I better start this blog post with an admission: I’ve never made a candle. Despite selling thousands (and keeping even more for myself) every year, I’ve not once explored the craft of creating candles myself. Yes it’s a travesty but in my defence I have the pleasure of enjoying the creations of the world’s top scented candle makers every day.
However, not all of you out there will be as lazy with your candle addiction as I am. For those of you interested in learning the skills needed to craft your own home fragrance collection, the guy’s behind cult London candle brand Earl of East have written a beautiful new book to help you.
Niko and Paul began making candles in 2014, first as a hobby, and then as a side hustle. Over the years since, their company Earl of East has grown into an internationally recognised brand stocked in over 200 locations worldwide. Here at Osmology, we discovered the brand in its infancy and have proudly sold their range of candles since 2016.
The Earl of East team, which has grown from two and now numbers 15, run beginner candle making lessons from their London workshop. These classes, often sell outs, lead to the idea of creating the new book as a way to help even more people learn the craft of candle creation.
The book lends itself to being a coffee table tome thanks to its beautiful imagery, shot and styled by Anna Batchelor and Tamineh Dhondy. You’d be forgiven for just wanting to look at it, flicking through its pages on wet Sunday afternoons when the sofa becomes your partner in cosy crime.
Except, that would be a disservice to the skill in which Niko and Paul lead you through the candle creation journey. Their passion for candle making sings out of the pages, infusing you with the same enthusiasm for the craft. Trust me, you’ll be shopping for a double-boiler before you know it!
Nowadays, the internet has made learning new skills much easier. But, as my ever growing recipe book collection can attest, there’s beauty in learning from books. The Scented Candle Workshop is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn a new craft or be inspired to begin designing their own candle collection.
As well as the basic steps required to prepare and pour candles at home, Niko and Paul include a fascinating exploration into the art of building scent. They also share the secrets behind the beautiful smelling candles they design and create within their studio.
The Scented Candle Workshop is now available at all good bookshops.
