CANDLE MAKING STEP 1: THE SELECTION PROCESS!

In under six months, we have managed to go from candle-making in my kitchen to employing 15 people and filling an entire warehouse! We want to make sure YOU are included in every step of our journey, so let me take you back to where it all began... in that very kitchen!

Choosing the materials for the candles was really important as they needed to be eco-friendly options that were as natural as possible, so the process of trial and error began. First, we started with the wax.

Wax

You may or may not know that I am a songwriter, and originally, I started making candles to accompany an album I was launching called Ancient Winter. The idea was to create a more immersive listening experience by combining senses and creating scents to match the “scenes” of the songs! My first step in this process was to test all different types of waxes.

My kitchen soon became a laboratory! Every surface was covered in candle making supplies. We had pots everywhere, different waxes, vessels, wicks, and fragrances.I first started with soy wax and quickly discovered how temperamental and finicky soy wax is. Soy wax requires an exact melting temperature, often times a different temperature to mix the fragrance, and then a 3rd temperature to pour it for smooth tops.

During this process I discovered that soy wax also triggered headaches in me. I am sensitive to chemicals and sometimes deal with year-round “seasonal” allergies, and soy is one of those things that can trigger a migraine. I also learned that even though soy is often grown and harvested in the USA, most crops are GMO unless specifically stated as organic. Perhaps this is why so many are allergic to soy and perhaps why many get headaches from soy wax.

When I discovered coconut wax, I was beyond elated. Not only was coconut an equally sustainable and renewable source of wax, I also learned it is slower burning, is not usually an allergen for most people, has a cooler burning temperature (meaning, if you get wax on yourself it won’t leave a nasty burn!), and is pet-friendly. Best of all - no headaches! In addition, I found it was almost impossible to make a bad candle. What a wonderful option!

Most recently we have found a fantastic wax blend of coconut and apricot wax. Apricot! Who knew, right? What’s amazing about this blend is the combination of coconut and apricot creates an even creamier texture, is slightly firmer, and gives off an amazing scent throw in any room (the amount of fragrance that fills a room).

We have chosen not to add any fillers, additives, or dyes to our wax to try and keep our candles as natural as possible. That’s not to say we won’t have fun with colored wax at some point, but we do love natural products whenever possible.

Vessels

Choosing vessels for our main candle collection was primarily an aesthetic choice. In reality, any glass jar would do the trick from a functional perspective, but Mythologie Candles is not about function! We’re about magic and fantasy and fun!

So that means we needed the right look and feel for our candles to become more than just a candle - it needs to become a piece of your home decor that you’re proud of, for that reason, we chose amber glass vessels.

Amber glass has a moody, antique vibe and truly gives a special ambiance when you see a flame light it up. In the future, we will have fun branching out into more types of vessels and creating the perfect ambiance will always be the most important part of that decision-making process!

Labels

We really played around with how we wanted our labels to look. We love what we have now, but I’m sure we will continue to perfect it over time. The important elements we wanted to include on our full-size candle was our brand name, the title of the candle (obviously), and the mood description.

The reason I wanted to add a mood description was because in my initial candle business research phase, I bought from many different candle companies and took voracious notes. I bought candles based on what I thought I would enjoy, and oftentimes when I received it there was no information reminding me of what the scent was or why I bought it.

I learned from that. I thought -- I want our customers to remember the reason this candle appealed to them, read and experience the exact mood they are wanting to evoke through this scent! So we made sure to add that to our labels.

Wicks

When I decided to create Mythologie Candles, I knew right away we needed crackling wooden wicks. I had only experienced wooden wick candles from a large corporate company and of course it didn’t have the personal touch, the love, or the aesthetic and unique scents I was craving.

Adding a crackling wooden wick truly added to the ambiance of these candles! It sounds like a quiet miniature fireplace. Combined with the right scent and vessel, it creates the perfect atmosphere.

From their first creation, our candles have always been about invoking an atmosphere of magic and enchantment and that is reflected in our creative process. Each candle, from the materials through to the scents and mood are inspired by the world of fantasy and folklore. We want your home to be YOUR CASTLE and decorated as such.

Read what Step 2 in the manufacturing process entails!