The American Candle Industry Is Being Disrupted For The Better

The global scented candles market size was estimated at USD $336.7 million in 2019, 364.9 million in 2020, and is beyond that number already in 2021.

Enter into the picture nellamoon, a candle company in America that is run by a husband and wife duo. Arielle and Chris Ricci started their candle business in Nashville, TN a few years ago and have since turned it into a globally recognized brand (both online and with a storefront too), with celebrities and more all wanting their scents at home. But it is the message behind the brand’s story that really gets people hooked and inspired. Arielle and her husband Chris sadly lost both their mothers to cancer. Together they wanted to do something that would bring tribute to how they lived their lives with such grace, love and kindness, and that is how nellamoon was created, to shine a light and give back to charity too through their scents.

We spoke with Arielle more in-depth about the brand, why candles are so popular and how nellamoon has found a way to disrupt the age-old candle industry for the better!

1. How did you decide you wanted to start your own candle company?

I grew up surrounded by entrepreneurs and when I lost my mother, I wanted to do something that would bring tribute to how she lived her life with such love, grace, and kindness. In 2015, after my husband lost his mother, I knew it was time to start Nellamoon. Nellamoon was founded in honor of both of our mothers and each candle serves as a reminder to shine bright and live your best life, no matter what you’re going through. There is always light in situations, but sometimes you just have to look a little harder! 

2. Why should someone buy your candles over others?

Every single one of our candles is hand poured with lots of love right here in Nashville, TN. We use all natural soy wax and clean ingredients, unlike most candle candles. We also support a lot of relief foundations and charities around the world, so each time someone buys a Nellamoon candle they are making a positive impact. There’s something very special about our candles, and it’s hard to pinpoint. It’s an energy that permeates through the room when a Nellamoon candle is lit. They serve as a beacon of hope, and I believe we all need that now more than ever! Covid has been tough for a lot of people, so these candles are helping a lot of people through this difficult time. We’re grateful to have a platform to help millions of people around the world and don’t have any plans to stop! “a candle never loses anything by lighting another candle.. in fact, thousands of candles can be lit by a single candle”.. we believe the same is true with helping people. There is nothing more powerful than love, and that’s the message our candle’s spread. 

3. What is the exact process that goes into making a candle?

There’s a lot of science behind candle making. We have our own process for making candles, which isn’t public knowledge, but the overall high level process is: Creating a scent (blending different oils), selecting the wax you want to use, heating the wax, blending the oil and wax at the perfect temperatures and concentrations, and then ensuring the environment in which they are drying has the perfect humidity and temperature so they cure properly. 

4. How do you feel or know that your company has disrupted the candle industry?

We’ve watched the candle industry change a lot over the past 5-10 years, and we believe we are part of that movement. There’s a big movement towards healthy products and environmentally friendly companies right now.  People are realizing that paraffin wax candles are extremely dangerous and unhealthy, so they are looking for companies that provide a clean and non toxic candle, like Nellamoon! Our candles are much more than a product as well. They are a symbol of hope, love, and perseverance. 

5. As a female entrepreneur, what advice would you give to other women wanting to start their own company? 

Don’t ever give up and don’t listen to the naysayers. There will always be people who will tell you “it can’t be done” or “you’re not good enough”, but those people are driven by their own limiting beliefs. We have no limits in life, aside from the ones we set for ourselves. Stand tall, believe in yourself, and know that whatever your mind can conceive and believe, you can achieve.  Another piece of advice is, there will always be ups and downs in business. When things are good, don’t get complacent, and when things are bad, don’t get discouraged. Keep on pushing and you will overcome the obstacles!

6. What trends do you see happening in the candle world as we continue along in 2021 and beyond?

I believe we will continue to see a movement towards clean products within the candle industry. I also believe that the market is saturated, so many people will start to look at other product lines aside from candles to help strengthen their position within the market. There are new forms of candles coming out and I think that’s really exciting! 

7. What is your ultimate goal?

My ultimate goal is to continue building this business so that we can impact more lives. We promise to always use our business as a force for good, so we can’t wait to see what the next 5 years have in store for us! I love creating jobs for people and I also love helping people, so being the driver of a fast growing business where we get to employ more and more people while instilling hope in people around the world is a dream come true. We can’t thank all our customers/fans enough. It’s because of them that we get to help more people! Let Your Light Shine!