As much of a rambunctious teen as I was, a day of mallratting around the local shopping center was never complete without smelling at least half of the inventory in Yankee Candle.
Why wasn’t I spending my hard-earned wages from slinging Dairy Queen soft serve on these candles? Because their labels were covered in lilies or frosted visages of cranberries and pine needles.
And that just didn’t fit with my sophisticated aesthetic of KISS and Iron Maiden posters.
Many more years and fewer band posters later, the problem persists.
Candles are just as decorative as they are functional—you’ll be looking at them at least every time you light them and every time you blow them out, so they might as well look nice. Hopefully as nice as they smell.
Brooklyn Candle Studio believes in providing a full sensory experience, which is why they make candles that smell great in packaging with a modern, minimalist aesthetic. They also take a sustainable approach to sourcing and manufacturing, and their candles are made right out of their studio in New York City.
Their products look great and smell great, but are they worth the price? Read my full Brooklyn Candle Studio review below to find out.
What Is Brooklyn Candle Studio?
Brooklyn Candle Studio started as an Etsy side project by creator Tamara Mayne. After she initially built the brand on her own, she turned it into a full-fledged business that provides a wide range of scented products.
Their candles are made by a team of artisans out of their studio in Brooklyn, NY, aiming to provide luxury candles to those looking for great smells and smart packaging.
There’s a wide range of products available on the Brooklyn Candle Studio website, from sprays to diffusers and candles, and these products come in several scents. How they source these scents is part of what makes them unique, as they work with high-end American fragrance houses to get their hands on sustainable and natural-smelling scents.
As another part of their commitment to sustainability, they use soy wax sourced from American soybean farms and lead-free cotton wicks for a contaminant-free burn.
All in all, Brooklyn Candle Studio is a for us, by us, New York City brand that supports a team of skilled artisans and pumps high-quality candles that prioritize design and sustainability.
Brooklyn Candle Studio believes in providing a full sensory experience, which is why they make candles that smell great in packaging with a modern, minimalist aesthetic. They also take a sustainable approach to sourcing and manufacturing, and their candles are made right out of their studio in New York City.
Things to Consider Before Buying Candles from Brooklyn Candle Studio
Candles are nice to have around. They make your place smell good, and they create a relaxing atmosphere.
However, when they have big, gaudy labels that look like your great aunt’s floral couch, you’ll probably find ways of having them out of your eye line. And that way may end up being not using them at all.
Brooklyn Candle Studio’s candles don’t look cheap. In fact, with their minimalist design, they’re as decorative as they are functional. You can stick a few of these on your nightstand or on the kitchen table without letting out a disapproving sigh every time you go to light one.
This company is also a good choice if you prioritize sustainability. The soy wax and cotton wicks they use provide a clean, eco-friendly burn. You wouldn’t think this would be an issue that needs solving, due to lead-cored wicks being banned in 2003, but they can still be found in candles currently on the market.
When you buy a candle from Brooklyn Candle Studio, you’re investing in New York artisans, top-of-the-line ingredients, and sustainable practices.
Brooklyn Candle Studio Review
Candles
First, we’ll take a look at the brand’s flagship product: their candles. Brooklyn Candle Studio offers both single and double-wick candles in subtle scents that aren’t going to overpower your guests with that trapped-in-an-elevator-at-Macy’s smell.
Their fragrance sourcing deftness shines through in the way their candles smell. And although they use many synthetic ingredients to produce their fragrances, none of the candles I’ve smelled have had that artificial or sickly-sweet smell you can get from some other candles.
Here are the scents that I picked up from Brooklyn Candle Company and my impression of each one:
- Santa Fe
- Listed scents: Orchid Cactus, Piñon, Palo Santo, Spruce, Woodsmoke, Sage, and Cedar
- Smells like: Floral and herbaceous, slightly woody
- Kyoto
- Listed scents: Hinoki Cypress, Cedar, Pine, Sandalwood
- Smells like: Woody, but sweet
- Fern + Moss
- Listed scents: Sage, Lavender, Spruce, Pine, Oakmoss
- Smells like: Strong herbs with a slight woodiness
- Woodsmoke
- Listed scents: Cedar Leaf, Smoke, Labdanum, Incense, and Leather
- Smells like: Strong woody smoke
- Santal
- Listed scents: Hinoki Cypress, Cedar, Pine, Vetiver, and Sandalwood
- Smells like: A stronger, more floral version of the Kyoto scent
The minimalist packaging is a nice touch, and I’m not hesitant to leave these out where my guests might see them. The font is clean and modern, and the plain white labels on the smaller candles can fit in with pretty much any decor.
