The Scent of Joy: Meet the Creative Powerhouse Behind Belle Brightly

Welcome to our blog, where today we have the pleasure of introducing you to the remarkable founder of Belle Brightly. This creative powerhouse is on a mission to infuse joy into everyday life with her exquisite collection of sustainable, personalised, and refillable home fragrance products. As we delve into the story behind her brand, we’ll explore the significance of choosing soy wax for a cleaner, eco-friendly burn, and we’ll also share where you can snag these delightful handmade treasures for yourself. So, stick around as we uncover the magic of Belle Brightly and the aromatic wonders that await you!

Your brand, Belle Brightly, is truly impressive! Can you share a bit about your background and the inspiration behind starting this venture?

Thank you! I have always been a big candle lover, not just for the delicious scents but also for the feelings they create and how perfect they are for setting a “vibe” in any space. My background is actually in animal welfare & rescue! During this time I had a double foot operation, and while horizontal with my feet up I went down a candle making research rabbit hole. During my recovery, I started to dabble in making candles and it turns out – I was quite good at it! There is SO much testing and research that goes into making candles, so the long testing process began and my home was filled with various combinations of scents, wicks and waxes. A few years later, I was on maternity leave with my first baby and realised it was very much a “now or never” situation. I loved working with animals, but I also wanted to be at home with my baby as much as possible – so at this point I went for it and started taking things much more seriously – this was about 3 years ago. I absolutely loved working with animals – large and small, so using products and ingredients that were Vegan & Cruelty Free were an absolute must for me – aswell as making the end products non toxic and “pet safe” too – all while smelling amazing!

We love the name ‘Belle Brightly’, what was it that led you to choose this particular name for your brand?

Honestly I’m not entirely sure! I had used the persona “Belle” for other various things in the past so that was very much on my mind when deciding what to call the brand. I was then thinking about words and phrases that were related to candles when I watched my all time favourite movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s which all of a sudden hit me with Belle Brightly sounding like Holly Golightly – and it just stuck!

Your products stand out for their exceptional quality. What would you say sets them apart, and where did you acquire the skills necessary to create such remarkable items?

Research & testing, more research & testing – and more research and testing! A dedicated chandler will always say that the amount of testing required for candle making is seriously underrated! There are literally hundreds of wax, wick and scent combinations and finding the right one for Belle Brightly was something that took a long time and alot of practice. I think that it is so important for any crafter to always be learning and looking for ways to improve. Not in a “never satisfied” way, but I don’t think we ever know it all and I am certainly always open to suggestions and feedback. Whether its for new scent suggestions, colours and themes, thinking outside the box for new products or just striving towards that “perfect burn”. I think always looking to build on the skills and porfolios we have keeps products fresh and at the highest quality they can be.

As a vegan business, we really appreciate your choice of a soy wax blend for your candles. Could you elaborate on the benefits of this material and why it’s crucial for you to use non-toxic ingredients in your products?

Soy wax has SO many benefits. There are a variety of waxes that all have their own unique qualities, but for me soy wax really is the best and most eco friendly option. There are waxes with higher scent throws but also release toxic fumes, other waxes may have a perfect appearance but don’t burn evenly. It’s all about finding what works for you. There are also a large number of “soy blends” that are blended with other waxes albeit minute. But I do pride myself and my brand on using 100% soy wax so they have never been an option. I created the “Belle Brightly Blend” to achieve a balanced candle that can be used in a container, but also holds its form enough to work as a refill. I use a blend of soy waxes that have different melting point temperatures -This took alot of testing and practice, but was definitely worth it! I personally choose soy wax because it is a natural wax made from a renewable resource - soybeans are an environmentally friendly - and it is biodegradable. Soy wax is clean burning, meaning much less soot is released. It doesn't release carcinogens or pollutants, and is much less likely to trigger allergies than other "popular" waxes.

From a more “candle” related point of view, Soy Wax Candles may have a more natural fragrance initially, but they actually hold their scent - hot and cold – plus Soy wax burns longer than other waxes. Their appearance can be less than perfect sometimes as soy wax does produce frosting – but this is how you know a candle is genuinely made from soy wax! I think frosting is very pretty too and every frosting pattern is unique! I have a blog post all about this here - https://bellebrightly.co.uk/blogs/enjoy-soy-its-all-about-the-wax/its-all-about-the-wax

Sustainability is obviously a key focus for your brand, which we love! What steps do you take to ensure your brand operates responsibly?

