Over the past twelve months one of the industries that has rocketed is home candles. There has been a never-ending roll call of new companies all promising that theirs was the greenest or the most luxurious, but it often just felt like the latest in a deluge of imitations and opportunism. From a kitchen counter through to industrial units, everyone seemed to be having a go. However, in amongst the “newness” there were also some established gems waiting to be discovered, and one such company is Keap Candles. Based in New York, I can honestly say that I was blown away by both the scents and the story.
The company began life in 2015 as a Kickstarter campaign launched by Stephen Tracy and Harry Doull. At the time both were working for Google and had relocated to New York, but this was also the period when the discussion around the ingredients that went into candles was beginning to be a hot topic. They’d looked into it themselves when they were searching for a new scent for their Brooklyn apartment, and weren’t particularly happy with what they found, so decided to develop their own range. The original Kickstarter response dramatically exceeded their target, and so they realised that an environmentally conscious candle brand had potential.
Such was the success of the trial that Stephen and Harry both left their jobs and committed fully to Keap Candles, but there was still the issue of the fragrances. In a remarkable twist of fate, they were introduced to the incredible perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, and it truly was the perfect match. Christophe had originally trained as a chemist before moving into perfumery, and his talent had always been making the ordinary exciting and the unattainable achievable. He would go on to create all of the company’s candle scents, and these continue to grow with special limited editions that are exclusively for their subscribers.
All of the full size candles can obviously be purchased on their own, and they've got a fantastic sample set available to help you choose your favourite, but there’s also the option of the subscription. Now many companies have tried to offer this service in the past but it never felt particularly curated. That is until Keap Candles came along. You either have the option to specify your own fragrances or you take up the Seasonal Scent package. The latter means that you’re sent season specific candles, so it takes the pressure out of choosing. All of them are genuinely amazing, but Green Market is true aromatic perfection.
The candle was inspired by Sunday walks through the local farmer’s market, so you get a beautiful combination of freshly cut cucumber mixing with bunches of basil and mint. However, you’re then treated to hints of hyacinth and lilac from the flower stall, which are surrounded by suculent leaves and tied with vetiver string. It also brought to mind country house herb gardens, where plants literally tumble over each other as they bloom and seed, so you have that wonderful feeling of space. With many of us still working from home, Green Market really makes it feel as if the door is open and the scents of a welcoming garden are quietly drifting in.
All of the candles are available from the Keap Candles website at keapbk.com priced at $49.50 on their own or $39.50 with a subscription, and the sample set is $24 for all eight scents. You can also click on the image below to read my “Stephan's Six” interview with Christophe Laudamiel from 2018. [Candles provided by Stephen Tracy]
These candles sound great and look great. But they don't ship to the UK! Disappointed.
ReplyDeleteHello Lynn, you're right that the subscription is designed for the American market, but it might be worth emailing the company and see whether they could ship to the UK. Best, Stephan
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