Local Company Makes Great Smelling Products
That are Good for You Too

By Tina Gallagher

More than a decade ago, Carmen and Lynn Milazzo started making candles in their kitchen. Concerned about toxic soot generated from petroleum based candles, Carmen started working on a line made from other waxes.  Eventually coming up with a formula using soy and vegetable based waxes, the Milazzo’s candles produced less soot and toxins and burned longer than a traditional candle.  Out of their kitchen, they introduced these candles to the industry and built a thriving fundraising, retail, and wholesale business.

Bob Scocozzo got involved with the Milazzos when he helped put together a candle fundraiser for his son’s sports team.  On delivering the candles, they told Scocozzo about a new candle they had developed that was made with “alternative” ingredients such as plants, vegetables, soy, and beeswax.  But what caught Scocozzo’s attention was the fact that the candles burned practically soot free and smelled better than any candles he’d ever come across.

Scocozzo told his then marketing partner, Charles Umphred, about the candles and together they signed the Milazzos to an exclusive agreement that led to a three-way partnership named Scent-Sations.  Naming the candles Mia Bella after Bob’s daughter, that company started in 2002.  Last year it reached $15 million in sales.

“Our goal is to put the best smelling candle on the market,” says Scocozzo.  “The fact that they burn clean is just a benefit.”

Mia Bella candles burn 90% soot free.  So what does this mean to you?  Candle soot is the black residue often found on the jars of typical burned candles. Inhaling the toxins contained in soot can be harmful, particularly to children and the elderly.  Soot may also stain the walls, draperies, furniture, and carpets of homes.

Working hand in hand with the less soot benefit, Mia Bella candles also burn longer than the average candle.  According to Scocozzo, depending on the conditions, a 16 oz. candle can burn anywhere from 70 to 90 hours.   And since the candles are triple scented, that’s a lot of scent packed into one candle.

Mia Bella candles are also biodegradable and water-soluble.  Spills can be cleaned with soap and warm water.  The wicks are made of cotton and are lead free.

There are more than 100 candle scents available, with new scents being developed every month.  But candles aren’t the only products; all-natural bath and beauty products are also available.

The Bella Bar comes in six scents.  Made of soy proteins and other natural ingredients, these bars differ from soap.  Soy proteins help repair collagen and restore elasticity to mature skin.  They also aid the healing process, minimize skin damage, and help repair the skin's natural moisture barrier keeping it soft and supple.

Made with Shea Butter and Grape Seed Oil, Bella Balm is quickly and fully absorbed by the skin leaving hands and feet soft without feeling greasy.  

The most recent addition to the Mia Bella family is the Bella Beauty mineral make-up line.  Mineral make-up is all the rage in cosmetics today and is very skin friendly, making it ideal for those with rosacea, dryness, acne, and other skin conditions.  The natural mineral make-up feels light and won’t clog pores.  It also minimizes lines and wrinkles, creating a flawless complexion.

“We also have a skin care line in the works,” says Scocozzo.  “That’s been developed and will be marketed as soon as we’re ready.”

This company is definitely going places, yet one of the best things about it is that it’s local.  The candles are made in Wilkes-Barre and the beauty products are manufactured in Clarks Summit.  Plus, 99% of their ingredients and supplies are made in the United States.

“Everybody likes their job and wants to keep it,” Scocozzo says.  “Buying American products helps us all.”

Besides offering all-natural, American made products, Scent-Sations also provides a way for individuals to make money.  With over 8500 distributors in the United States and Canada, the company still has room for growth.  

“We offer the average person the opportunity to put cash in their pocket,” says Scocozzo, who took the best aspects of other direct selling companies when organizing the structure of his.  “Our program is low-cost and stress free.  I want people to have fun while building their business.”

Ed Kopec, who owns Edward’s Landscaping in Forty Fort, got involved with this company to build a distributing network and increase his retirement fund.

“I’ve been self-employed for thirty-five years and have been putting up with all the headaches that entails,” said Kopec.  “Mia Bella is easy.  It’s a business that’s not a traditional business and that’s what I love about it.”

Distributors can do as much or as little as they want.  According to Kopec, “This is something you can do without interfering with your present job.”  

The company offers distributors set-up, training, and support.  All distributors get their own company website as part of their sign-up package.  This gives potential customers a place to view products and to place orders.  

“We have a simple plan,” says Scocozzo.  “We want to create simple products and give people an opportunity to have fun and make money.”

Judging by the company’s success and continued growth, that plan seems to be working.

For more information on Mia Bella, go to tgr.scent-team.com.

Tina Gallagher is a local author and mother of two.  She was so impressed with Mia Bella candles and Scent-Sations, she ended up signing up to be a distributor after conducting the interview for this article.  Check out her site at tgr.scent-team.com.