Sustainability has always been the driving force behind Belle Brightly. We’ve all been there with empty jars all over the house not knowing what to do with them and half used candles that we can no longer smell so end up wasting. Along with the main feature of my candles being refillable to stop this from happening, it was really important to me that they also had performed in a way that meant they were not full of nasty chemicals and had a lovely clean burn. It isn’t

always easy to find ingredients that fit, I have had to avoid some ingredients in the past that would have made production much easier or quicker, or strong bases and scents that unfortunately are artificial and contain various hazardous chemicals. It isn’t always the easy route, but it really is worth it to feel confident that every little part of them will “leave the world brighter than we found it” (one of my slogans!). Along with this, I didn’t want to go through all of this to make sure the products were as sustainable as they could be and then use any old cheap packaging for them – this seemed madness! Even down to the boxes they are packaged in, the mailing bags I use to send online orders in, and even the labels! Everything is recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable.

The variety of scents you offer is fantastic! How do you come up with new fragrance ideas, and what is your process for selecting which ones to develop?

Thank you! The scents are my favourite part I think, it can be hard to contain myself sometimes to keep a sensible line up! I come up with the scents in all sorts of ways to be honest, whether its feedback from in person events where people keep suggesting something similar, or sometimes I may just smell something delicious and decide that I simply must make it into a candle! I always test these first, as what may be in my head may not be quite as yummy when warm or burning in a candle or may be better suited to a more delicate diffuser for example. There is something about the memories certain scents bring up for people or the vibe a specific scent can set in a space. Scents are so much more than “scents” to me.

I have a “core collection” line up and then a range of permanent scents that are standing the test of time. Aside from that, I absolutely love playing around with seasonal scents – Autumn / Winter fragrances are always such a lovely way to get creative!

Among your entire collection, do you have a favourite scent or product? Which one do you find yourself using the most at home?

What a question! If I really had to pick one, “Blooper” - Creamy Coconut & Lime Zest was the scent that started it all! I came across a coconut & lime diffuser in hotel bathroom that wasn’t labelled and was obsessed, but any coconut & lime fragrances I could find just weren’t the same and were too generic – so this is what I started delving into during my foot operation recovery and my first scent was born!

So this one holds a special place in my heart. Aside from that each scent sets a mood and has its own perfect purpose. “Blousey” - Sugared Lemon Zest is lovely for after a good old kitchen clean, “Bohemian” - Wild Mint is beautiful in a warm candle, “Beans” - Roasted Coffee just sparks joy in our home office, the list is endless! I love them all and change my favourite on a daily (or hourly!) basis!

We noticed a section on your website called ‘Super Seconds.’ Can you explain what this is?

Super Seconds was an online festival I took part it and was a temporary feature on the website – I can elaborate more on this if you think so but has been and gone now! It might be worth mentioning that I do take part in a number of events and in person markets instead – in the below question?

How can customers get their hands on your amazing products? What are your shipping options, and do you participate in any local markets?

Absolutely! The main way and to see the full collection of products is on the website. There are so many options to choose from and different ways to personalise all of your delicious products! There is free shipping over £15, bundles to add on your extra refills, gift boxes and “mini candles”, plus tips and tricks for home fragrance too.

I had paused in person markets after having my second baby last Autumn but am getting back out and about! I love taking part in these and getting to meet so many lovely people, both customers and other makers. Its such a lovely community and there's nothing like the buzz of a busy market! I have all in markets and events listed on my website here : https://bellebrightly.co.uk/pages/events

Lastly, what’s next for Belle Brightly? Are there any exciting new products or ranges on the horizon that you can share with us?

Always! I have so many product ideas and lists of scents and collections I want to create! I am currently working on a Summer collection - think pastel toned jars with sweet & fresh fragrances! But in all honesty I am constantly trying out new ideas for scent collections or new product ideas, so this is definitely something that is always popping up! I love doing limited edition scent drops or mystery scent bundles! I have a mailing list for more exclusives, discounts and behind the scenes - sneak peaks too! https://bellebrightly.co.uk/pages/newsletter-sign-up

I have also just started documenting my journey as a new mother of 2 running a small business out of my kitchen on YouTube! - https://www.youtube.com/@BelleBrightly I absolutely love creating unique home fragrance products and feel so lucky that there are people out there who also share my love for delicious smells and also care about the environment to use sustainable home fragrances from a handmade small business. What started as a little hobby several years ago developed into so much more and has sent me on this wonderful crafting journey. Compared to today – 2 cats, married and 2 babies later, my goal is still to create beautiful, sustainable, personalised & refillable home fragrance products - and also share my passion for all the joy, & cosy deliciousness that fragrances can bring. Home fragrance that literally “doesn’t cost the earth!”

And, that’s a wrap on our chat with the brilliant mind behind Belle Brightly. Be sure to visit Belle Brightly and follow the links provided to stay updated on this talented chandler’s journey. 

We’re already counting down the days until the Summer Collection drops!

Shop: https://bellebrightly.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellebrightly

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BelleBrightly

Thanks for reading,

VCA