These candles smell and look great, but the real value is in supporting artisans who use high-quality ingredients and support sustainability in manufacturing and sourcing.
Brooklyn Candle Studio's fragrance sourcing deftness shines through in the way their candles smell. None of the candles I’ve smelled have had that artificial or sickly-sweet smell you can get from some other candles.
Santal Room Mist
The Santal Room Mist is handy to have around. A few quick spritzes can freshen up an area without lighting candles or dedicating a full-time diffuser.
We’ve all done our fair share of Febreze-ing. The room mist from Brooklyn Candle Studio plays by the same rules: it sticks around longer on fabric than in the air, and it provides a nice scent for a while. The difference with this room mist is that instead of smelling like fake hydrangeas, it has a subtle, more natural scent.
A few quick spritzes can freshen up an area without lighting candles or dedicating a full-time diffuser.
Fern + Moss Scent Diffuser
I’ll be honest, I’ve never owned a diffuser before. I like the way some of them look, but it wasn’t something I ever saw while shopping around and thought “Yes. I need this.”
The Fern + Moss diffuser from Brooklyn Candle Studio may have sold me on them.
What could be so captivating about some sticks poking out of scented oil? For one, they’re a no-effort way to keep your place smelling nice. This diffuser didn’t fill my entire apartment up with the subtle aromas of ferns and moss—but within a range of 5-7 feet? Lovely.
The diffusers from Brooklyn Candle Studio are pretty elegant looking. They don’t look like the goofy new age diffusers you see in that local store that sells all the tie-dye, and I even think they look better than the brand’s candles. No label, just some sleek, black text on a clear, liquid-filled bottle. Like a small decanter—but instead of your finest Cognac, it holds scented oil that makes your place smell nice.
These diffusers also last a surprisingly long time. I’ve had the same one in my bedroom for a week and the oil level has barely moved.
The diffusers from Brooklyn Candle Studio are pretty elegant looking. They don’t look like the goofy new age diffusers you see in that local store that sells all the tie-dye, and I think they look better than the brand’s candles.
What do Other Reviewers Say About Brooklyn Candle Studio?
A key selling point for some reviewers was that the brand’s subtle scents didn’t upset their sensitive sense of smell like other candles and scented products do.
My Thoughts Overall On Brooklyn Candle Studio
What I Like
Brooklyn Candle Studio manufactures its products in-house with local artisans and products sourced from American soy providers and high-end fragrance houses.
Their products are scented with natural-smelling, subtle fragrances that aren’t overpowering or artificial-smelling.
The minimalist packaging, jars, and bottles that house their products look great anywhere in the house, making them a decorative and functional addition to your space.
The sustainable labor and sourcing practices employed by Brooklyn Candle Studio make them a more likely pick when I’m looking around for scented products.
What I Don’t Like
Hand-crafted, sustainable products tend to cost more, so you’ll have to decide if that’s worth it for you.
Who is Brooklyn Candle Studio for?
Decorating can be a pain, but it’s important to like the space that you’re spending time in—especially if you’re working from home. Brooklyn Candle Studio makes candles that pull double duty as decorative pieces for your home, allowing you to brighten up the decor in your bedroom or your office while also adding a nice fragrance.
The Verdict
I’ve always loved candles—stepping past the candle aisle at the store without going in is always a hesitant affair, and sometimes a failure altogether.
Brooklyn Candle Company makes luxury candles with top-of-the-line ingredients in a studio space in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. And with their minimalist branding, they seem to have become a household name with decorators, as I’ve come across them in numerous hotels and restaurants here in Chicago.
Their candles are great. They have a subtle, natural scent and I like that they’re made with soy that’s sourced from providers located right here in the U.S.
The diffuser was my favorite product out of the bundle I picked up. After the included diffuser sticks soak up the oil, they add a surprisingly strong fragrance—especially in smaller areas. The bottle for the diffuser also looks fantastic, and the included cork allows you to easily repurpose it after the oil dries up.
If you’re in the market for candles and you prioritize design and sustainability just as much as having something that smells nice, Brooklyn Candle Studio definitely deserves a look.
Brooklyn Candle Studio believes in providing a full sensory experience, which is why they make candles that smell great in packaging with a modern, minimalist aesthetic. They also take a sustainable approach to sourcing and manufacturing, and their candles are made right out of their studio in New York City.