Shanika Cardoza creates scented joy with soy candles

There is no greater feeling than lounging around with refreshingly sweet aromas wafting in the crisp air following a long day or an even longer week. You can unwind from the chaos, stress and fatigue with one strike of a match.

“Candles are relaxing. If I feel overwhelmed, a nice hot bath, a scented candle and some music always uplift my mood. My bedroom always has a minty scent as I always have the rosemary mint or the peppermint and it is the most relaxing thing ever. I remember going to bed one night with a stuffy nose and I lit the eucalyptus candle during the experimental stage and I am not exaggerating, when I woke up, I felt completely different,” Candlemaker Shanika Cardoza, told Living.

Cardoza has always been a lover of beautiful scents. Scented candles hold a special place in her heart. It is for that reason that she decided to pursue a course in candle making. No one could have imagined that her decision would lead to starting a small business.

“My artistic side certainly developed overtime and was fuelled when I started researching the candle making process. I was overwhelmed and thrilled at the feedback I received from family and friends and I decided to venture into candle making as a business. I always wanted to start a business but I was unsure what industry to go into. I wanted to venture into something I had complete control over the look and feel and overall presentation of the products and I certainly have that with Ewicks Ja,” said the young entrepreneur.

The ‘E’ in ‘Ewicks’, which stands for ‘essential’, embodies the very nature of her candles, because they go beyond décor. To ensure that she is making a positive contribution to the environment, this candle artist opted to work with soy.

“Soy candles were my preference because I wanted to use something that was safe for me and others. During my research, I recognised that some waxes are actually [a] bi-product of crude oil and other substances and I did not want that. As the world tries to transition to a more sustainable environment, I believe it is very important, as entrepreneurs, to play our part in that transition, regardless of how small it may be,” she revealed.

SECRET INGREDIENT

Out of her wide collections, Cardoza’s customers can’t get enough of these three exciting scents: Solitude – her best seller; Coffee Lova and Coconut Bliss. While she remarks that all three are amazing when it comes to consistency, her customers marvel at the burning effect of her coloured candles as well, “It is something that has to be seen and I like to say it is my secret ingredient.”

Her creative process is a combination of research and the blending of scents to ignite new aromas. Inspired by just about anything, including the seasons, Cardoza released a summer collection of island scents last year, naming the hot candles Tropical Escape, Sweet Aroma and Summer Love. By Christmas, she incorporated Yuletide ingredients like cinnamon and cloves to fill the air with Santa Baby, Christmas Joy and ‘Tis the Season scented candles.

But her most interesting scents to date stem from her health and wellness collection. Her previously shared experience of lighting eucalyptus in her room led to the creation of an inspired scent. The line also includes the rosemary mint and ginger Thai basil. Herbs and therapeutic grade essential oils employed in this collection help to bring relaxation while helping to bring some ease for users with blocked nostrils, sinus issues, asthma, headaches, among other discomforts.

Sourcing supplies locally at a reasonable cost proved to be difficult, due to the growth and demand of materials but she has mitigated the problem by importing what is absolutely necessary.

Creating a brand two years ago in the middle of the global pandemic wasn’t an easy accomplishment either, but she kicked her business mindset into high gear, investing heavily in marketing, “I sold out all my candles on the very first day of launch, which was due to the tons of advanced marketing prior to the launch date,” she added.

The candlemaker has since branched out to major retail outlets and pharmacies, customising candle momentos for special occasions like weddings. She has even begun exploring the opportunity of shipping overseas.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com