You may not know this, but one of my very first jobs out of college was designing packaging for candles. Part of that job was drawing inspiration from the fragrance of the candle and it really set the stage for me to become totally, wholeheartedly obsessed with home fragrance, especially candles. I wouldn’t call myself a fragrance snob by any means.. but I am definitely picky when it comes to scents and the candles we burn in our home. I also love candle in particular because so many of them are handmade or handpoured by small businesses — seriously, there are so many amazing small batch candles out there! But today I wanted to share 4 of my absolute favorites + the scents I love the most from each.
Support Small Businesses & Make Your Home Smell Amazing with These Small Batch Candles
Lanterne
A good friend of mine who I used to work with at Anthropologie recently launched Lanterne and sent me a few of her candles to try out… and I’m obsessed. Not only is the candle vessel absolutely beautiful, but each candle is made using fair trade practices and hand poured in the US. Additionally, when you make a purchase, a percentage is used to support women artisans who have resettled in the US as refugees.
The candle vessel itself is truly so beautiful and makes burning a candle into a visual experience as well. The candles themselves burn extremely well and are made with a high-quality coconut-soy blend. Also, the scents are really beautiful and high-end smelling.
My scent recommendations:
- Sea salt & sage
- Tea thyme — my absolute fave!
- Fir & Cedar — this was great during the holidays when we had faux trees up.
Lulumiére
I first discovered Lulumiére while I was waiting on line at my mailbox in Seattle. The line was long, so I started sniffing candles… and was blown away by the fragrances of these locally made candles! Each candle is poured in a small batch and made exclusively with plant-derived ingredients. The soy used in the candles is US grown, in addition to cotton paper wicks, and pure essential oils. I also love the gold tins because when I traveled, I brought them with me to help make hotel rooms smell a bit cozier.
My scent recommendations:
Abode
If you’re wanting candles with a personality, look no further than Abode! These small batch candles are plant based and hand poured in Long Beach, California. The fragrance names and labels are really fun and quirky, while the scents are reallllly lovely. Plus, each candle is made by a member of their all female or gender nonconforming staff, so you know this is a candle brand that truly cares.
My scent recommendations:
- Paloma
- Cannabis — no, it doesn’t smell like weed! Instead it’s a gorgeous mix of lavender, sandalwood, bergamot, lemon and made with CBD oil. Trust me, it’s gooood.
- Boyfriend jeans
- Cozy vibes
Sukie’s Candles
And last, but definitely not least is Sukie’s Candles. Each of these premium soy wax candles is made-to-order and individually hand poured… and the fragrances!! OMG the fragrances. The scents are infused with essential oils and are SO GOOD. Whenever I order from them and my package arrives, I immediately know without seeing the label because the scents are so strong (in the best way). When our old house was on the market, these were the candles I burned to make sure it smelled the absolute best for viewings. And now that we live in a cabin with -ahem- odor problems, they’ve been really helpful in making our home smell better. And lastly, these candles burn extremely well thanks to a double wick.
My scent recommendations:
Do you have a favorite small business that you support for small batch candles?? I’d love to find more brands to support, so leave a comment and let me know!
