Effin’ Relax: Your New Chillaxation Station in The City

There’s a new shop in San Francisco that encourages you to get your shit together, stop mentally spiraling, and unwind a bit. All jokes aside, Effin’ Relax on Divisadero offers meditation, energy healing services, and a full range of handmade bath and body products designed to get you to give yourself self love and relax. What truly sets this place apart are the passionate individuals behind it and their commitment to both their purpose and their local community.

Owner of Effin’ Relax, Candice Nobles

Effin’ Relax: Helping You Traverse Tricky Times

I swear we could all use extra tools to navigate the world nowadays. For owner Candice Nobles, she began crafting bath and body products at home after facing personal challenges due to medical conditions affecting both her and her husband. 

Nobles began by creating incense as a tool for relaxation and expanded into other products, infusing oils with herbs. Her handmade products are born out of love and a commitment to tranquility and self-care since maintaining a calm and centered mindset became crucial for their well-being.

“Effin Relax came to be because my husband Sean and I often use meditation and focus to help traverse tricky times. It has helped us juggle priorities and make decisions to ensure we are able to keep our mind and body feeling well and centered. It’s important for us to maintain a calm and focused mind state, which was necessitated by physical challenges. I have multiple sclerosis and Sean has had two traumatic brain injuries. So, we created tools to help us remain calm. We started with making incense. Then kept going with other ideas and experiments. I began infusing oils that I used for my face and body with the herbs we acquired for incense marking. From there, the product line evolved and continues evolving. Our products are handmade with love.”

Owner of Effin’ Relax, Candice Nobles, and her husband Sean

“We believe that in a culture that is constantly striving for noise and attention, it’s important to take some time to effiin’ relax. Which is why I also offer relaxation sessions that include guided meditation and energy work,” says Nobles.

For those who know me they know I also make my own soaps. I began my own journey for similar reasons as Nobles. Prioritizing self-care and having the ability to create something from scratch, ensuring I know everything that’s in the products used on my body, is something I deeply believe in. I love that Effin’ Relax exists so that I know another great place to get similar products I know would have a Katy seal of approval for being made with love and would help me also “traverse tricky times”.

Crystals inside Effin’ Relax

“I started studying incense-making at the onset of the covid pandemic because I learned that some contain harmful ingredients. This inspired me to look at the ingredients of other products that I use. There’s a lot of funky stuff out there. All of our products are created using herbs, spices and woods. This includes our bath teas, incense and other products, which is why they compliment each other so well. For example our palo santo exfoliating bar contains oils infused with herbs, palo santo powder and the color comes from cinnamon, which we also use in some of our body oils and incense varieties,” says Nobles”

Bath Tea made by Effin’ Relax

Effin’ Relax: High Vibration Goods

After 2 traumatic brain injuries, Noble’s husband lost his sense of smell and when he helps Nobles create items for their shop, he has to rely on more than just a sense of smell. Anyone can make a bar of great smelling soap but what makes Effin’ Relax products special is that Nobles puts in high-vibrations and extra love and care into their products.

“Our products are special because they are made in house, with all natural ingredients. We also make sure we’re in a good headspace while making them, to be sure none of our stress bleeds into the products. I also work really hard to create the best consistency, most effective, and best-smelling products. My husband helps too. It’s interesting because Sean lost his sense of smell after his first TBI, but I think he can somehow smell vibes. He’s put together collections of spices and scents that he has I guess reasonably deduced will smell good, and he’s almost always right,” says Nobles.

Inside Effin’ Relax

When you walk into Effin’ Relax, you won’t find any other products from any other small businesses at this time. They are open to partnerships but at this time they are prioritizing their own product line and getting their footing after being open for just a short while.

The dream of having a physical storefront has been a long-held aspiration, having previously operated from a sidewalk table. With a seller’s permit secured for a nearby block, this dream has blossomed into reality. Positioned between Westside Cuts & Style and Obsidian Dispensary, both fellow black-owned businesses and close friends, they collectively strive to support each other’s success.

“We all work together in whatever ways we can to help each other thrive. It’s a really wonderful and welcoming vibe. Now people can finally get a haircut, a pre-roll and some incense in one fell swoop! I also offer relaxation coaching, Reiki/energy healing and tooth gems,” says Nobles.

Made by Effin’ Relax – you can really see the natural ingredients in this photo.

The Exciting Road Ahead for Effin’ Relax

Their Grand Opening for Effin’ Relax was March 16th. Following that, they are excited to host an art show on March 30th, showcasing the work of a talented local photographer Kirsten Smith. I’ve known Kirsten for years and years and her work is spectacular, simple and powerful. I’m excited to see it myself in this space. Plans are also in motion for poetry readings, participation in the Divisadero Art Walks, and neighborhood barbecues. 

Where can you find Effin’ Relax?

Facebook: facebook.com/effinrelax
IG: @effinrelax
Website: effinrelax.com/
Address: Effin Relax- 1019 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

Hours:

Sunday 11 AM–4 PM
Saturday 11 AM–6 PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday 1–6 PM
Wednesday 1–6:30 PM
Thursday & Friday 1–7 PM

Incense made by Effin’ Relax