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Everyone loves an underdog, and Gardenia turned out to be just that.  When we set out to create our newest scent, we did not have Gardenia in mind.  In fact it wasn't even on the list of scents we were considering.  That didn't stop us from falling for this scent though as it won us over through one happy accident after another.

We knew we wanted to start new year with a new scent.  Something light, and fresh.  Since our latest new scent - Thai Basil & Cucumber - was a green, herbal scent, we thought we'd go a different route and work on a new floral fragrance.  We work with a number of boutique fragrance houses and we asked them for lighter, softer florals that would pair well with something clean and fresh like a water note or some bright citrus.  Along the way though, we received some Gardenia oil by mistake.  It's rich, heady floral was too heavy for what we were working on, but we knew there was something there worth revisiting so we set it aside for use in another scent down the road.

Apparently we didn't set it far enough aside.  While test-pouring some other fragrances, we accidentally grabbed the Gardenia oil too.  Instantly the scent of lush gardenias filled our studio.  Again, we loved the scent, but it wasn't what we set out to create, so we set the test candles aside to be burned at home or gifted to friends and family.  

They never left the studio though and instead of "out of sight, out of mind" the Gardenia candles remained front and center.  We just couldn't escape them and the scent was intoxicating.  We found ourselves becoming more excited about the eventual introduction of Gardenia than we were of the imminent launch of the lighter floral we set out to create.

We realized that our next scent was literally right in front of our noses, and with a few minor tweaks it was ready - just in time for Spring.  So we give you Gardenia, our new fragrance that captures the rich, floral scent of lush, white Gardenia blossoms in full bloom.  We know you'll enjoy it just as much as we do.  Even if florals aren't your thing, or you typically gravitate towards lighter, fresher scents, give it a try.  We're confident it'll win you over just as it did us.  

Come join us for special discounted pricing at these Chicago area summer festivals:

Spring One of a Kind Show
April 29th - May 1st
Merchandise Mart

Do Division
June 3rd - 5th
Division St, from Damen to Leavitt

Andersonville Midsommarfest
June 10th - 12th
Clark St, from Foster to Catalpa 

Taste of Randolph Street
June 17th - 19th
Randolph St, from Peoria to Racine

Taste of River North
July 22nd - 24th
Ward Park, at Kingsbury & Erie

Northalsted Market Days
August 13th - 14th
Halsted St, from Belmont to Addison

 

Here at Chandler Candle Co., we're always working on new scents.  Sometimes, we're working on a scent that's bedeviled us for months or even years (we're looking at you, Pumpkin Chai Tea!)  In other cases, we're responding to popular demand - like with our Tobacco and Mediterranean Fig scented candles.  Lately though, we've just been tinkering with some scents just for the fun of it.

After another busy Holiday Season filled with warm, and spicy scents, we found ourselves yearning for the lighter, fresher scents of spring.  We've been especially drawn to green, herbal scents - we just love the smell of a sunny and vibrant patch of garden!  Just a whiff from a small windowsill herb garden is enough to sweep away the grey clouds of winter and bring back memories of warmer days.

While experimenting with some new herbal scents, we kept reaching for this wonderfully aromatic Thai Basil oil.  Fresh and green, with a slightly peppery bite - it was everything we craved!  We tried pairing it with all of our go-tos:  florals, herbals, citruses... but nothing really clicked.  On a whim, we mixed in some cucumber - another scent we love but haven't found a place for - and we knew were on to something special.  Very quickly, it became clear that our latest obsession was a real winner and with a few finishing touches, our newest scented candle, Thai Basil & Cucumber, was born!

Just in time for spring, we're excited to introduce this new, herbal scent.  It's a sweet, refreshing blend of spicy Thai Basil and cool cucumber, balanced by notes of mint and melon, and is just the thing to get you thinking about the warmer days ahead.  Try it today and find yourself transported to your own sunny patch of garden.  

