One of my favourite things about having a bit of a following on social media is being about to crowdsource information, like the best veggie restaurants in Copenhagen, what headphones you’d recommend and what podcasts I should listen to. I recently asked you guys what soy wax candles you’d recommend, after getting saddened by the dearth of ‘home comforts’ at my boyfriend’s place.
Candles are a bit of a cliché when it comes to self care, but I have to say, I really, really feel better when I have a bunch of candles lit. I think it’s something to do with dedicating that time to myself, which I don’t often do in London – once a candle’s lit, that’s it, it’s ‘me-time’.
Anyway, I also wanted to support some small businesses and start-ups, but sadly can’t buy from all of them, so I thought I’d share with you some of the recommendations!
All of the below brands are vegan, eco-friendly, cruelty free small businesses. From what I can tell, they are all handmade, often by people with other jobs, such as NHS workers and students. I think they’ve all done an amazing job and I hope you agree! 🙂 Let me know if you buy from any of these companies- I’d love to feature you on my Instagram!
The Good Aura Company was set up to create candles that melt evenly, and are made from a natural soy wax designed with specially blended scents created to actually last once lit. Each candle and wax melt is hand poured by us in house and are vegan and cruelty free.
Handmade in the Lake District, Shmood provides sustainable and natural candles at an affordable price point. All ingredients are locally sourced and the candles smell divine! Each candle purchase also donates 50p to Mind charity.
If you’re looking for a fancy candle that’s also zero-waste and eco-friendly, look no further. A portion of the profits also go to charities such as Black Minds Matter and Fare Share UK. The packaging is made from 100% recycled glass and all packaging is made from recycled paper.
From the founder: “The Eco Witch Co. candles have been created with both environmental and ecological consideration at the heart of the making process. Each candle is based on a positive intention which an individual may wish to draw into their life and every material element of the candle can be repurposed once it has burnt down. Hand poured from soy wax and scented with essential and fragrance oils that are both vegan and cruelty-free, you can enjoy a candle by The Eco Witch Co. with the knowledge that it has been created with thought and care, leaving minimal impact on the Earth.”
Feu is a super small candle business based in Manchester who use crackling wood wicks, natural soy wax and a unique blend of fragrances. All the design and packaging was sourced or created in the hopes that all aspects of Feu can be used around your home, whilst burning your candle and after it’s finished!
From the founder: “PAUSE aims to be a reminder to slow down. In this hectic, mad world we live in, it’s so easy to get caught up in the frantic twirl of everyday life and responsibilities. We forget to take mindful time to ourselves and we overlook the importance of caring for the places we spend most time in, in a way that they feel clean, safe, welcoming.
“It was both as a reminder to ourselves and the wish to reach out in small ways and help other people that PAUSE was born 🧡
“Personally, making candles and running a small business has been a wonderful tool in helping me deal with depression and anxiety. It gives me a sense of purpose and allows me to pour love into my craft.”
From the founder: “My fiancé and I started this upcycling program earlier this year. Our goal was to reduce the amount of bottles going into the landfills. Living in Hawaii we’ve learned to become more sustainable and have done our best to reduce our eco footprint. We partnered up with local bars and restaurants on Oahu and collect all their empty bottles. We basically dumpster dive! We then turn each bottle into beautifully handcrafted candles with hand poured all natural soy wax, scented with our intoxicating scents”
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