Tara Sofia Scented Candles - progress update

Hello friends & readers!

First of all – apologies for not posting for a few weeks. There has been a lot going on and unfortunately the blog has suffered temporarily. However I promise, we are now back on track!

Over the past few weeks I have taken a “break” from creating artwork as I wanted to concentrate on getting my candles into production. I was coming to the realisation that simultaneously working to establish myself as an artist, as well as manufacturing candles from scratch was spreading myself a little too thin so I needed to really concentrate on one thing at a time.

Regarding the candles, I am thrilled to say that I am getting there!!!  It has taken several months to research potential suppliers and weigh them up – making the final decisions of who to proceed with feels like a huge leap into the unknown but hopefully I have made good choices. I have been speaking to some really great suppliers who have been wonderful at offering advice and suggestions to a ‘newbie’ like myself, as well as suppliers who have shown a real willingness to deal with small, new businesses which is great. As this is my first production run I wanted to keep numbers as small as possible – both from logistical point of view and also so that I can really focus on optimum quality. This has meant I lack some of the 'clout' to really negotiate prices, but hopefully in time the candles will be amazingly successful and I will be able to improve my buying costs in the future. 

As a true designer at heart I am determined to avoid having to compromise any of the design elements as much as possible. I want my products to reflect the same passion that I put into my artwork - created with attention to every last little detail. So as a quick (or maybe not so quick) overview, here is where we are up to on the various components:

 

CANDLE GLASS

My glass vessels are now on order from the factory. I knew exactly the kind of glass finish I wanted, but really struggled to find a UK based manufacturer. Most scented candle brands use a very standard type of glass and I knew I needed something that would stand out from the crowd. After weeks and weeks of searching, I found a glass supplier who has offices and factories in both the UK and Far East, who have been brilliant at achieving exactly what I was after. If you follow me on instagram (@tara_sofia) there is a sneaky preview of what the candle glass looks like and I really am so happy with them. The pale gold metallic effect is perfect, and will look so elegant and beautiful when the candles are lit.

 

BRANDING

The branding of a product has huge importance, so again I knew I wanted something different. A lot of luxury scented candle brands just use a pretty standard paper sticker on their candles. What is exciting about a plain paper sticker? When you are paying £40+ for a scented candle, you aren’t just paying for a scent. You want the whole thing to be an ornament in itself, to accent your home. I wanted the branding to be part of the candle’s aesthetic, so again followed many weeks of searching and many weeks of getting absolutely nowhere! Eventually I came across a wonderful supplier who can produce amazingly intricate name plates made of embossed copper which look stunning against the gold metallic glass. They are pretty pricey but I think they are totally worth it, and add a real element of majesty to the candles.

I have designed 2 options for an updated logo, to really make the most of the name plate and these are currently being sampled. No advance pictures of this unfortunately – have to save something for the big reveal!

 
FRAGRANCES

The fragrances for this collection were massively important for me to get right. Many candle fillers had a selection of stock fragrances that they were offering. Typical ‘people pleasers’ of lavender, vanilla, gardenia, etc – all lovely scents and very popular but nothing really different about them.  What I am trying to create with this collection is something new and exciting – scents that you smell and love but not because you can immediately identify them. I wanted complicated scents that hypnotise and excite you into trying to solve the mystery of what notes they include. I wanted fragrances that would trigger memories and nostalgia, as well as a feeling of magical fantasy. So, not asking for much really J
My candle range is inspired by a limted edition collection of artworks I created, which were my own personal indulgence.  So, I liaised with one of the world’s leading fragrance houses to develop 4 wonderfully unique and indulgent scents, each one based on a different one of my artworks.

The scents are currently undergoing tests with the wax – an extremely crucial part of the process. I want to include the highest possible percentage of fragrance in each candle, to create a wonderfully intoxicating aroma as they burn. However, adding too much fragrance can cause candles to burn inefficiently so I am working hard to get this balance perfectly right.

 

PACKAGING

Ahhh the packaging!! The thorn in my side since this project began. Originally I assumed this would be the simplest component… how wrong I was! My biggest problem has been the quantities I was looking at. I wanted 4 different box designs (one for each fragrance), rather than a generic box for all as so many other candle brands do. I wanted the packaging to be an extension of the appeal of the product, rather than an afterthought. This of course caused the price of them to skyrocket, making them almost as expensive as the candle itself to produce. Not ideal!

After numerous tweaks and endless contacts, I have finally found a supplier in the UK who can produce the quantities I need at a competitive price – woohoo! I am going to use my exclusive embossed copper name plate on the box as well as the glass, which I think will make a great visual impact.

 

So that was my candle update! If you are interested in more information on any of the elements I have mentioned above, please feel free to comment, email (tara@tarasofia.com) or send me a tweet (@Tara_Sofia). Once the candles are ready I will be doing some serious giveaways so make sure you are signed up to receive information about them! 
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