Photo Courtesy of The Stiles Files

House Beautiful loves our Fresh Cut Grass scented Candle! "Light this simple beauty on the gray days of winter as a reminder that spring will soon come again."  We couldn't agree more!  Here at Chandler Candle Co. we wholeheartedly believe in the power of scent to improve your mood and lift your spirits.  When we find ourselves stuck in the winter doldrums, we reach for our Spring and Summer favorites to cheer things up.  Our soft Floral Scents and green, fresh Herbal Scents are just the thing to brighten anyone's day!  

Falling leaves, dropping temps, infiniti scarves, Ugg boots...  it's official:  fall has arrived.  Along with these telltale signs fall also brings that quintessential seasonal favorite:  Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Yes, the PSL is back, along with it's ever-expanding assortment of Pumpkin Spice products in everything from candy to conditioner.  Last year we noted how another candle company was offering eleven(!) different Pumpkin-scented candles.  While we can probably  agree that's too many, we here at Chandler Candle Co. Had too few.  Actually , we had none - and our customers couldn't understand why.

Last fall we wrote to explain why we didn't have a Pumpkin Spice candle.  It turns out that while the spice is pretty easy to nail down, the pumpkin part is really tricky.  We searched high and low, sampling countless pumpkin oils, but they all smelled too sweet or artificial - which helps explain why so many pumpkin scented things smell so terrible.  While we couldn't find the right scent, we vowed to keep looking and asked you to keep waiting.

The wait is over.

After an exhaustive search we finally found the perfect pumpkin scent.  It's rich and creamy, but not too sweet.  We also took our time finding the perfect spice scent to pair with it and, after lots of experimentation, we decided on a spicy chai tea.  We love how the bold blend of spice notes play with the richness of the pumpkin.  It's a wonderful, seasonal combination that is classic without being cliché. 

We've spent more man-hours on creating our new Pumpkin Chai Tea candle than any of our other scents.  It's truly been a labor of love, and we hope you'll smell the difference in these candles when you burn them this fall - and for many falls to come!

Come join us for special street festival pricing at these Chicago area summer fests:

Do Division
May 29th - 31st
Division St, from Damen to Leavitt

Andersonville Midsommarfest
June 12th - 14th
Clark St, from Foster to Catalpa 

Taste of Randolph Street
June 19th - 21st
Randolph St, from Peoria to Racine

Taste of River North
July 17th - 19th
Ward Park, at Kingsbury & Erie

Wicker Park Fest
July 25th - 26th
Milwaukee Ave, from North to Paulina 

Northalsted Market Days
August 8th - 9th
Halsted St, from Belmont to Addison

 

 

 

 

Congratulations, you've survived another winter!

Here in Chicago, and across the northern US, we're finally thawing-out after another nasty winter.  The temps are rising, the dirty patches of snow are shrinking, and while it'll still be weeks before we see anything green in our yards there's no denying it - Spring is finally here!

Now, if you're anything like us here at Chandler Candle Co., you've spent a LOT of time hibernating at home - and home kinda smells like hibernating too.  It's time to freshen things up! It might be too early to throw open the windows and air things out, but that's probably for the best.  Let's face it, Spring actually doesn't smell all that great just yet.  So, with that in mind, here are the scented candles we suggest you burn this season while we all wait for Mother Nature to get her act together:

Asian Pear Blossom, Honeysuckle, and Fresh Cut Roses.  Nothing says Spring like flowers and our 3 floral scents are sure to fill your home with the signature smells of the season.  If you really can't wait to bring the fresh, green scents of Spring inside, pair a floral candle with our Fresh Cut Grass scented candle and it'll feel (or at least smell) more like May than March.  

If you hear "Spring" and immediately think "Spring Cleaning", you might prefer our Fresh Linens scented candle.  It smells like fluffy, freshly laundered towels and crisp, clean sheets, and will get you in the mood to clear out the cobwebs and get a fresh start this season.  

