We’re working together as small businesses to sell our handcrafted candles and wax melts
Two small North East businesses are working alongside each other.
Stef Brown, from South Shields, is helping to support another small business at her shop, Serenity Crystals and Crafts, on Fowler Street, in South Shields.
Sunderland sisters Louise Bulbul and Lindsey Downey have officially launched Scent and Soul - a handcrafted wax melt and candle business that looks to promote selfcare with their vegan-friendly sustainable products.
Scent and Soul products, which are created from a coconut and rapeseed wax blend, are sourced fully from UK suppliers and come with their own selfcare ritual.
Lindsey has revealed how a breast cancer diagnosis almost two years ago prompted her turn her passion for candles and wax melts into a small business.
She said: “I was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas in December 2023 so that came as a hell of a shock.
“I was the kick up the bottom I needed to take stock of everything and made me realise how hard I was working but at the same time, not actually taking care of myself.
“I’ve always loved lighting candles, I had a house full of candles before we even started this so things like sitting down and lighting a candle allowed me to think and reset.
“A scent is a good way of doing that so for me, putting on a wax melt is much more than just making the house smell nice, it is more about what it actually does for you.
“It is important to watch the flame dance slightly, take in the smell and realise how it actually makes you feel - that is very much what we wanted to do with Scent and Soul.”
Friday, September 5, marked the first day of trading for Scent and Soul - with Louise and Lindsey seeing their products on the shelves of a shop for the first time.
Louise has spoken about how it felt for the sisters to see the efforts of all their hard work come to fruition inside the South Shields shop.
She stated: “We can’t believe that we’ve actually made of all these products in our house, they’ve just come to life exactly how we thought they would.
“We’re just really proud of each other and what we’ve created, especially given with where it started and where it is going to be going.”
Lindsay added: “It has been a proper family affair, we make these in a slow cooker in our kitchens and round the dining room table.
“Our mum and kids get involved with all the packaging to help make them look as good as they do.”
Stef Brown, the owner of Serenity Crystals and Crafts, has told National World how important it is for her to be able to support other small businesses across the North East.
She commented: “I’ve got a massive love of crystals and I had a small shop upstairs in the wellness centre so that is where it all started.
“However, I noticed that isn’t really anywhere in South Shields to buy gifts either for yourself or other people so I wanted to bring a bit of everything to the town with this shop.
“Helping people is at the bottom of my heart and being able to help other small businesses is amazing as well.
“I wish the support was there when I started up so I’m now trying to help other small businesses by giving them space, encouragement and guidance for when it comes to selling their handcrafted products.”
You can find out more about Scent and Soul at: https://scentandsoul.co.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/people/Scent-and-Soul-UK/61576851699388/.
If you’d like more information about Serenity Crystals and Crafts, visit: https://www.facebook.com/serenityshopping/ or https://www.instagram.com/serenitysouthshields/.