the oval.

Some of the nonprofits we support include:

  • ACLU

  • Planned Parenthood

  • The Trevor Project

  • Black Voters Matter

  • Wounded Warrior Project

  • The Rainbow Alliance

  • Jewish Voice for Peace

  • Midwest Innocence Project

  • Have A Gay Day

  • Doctors Without Borders

  • Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

  • Sexuality Education & Resource Centre

If they’re out there doing good work, we’re probably cheering them on—and sending checks.


Mental health is our core mission.

This business exists because of a mental health crisis. Brandon, our founder, didn’t start this company because everything was going great—he started it because he needed something to stay alive for. That’s why suicide prevention and mental health are at the center of everything we do.

You can read more of that story here (← link to about page), but the short version is this: we believe self-care should be accessible, unpretentious, and deeply human.

That’s why our scent names say the quiet stuff out loud (Fuck Anxiety, anyone?). Why we run a mental health-focused Facebook group (join BewilderBuds: Mental Health Hangout if you haven’t yet). And why we keep showing up week after week to create products that offer comfort—not just aesthetics.


We pay fairly—and transparently.

We don’t do exploitative wages. We don’t do “CEO makes 300x what the staff makes.” Our team operates on an equalized pay model where no one earns more than $5/hour more than the lowest-paid employee—including the owner.

It’s simple: we believe everyone deserves to earn a livable, respectful wage for meaningful work. That’s the floor—not the dream.

We’ve hired folks from all walks of life—queer and trans people, disabled workers, formerly incarcerated people, neurodivergent creatives, single moms, and more. We don’t list it to brag. We just think the workplace should reflect the real world, not some whitewashed corporate brochure.

And when it comes to creativity, we pay it forward. We partner with about a dozen independent artists each year to keep our collections fresh, expressive, and collaborative.


We’re like soOoOo political.

Yes, we’re a fragrance brand.
Yes, we’re political.
No, we’re not sorry about it.

We’re proudly queer-owned, leftist-run, and not afraid to say that capitalism is deeply flawed. We believe business can be used as a tool to push back—to redistribute, to amplify, to agitate.

Here’s where we stand:

  • Healthcare, housing, and food are human rights.

  • We support unions, strikes, and worker power.

  • We believe in reproductive freedom and a woman’s right to bodily autonomy.

  • We believe Black lives matter and anti-racism should be active, not aesthetic.

  • We say “Eat the Rich,” and we’re not whispering.

If you’re down with all that—welcome. If you’re not? That’s cool. There’s always Bath & Body Works.


We made Shop Blue USA for you.

We didn’t stop with wax melts. We also created Shop Blue USA—a national directory and marketplace for progressive, people-powered businesses just like ours. We built it, we run it, and we fund its growth ourselves.

If you want to shop your values across more categories than just bath and body, check out the directory. You can even join your state’s Shop Blue community and find neighbors doing business the right way.

Want to know more about who we are and how this all started? Click here to visit our About page.

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