Lastly, if want something a little less literal, try our Italian Bergamot candle.  It's a unisex scent whose combination of bright citrus, warm spice, and subtle herbs strikes just the right note - not too strong, not too soft, and just fresh enough without trying too hard.  

 

It's Fall.  The leaves are changing, Halloween is just a few days away, and there are pumpkins everywhere and in everything.  Thanksgiving is still a month away and Christmas shouldn't even be on our radar. Yet, here in the Chandler Candle Co. workshop, the holidays are already here. 

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas...

I know, they're not terribly inspired lyrics, but still, that's what we find ourselves singing to each other as we pour candles this time of year.  In preparation for the holiday shopping season, we've kicked our production into high gear and the air is thick with the rich, warm, spicy scents of the season.  Even now as I write this, it smells like a Christmas tree lot in here as we pour batch after batch of Frasier Fir, our Christmas Tree scented candle, and hands-down top selling holiday candle.

It doesn't stop there.  Yesterday we spent the day pouring Cedar & Spice.  It smells a lot like one of those cinnamon scented boughs of cedar you can pick up at any number of stores during the holidays.  Customers tell me it smells like "Christmas in a candle."  Later this week it'll smell more like a bakery in here when we pour our newest holiday scent, Nutmeg & Clove.  It's warm winter spices are our nod to the many delicious seasonal treats that always have us saving room for dessert.

So, while everyone else is still putting the finishing touches on their Halloween costumes, we're already walking in our own winter wonderland.  It may be too soon for you to even think about the holidays, but they are coming, steadily marching towards us to the beat of a little drummer boy's drum.  Soon enough, when you've swapped the trick-or-treat bag for a red Starbucks cup and you find yourself craving the scents of the season, remember we have just what you need to get into the holiday spirit. 

Recently, we were in Madison, WI for our Chandler Candle Co. Holiday 2014 Photo Shoot and we're SO excited - we just had to share a sneak peak from behind the scenes!

The goal of the trip was to get enough shots to update the look/feel of the photography on our website, promotional materials, and our social media accounts - no small task!  Fortunately, behind the lens was our good friend, and talented photographer, Jerrad Matthew.  He was incredibly generous enough to squeeze us into his tight schedule and  use his super-stylish pad as a backdrop for some really great candle photos.

Because our packaging is so consistent, we really wanted to get some new shots that helped visually differentiate all of our scents by highlighting some of their key notes.  With the cooler weather ahead, we especially wanted to nail down some new photos of our Masculine Scents like our new Tobacco candle.  We also spent a lot of time focused on our Holiday Scents, like our top-selling Frasier Fir candle, and some of our new scents, like Mediterranean Fig.

For the most part, we were able to find props for just about all of our scents, though some required a little extra creativity.  Our Fresh Cut Grass candle proved especially tricky.  Initially we planned to shoot it in the exceptionally green grass outside Jerrad's building (they must water their lawn a lot!), but the photos just kept falling flat.  In the end, we tried shooting the candle with just a few blades of grass and this simple but effective image inspired us to pare down the shots for the rest of the scents.  It meant some last-minute sourcing of props, but in the end it was totally worth it.  We just couldn't be happier with the results!

All-in-all, the trip was a success and we already have some of the photos up on our website. Check 'em out!

From the very beginning, Chandler Candle Co. has been about our customers as much as it has been about our candles.  We love every chance we get to interact with our fans as they sample and fall in love with our scents.  We learned early on that our customers appreciate our passion for creating a quality, hand-made product and with that passion comes questions.  Lots of really good questions. 

One of the most common questions we're asked is "how did you come up with this (insert breathless, complimentary adjective) scent?"  Every scent has a story, but most are too long for the corresponding product pages here on our website.  So, with that in mind, we're going to periodically take a closer look at the story of each scent here on our blog.  First up:  Our newest scent, Tobacco.

