As the weather gets colder, you might consider lighting a candle to set the mood. But for various reasons you might not want to play with fire—that’s where candle wax warmers come in.
First things first: What’s a candle wax warmer? It distributes scents with a heat source other than an open flame, such as an electric light or a lamp. Some wax warmers include a dish for melting wax cubes, while others simply warm up jar candles on a hot plate. Many also include a removable dish so you can use them for wax cubes or jar candles.
Why choose a wax warmer? Well, wax melts absorb heat at a slower rate than candles with an open flame, making them a more cost-effective option in the long run, and you can adjust the strength of your scent by adding more melts to the heating dish. Wax warmers are also a mess-free choice compared to scented candles—ever find soot or wick residue on your walls months after lighting up a candle? And of course, open flames can be dangerous when unattended, which isn’t a problem with wax warmers. Best of all, they have one for every fragrance and season: You might choose fall candles, such as a pumpkin candle when the temperatures dip or a Christmas candle when the holidays begin.
If you’re ready to see the light, read on for the best candle wax warmers you can buy today.
Scentsationals Charleston Scented Wax Warmer
$15
Maybe you’re worried you won’t get the ambiance of a traditional flame with a wax warmer. Let this one ease your mind: The 25-watt light produces a soft glow when you add wax melts to the dish.
Add this charming ceramic warmer to your Pioneer Woman collection. Form meets function: It includes timed settings so you can melt wax cubes for two, four, or eight hours.
The Bath and Body Works Annual Sale reminds us of another opportunity to support black-owned candle and bath essentials companies
If you were near a Bath and Body Works this weekend, you might have seen the super long lines with holiday shoppers taking advantage of its amazing annual Holiday sale featuring $10 candles that normally sell for close to $30.
Actually, you might have been in that line.
According to reports, the beauty, skin and body essentials company sold out of its online offerings forcing customers to have to visit the retail stores to get the deal.
Because we are still in the year of the death of George Floyd which triggered a renewed interest in elevating, promoting and recognizing, finally, black-owned businesses, the sold out situation presents an excellent opportuntiy to once again consider candle brands and companies that are among the group of biz owners that are traditionally undercapitalized, under appreciated, under represented.
As such, I compiled a list of over 48 black-owned candle makers for you to consider patronizing this year.
Some of these brands overlap with companies that Harper’s Bazaar, Allure, Cosmo, NY Mag, The Zoe Report, 21 NinetyandEllemagazines put in their profiles of Black-Owned Candle makers this Summer and Early Fall back when it was quite fashionable and en vogue to spotlight Black makers in the US, Canada, the UK and globally.
Let’s keep up the energy.
About the Candle Makers
I did take a cursory review of many of the companies. I only shared an image from their Instagram page for convenience and to quickly put this post together.
However, you can access a link to their websites to purchase and you will see who makes their candles in their homes in small batches, who actually delivers locally, who sells at upcoming craft fairs, virtual and in person, and who delivers beyond their country’s borders.
Some, like the ones featured in the major fashion magazines this past Summer and Fall, have appeared on Oprah’s annual Favorite things list.
More Reasons to Support
And don’t think because they are small that the candles will be expensive. Some start at just $5 and others are luxury priced but worth it.
Also, for people who are mindful of essential oils that can be toxic to burn, and allergies to materials in many candles, quite a few of these brands are careful about using toxic dyes, perfumes and other allergenic materials.
They hand pour.
They test.
They scale.
Here is a compilation of Black-owned candle makers in the US and Canada for you to consider patronizing this year.
They come recommended by some of the 38K members of Arsha Jones’ Build, Brand and Launch Facebook group.
I’ll add more as I discover them and I will update this post with local cities where this makers are currently located.
The companies are listed in random order and not by order of rank and I have reviewed none personally yet but did not want that to stop this list from getting out there especially this weekend.
