CANDLE COMFORT WITH 'THE SOY CANDLE SHOP'

AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE, BEAUTIFUL CANDLES.

Candles are more than just a fragrant piece of decor. They have multiple benefits, which have been particularly useful since the pandemic began. Not only do they smell and look lovely when lit, they can also effect the way we feel. Candles and our sense of smell play an important role in the physiological effects of mood, stress and working capacity. Their scents can help to create specific feelings in the body. 

They can help create ambience, whether in the bath, in the bedroom or centred on the dining table, they can enhance and change the way we feel in a space. Their aromas can help calm the mind and have been proven to help with various psychological and physiological disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. It's also been found that their scents can improve our mood and enhance memory, some scents have been proven to lower cortisol- the hormone released when under stress, and also activate chemicals in the brain including dopamine and serotonin- known as our 'happy' or 'feel good' hormones. They can help when getting a restful sleep, relaxing and reflecting. Unwind and relax.

Many candles are now being made with Soy. Soy wax is made from environmentally friendly, renewable resources; whereas classic paraffin wax is made from petroleum and is non-renewable. While all candles emit some black soot while burning, candles made from soy wax burns cleaner and results in less soot.

I spoke to Chanelle Massahood, the creator and owner of candle company 'TheSoyCandleShop' to find out more about her business, process and creations.

IN CONVERSATION WITH CHANELLE MASSAHOOD:

"I'm Chanelle from West London, I'm 31 years old. I studied event management at university but didn’t end up doing anything with it. I have a full time work as a senior Duty Manager and Reception Manager at a private members health club. I have a mini husky who is a cutie. I started ‘TheSoyCandleShop’ in the lockdown and I love it."

Why did you start this business? What inspired you?
CHANELLE: “I never wanted my own business if I'm completely honest. Everyone in my family has their own business and I use to think I could never do it. When lockdown hit I started to question what I could do to make more money. I was watching my church service and it came to me to try to make candles.”

Tell us about the journey?
CHANELLE: “Once I had the idea of candles I brought a starter pack from amazon to see if I enjoyed it. I loved making them. I loved learning about it and making different types of candles, but I was very hard on myself at the start which I learnt to stop doing. Making candles is easy once you learn but it’s not as straight forward as it looks, and I learn that by watching YouTube videos and reading up on issues that may arise. I didn’t tell many people at all about the business, I was very nervous about what people would think, would people like them, what if they aren’t great. Finally I send a message out and the response was INCREDIBLE I couldn’t believe it. As it was coming up to Christmas I was so busy with orders and so grateful. I was working my 8hours a day at work then coming home and making candles."

Did you do this prior to COVID-19 or as a result of it?
CHANELLE: “In the first lockdown I trained a lot. Every day and walked a lot with the dog. I loved it and I'm a homely person so enjoyed being at home, but after the second one I started to worry if my job would be effected and how could I make money and stay at home.”

What’s your goal? Do you hope to open a shop/ grow the business?
CHANELLE: “I would love to have my own shop and be able to not work full time. I realised during lockdown that life is too short to work all day every day. I want to enjoy life and be able to do things I love like travel, weekend breaks, lunches, dinners etc. I did have an opportunity to open a small shop in surrey but I thought it was too soon and a very big jump. It’s still there and hopefully soon I’m able to do so.”

Why candles? What are the benefits of them?
CHANELLE: “Candles is something I love. I love that when you walk in the house you can have any smell you want. It helps with anxiety ( which I struggle with sometimes) it helps with lack of sleep, it helps so much that it’s a no brainer for people to have them.”

Why did you choose Soy? How do your candles differ to others on the market?
CHANELLE: “Soy is environmentally friendly, it has less smoke and less toxins which are better for you. I wanted to make them as safe as possible and make sure it was something I would buy and I only by soy wax. My candles are different because I ensure the smell is amazing. I take pride in my candles and I honestly really care about my client’s wants and needs.”

What’s the production/ making process like? How are they made?
CHANELLE: “Everything in made in my kitchen so when I say homemade I mean homemade! I weigh out the wax on the scales, place in a metal jug and place in a pan with water, I wait for the wax to melt. Once melted I get the thermometer out and place it in the wax. Depending on what wax I'm using I poor scent in at different temperatures. While the wax is cooling I prepare the container or mould by putting the wick in. Once cool and the scent has been added I pour the wax in and let it cool naturally on the dining table.”

Tell us more about the naked body candles? Why did you choose this design? Do you feel strongly about female empowerment?
CHANELLE: “I love the bodies they are my favourite. When I started the company I knew I wanted it to cater for ALL women and all people! Different sizes, shapes and colours. Women empowerment is very important to me. I believe women should never be ashamed of their body no matter what shape, size or colour it is and it should be something we are proud of. A lot of us grow up comparing and worrying and I was one of them. As I get older I am learning to love ME! And with the body candles I wanted people to know that we will always cater for all women!”

What has this process taught you about setting up a business? Any tips or things you’d do differently?
CHANELLE: “The process has been fun and I am very lucky to have people in my life that have business to help along the way. I actually got myself a mind-set and business coach and it was the best thing I did. It gave me accountability and someone to brain dump on. The advice I will give to someone is ENJOY IT! Don’t nit-pick everything. Have fun with it and make sure you remember you loved it at one point because you can get lost in it all and forget the ‘what’ and the ‘why’."

How can people purchase and have a look at what you offer?
CHANELLE: “My Instagram is @thesoycandleshop and my Etsy is www.etsy.com/shop/TheSoyCandleShopCo.”