The soothing sound of the ignitable wick, the darling aesthetic of the holders, the cosy ambiance it creates in your cocoon. If you are as fond of candles than I am then this, lovely readers, is the blog post that will lighten up your day!
For the first Creative Ladypreneur series of 2019, I am delighted to present you the stunning creations of Tatiana, the stunning entrepreneur behind Chamarel Candles. A woman-led business inspired by the scenic Chamarel village and founded to support those struggling with mental illness in Australia.
Without further ado, let’s dive right in the heartening story of Tatiana!
1. How did Chamarel and Mauritius inspired you to create your brand?
It does not matter how long you are away from home and how long you live overseas or how many other countries you’ve visited. Your country will always be your country. I miss Mauritius everyday and I hope in the near future to be able to move back home permanently. Chamarel is one of those places that cannot be found anywhere in the world and Mauritius is one of a kind, so it was not difficult for me to draw inspiration from the two and commence the journey of Chamarel Candles.
2. Tell us more about you, the passionate woman behind the biz!
Young island girl with big dreams. I always wanted to be part of something big but never really knew what it was going to be. When I moved overseas (Melbourne) about ten years ago with my family, that dream enhanced and I decided to create my own piece of Mauritius here in Melbourne.
My determination lead me to have a business of my own and I wanted to ensure that I was doing it for all the right reasons and not just for the money.
3. What are the values and story that clients carry while buying Chamarel Candles?
Each and every candles are hand poured by myself in my studio in St Kilda, Melbourne. Everything is done manually and I pride myself of this.
We only use soywax and cotton wicks and we do not mass produce. It means that there is no wastage. Our loyal customers know that Chamarel Candles has a purpose and our heart is in the right place when it comes to the “why” we are doing what we do.
Knowing that the candle you purchase is not made in china in a big factory, has to be a big tick of approval and also the fact that we have the ability to help people by spreading the word on Mental Illness by using Chamarel Candles as a point of discussion and ice breaker is great.
4. Are your products available in Mauritius?
We are looking for retailers in Mauritius to carry our brand to ease access to our beautiful scented candles. At this stage our Candles can be purchased on our website at chamarelcandles.com.au. You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
5. Describe a day in the life of Tatiana, when creating a candle.
Hahaha! One word “hectic” ! My day usually starts off very early, cleaning all the vessels/ jars and making sure they are all labelled, wicked and at room temperature.
Then comes the delicate process of heating up the wax – it is important that the wax is heated to the correct temperature so it does not compromise the composite of the wax. Once the wax has melted, let it cool to add the fragrance then the pouring session can begin. It is a long and delicate process to make candles but the end result is delightful and worth the effort that goes into it.
6. What is your favourite candle and why?
Hard one because they are all so different and can be use at different times but the Ambered Sandalwood has to be my favourite one. It reminds me a lot of the Bazaar Port Louis and scents of the spices there.
7. There are also other handmade items inspired by islander living in your business, can you tell us more about it?
That came across during my recent visit to Mauritius. I met a Mother-Daughter duo who run a business of handmade baskets and other traditional items and have a number of other ladies working along side them. It was inspiring to see women in business and supporting other women get ahead in life.
8. Chamarel Candles is a brand with purpose. Can you tell us more about the initiative of helping organisations in Australia & Mauritius?
Chamarel candles was founded to help raise awareness on Mental Illness and educating people on how to cope with family members suffering from depression.
I feel very strongly about educating young Mauritians about this illness (just like any other illnesses in our society) and the challenges that comes with it. When I was growing up I had never heard of such thing as depression, anxiety and other mental illness affecting people (just like us) on a day to day basis and it is so important to support those in need.
Families may be able to assist their loved ones if they have the tools and information about it all. For every transaction/ purchase 10% goes back to Beyondblue here in Australia. The next step would be to branch out the ability to assist in Mauritius.
If you wish to support the amazing brand Chamarel Candles and the purpose it roots for, you can head to her social media pages for more information! I hope you enjoyed this blog post lovelies!
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love! <3