For a relatively small item, candles are capable of doing a lot of work. From luxurious splurges to soy pillars, there are so many candles to choose from. There are more Black people entering the home decor industry than ever before, so we’ve rounded up some great Black-owned candle companies you can support to add a variety of scents to your collection or to use as a gift to a special someone in your life.
Harlem Candle Company
Harlem Candle Company sells complex, enticing scents in elegant containers you’ll wanna leave out long after they’ve burned up. Founded in 2014 by travel and lifestyle expert Teri Johnson, the Harlem Candle Company is the manifestation of her love affair with fragrance, jazz, and Harlem. As a child, Johnson grew obsessed with her favorite aunt’s collection of exotic perfumes and travel stories, planting the seed for her own relationship with travel and fragrances. “Each candle is specially handcrafted using a soy wax blend, and is infused with one-of-a-kind fragrance oils developed by a team of globally recognized expert perfumers,” says Johnson on their website. “Our mission is to continually capture the beauty and essence of Harlem of yesterday and today, as we illuminate spaces around the world with our soft, glows, and exquisite scents.”
La Boticá
La Boticá Studios is a conceptual brand and niche fragrance house providing curated, luxury, and sustainable products for the intentional self-care ritual. They source indigenous ingredients from South America that give reverence to the earth. It’s inspired by the gallery space, contemporary minimalist design, and Afro-Dominican culture. La Boticá creates and develops a range of sustainable, intentional objects of home fragrance, perfume, and incense. Founder Dawn Marie West is a native to Queens, New York and has been working in art direction and photography for over 13 years. Her extensive fine art photography background and her Afro-Dominican & African American culture is the foundation of her brand. La Boticá’s “Casablanca” candle will transport you to a desert in Morocco for approximately 75 hours.
Forvr Mood
Jackie Aina is a Nigerian-born American and is a former US Army veteran turned beauty mogul. Aina became a leading beauty content creator on YouTube since the 2000’s and she launched her candle brand Forvr Mood in 2020. She has launched several collections including a Christmas collection. Recently, Forvr Mood has launched room sprays. “We want to give you the products to live this new narrative out loud. We want to bring you self-care. We want to bring you luxury. We want to spoil you,” says Ain on her website. “As a brand, we’re writing a love letter from Black women, to Black women. We’re rewriting our narrative together.”
House of 40
House of 40’s peony and magnolia “Blossom” candle is handmade in New York and is a sweet reminder that warmer weather is on the horizon. The products are handmade in New York with only the highest quality ingredients, finished in a beautiful box, gift-wrapped with black and white ribbon for the customer’s pleasure. As a gift to herself for her 40th birthday, creator Kim Fung-Richberg shared her candles with friends, and from there, the brand House Of 40 began. “Each candle is individually blended, wicked, labeled, poured, and boxed by hand,” says Fung-Richberg on the website. “The inspiration for each candle in my collection came from words in various mantras that helped keep me happy during this special transition in my life.”
Mama And Flame
LaShette Pennington is the brains and beauty behind Mama+Flame. The candles can burn for more than 50+ hours and the brand has aroma melts and sprays. “My goal is to ignite your space with that same energy. Whether you’re entertaining or need a pick me up after a long day, each Mama+Flame candle is tailored to bring you on an aromatic journey that creates a good ass vibe,” said Pennington on her website.
Alexandra Winbush
Brittany Winbush, creator of the wellness brand Alexandra Winbush, launched in 2018 as a small business dedicated to wellness and self-care. American actress, writer, and producer Issa Rae’s favorite candle from this brand is September Sixth. “We want our products to create an uplifting environment with positive energy. In addition to the products creating the atmosphere in these spaces, we aim to close the wellness gap by creating a community for our customers,” said Winbush on the website
