I’ve always been obsessed with my space smelling nice, but stay at home life has propelled my love candles to a new level. Near the end of 2020, I committed myself to shopping only Black owned brands for my candles. It was an area that I shop in a lot, and simultaneously an area that I could realistically hold myself to the vow of supporting small, Black-owned businesses. I’ve amassed quite the collection, so I’m sharing my thoughts on 10 Black-owned candle companies you should know. Some of these were already mentioned in my post about holiday candles, but some are new. I have a candle from every brand on this list, so I can’t recommend these Black owned candles enough!
Isle of Wax
These tropical scented candles come in actual shells to remind you of the feeling of laying out on the beach. These candles are pretty affordable and have a strong scent to permeate the room. I’ve tried “Coconut, “A Day at the Spa”, “St. Lucia” and “The Carribean Sea” and you can’t go wrong with any of them. You can clean out and repurpose the shells once the candle is finished.
Forvr Mood
If you know and love Jackie Aina, you probably already know about her candle brand. It launched in the middle of last year, and has been bringing the heat with each launch ever since. The candle names are witty, the packaging is luxe, the burn time is long, and the scents are very unique and most importantly STRONG. I’ve owned every single candle that the brand has ever launched, and while everyones scent preference is different, I love “Cuffing Season” and “Grown Folks Business” the most. I’d recommend “Matcha Business” or “Hey Big Head” as candles to light during the work day to give the vibe of a café while you’re at home.
Cavo Candles
Cavo creates candles based on experiences and provides playlists to match. Their wash day candle smells like fruity hair product goodness and I absolutely love saving this for wash day. It gives me something to look forward to because otherwise I dread the process of having to wash my hair. They’ve also got another candle called “after a good cry” and I can’t wait to see this brand grow because I’m such a huge fan of the concept and the scents!
The Koop NYC
The Koop NYC creates luxury candles with scents and titles that remind of me of my favorite New York City moments and places. A lot of their candles tend to sell out fast which is a testament to how great they are. I have “Golden Hour” and it smells like the most calming, enchanting scent for a Sunday afternoon when you want to relax with that golden hour feel. It looks like this scent is sold out for now, but there are plenty of others that will do the trick!
Glo Through It
This brand was founded in the middle of quarantine last year and I am so glad that it was. The wooden wick candles provide a soothing crackling sound, as if you were at a fireplace or campfire. The scents are lovely, but I love the packaging the most. Each candle comes with a message to provide inspiration and hope in the mayhem of it all. My favorite candle (and state of mind) is “Peace.” The eucalyptus peppermint scented candle is great to have on right before bed to soothe and clarify.
Flickerwick (via Kaiem)
Kaiem is an online marketplace that sells all kinds of products made in Africa. Flickerwick candles are available on the site. The scents are long lasting and the candles are on the more affordable end.
Liha
Liha is a UK-based body care brand that is inspired by the founders’ Yoruba culture *flips hair*. If you’re in the mood for a complete experience, in addition to the Queen Idia candle to set the mood, show your body some love with the Idan Oil and Ivory Shea butter.
Skn Muse
Skn Muse is another body care brand that branched out into the territory of candles to give you the full self care experience. Everything about this brand is LUXE. The prices may reflect that as this brand is a little bit more on the high end, but believe me when I tell you it is so worth it. Their Tonka and Oud candle is one of my favorite scents. While you’re at it, do yourself a favor and try out their body butter and body oil too.
Dayiti & Co
This Black owned candle brand has you covered for unique candles in the form of bodies of various sizes and shapes. It looks so good that I don’t even want to light it. But if you’re looking to light the candle, the brand also sells coasters to catch the melted wax as it drops.
Harlem Candle Company
Harlem Candle Company is a luxury candle brand based out of New York. But Harlem isn’t just the location of the company, it’s also embedded in the brand. Each candle is named after an important person, place, or theme in Harlem history. So check out this candle brand because you might learn a thing or two about Harlem history.
That’s a wrap for this post! If you know of some Black owned candles that weren’t on this list, leave the name of it in the comments! I’d love to support it.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119: 105