We first started Chandler Candle Co. with just 10 scents and quickly began fielding requests for additional scents.  Since then, one of the most requested scents or notes was Tobacco.  Thus began the hunt for a great Tobacco scent - one that would complement our existing candle scents and appeal to our customers' discerning tastes.

Despite the images that usually come to mind when one sees "Tobacco", most tobacco scents are surprisingly sweet and/or floral.  Indeed we've come across many by other brands that smell more like perfume than a smoky study lined with leather-bound books.  Finding a tobacco oil that wasn't too "feminine" was the first challenge.

The second challenge was finding complimentary notes to pair it with.  The winning tobacco oil was still noticeably floral, and still a little one-note at that.  Hoping to mask the floral notes with another soft scent, we first tried adding oils that gave it a nice powdery finish.  After all, we've seen and sampled some great variations on Tobacco & Powder elsewhere.  But that was the problem - we'd seen it done before and besides, it was more unisex than the warm, masculine scent

Instead, we tried more masculine notes like woods and spices.  These combinations yielded great scents - ones we still might one day use - but the tobacco was lost in the other notes.  We really needed something that boosted the warm tones of the tobacco without overpowering it.  Finally, we tried layering in some caramel notes.  Rich, full-bodied, and just sweet enough to compliment the tobacco.  We added little musk to balance it all out, and the end result was a Tobacco scent that was a perfect addition to our collection of masculine scents.

With the long-awaited and eagerly anticipated return of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin season is upon us.  Yes, everyone's favorite squash is back, flavoring and scenting everything from your daily cup of Joe to your shampoo.  Indeed, no edible or scented product seems off-limits these days.  We've all come to expect pumpkin-flavored coffee and baked goods, but it doesn't stop there.  Now there's pumpkin beer, whiskey, and wine.  Pumpkin soaps, lotions, and body scrubs.  Pumpkin candies, chocolates, and snacks.  Pumpkin for your house, your car, your kid, and even your dog.  And, of course, pumpkin candles.

On a recent trip to the mall I wandered into a popular store known for its candles, soaps, and lotions - gotta keep an eye on the competition, right?  Immediately, I was overwhelmed by the number of pumpkin-scented candles.  11 to be exact.  That's right, 11 different pumpkin scents.  They all smelled alike, and by that I mean pretty awful.  Many were too strong and most were too sweet.  All of them smelled really artificial. 

It shouldn't be that hard to create a good pumpkin scent, right?  After all, the pumpkin spice we all know and love is a simple combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, and sometimes clove.  These 3 or 4 spices, combined with the sweet, rich smell of pumpkin, is what gives our favorite holiday dessert its heavenly aroma.  As it turns out, the spices are easy enough to recreate in a candle (in fact, I'm working on a new spice candle for fall) but the pumpkin scent is where most pumpkin-scented candles go horribly awry. 

Whenever I bring up our seasonal scents for Fall, most customers ask about a pumpkin-scented candle.  I don't blame them.  Nothing says Fall quite like a fresh-baked pumpkin pie and the over-abundance of pumpkin scents out there is a natural result of brands striving to meet customer demand.  That said, I have yet to find a pumpkin scent that doesn't smell too sweet or artificial.  Some scents, including pumpkin, just don't work in candles.  That is why Chandler Candle Co. doesn't have a pumpkin-scented candle.

I haven't given up on the search, but until I find the perfect pumpkin oil(s) needed to recreate that scent that we all really love, we'll have to make do with the crap at the mall.  Or, better yet, bake a pie to go with that PSL.

Summer is wrapping-up, Fall is just around the corner, and we're going out with a bang!  We've saved our biggest and best summer street fest for last - Northalsted Market Days is here! 

 

It's your last chance of the season to sample and save on all of our top-selling scents!  Don't miss out!

 

We'll be in the same spot as last year:  On Halsted, just north of Roscoe and right across from the 7-11 stage.  See you there!