By Pauline Neville
If you’ve been dreaming of turning your own creative passion into a business, let these stories be your spark. Liverpool Makers’ Bazaar regularly feature an independent maker who has taken their craft and turned this into their brand, offering inspiration and insights for anyone hoping to do the same.
David and Phil Brookes Lennon have transformed their personal passion for candles and natural fragrances into a luxury, eco-friendly brand that’s resonating with home fragrance lovers.
David Brookes Lennon has long nursed a passion for candles and home fragrances. “We perfume our bodies” he says “So why not our homes too, as an extension of our personalities?”
He always lit candles at home and noticed that whether they were the expensive named brands or locally sourced bargains, there was always the same unwanted side effect, a thin layer of black soot around the glass holders and even on the white walls of his home.
Researching the cause of the problem, he discovered that most mainstream candle making companies us a petroleum based wax in their products and even though some brands call this mineral wax, it is still a petroleum based product. For his own consumption, he began to search for plant based alternatives, which proved few and far between. Around this time he also noticed that the scents he preferred where derived from essential oils which felt somehow more luxurious than the alternative synthetic perfumes.
Working as a graphic designer, specialising in designing wedding stationery, David was asked to provide candles as wedding favours. Unsure what to do, he intended to bulk buy the candles and re-label them echoing the wedding theme he had created. Then he hit upon the idea of trying to make the candles himself. Picture a montage of trial and error, a variety of waxes, wicks and fragrances were tried and discarded until eventually the ideal combination was arrived at for the customer. This scent was named Number 1.
David commented that “Candles at weddings are a great idea as scents are so evocative of the event where you first smelled them. Scents can take you back to a time or place in a heartbeat.”
The bases of the candles bore a label with David’s contact details in the hope of encouraging more graphic design work. But following the wedding David was contacted by several of the guests requesting details of where they could get more of the candles!
Number 1 is still a best seller for Brookes Lennon today, a masculine inspired smell he describes as “more aftershave than perfume.”
At this point he had not considered making candles to sell , but it was his husband Phil Brookes-Lennon who suggested perhaps he should. The decision was made but it took a while to arrive at the company name, create an Instagram account, website and logo, which is a monogram of the couple’s initials and was created by David for use at their own wedding.
At this point in the story, he had only one product. So, then began many more experiments with essential oils which resulted in the creation of six scents across three products; candles, matching reed diffusers and wax melts. It was here that Brookes Lennon, the luxury home fragrance company was born. Fragrances such as Relax reminiscent of a luxury spa and Happy to help lift the mood.
Brookes Lennon’s USP is that their products are as sustainable as possible. David sources recycled glass jars, cotton wicks and plant-based soy wax to work with. He enjoys controlling every element of the process and so can be certain that there are no “nasties” in what he offers. He designs and prints the labels and even affixes them to the jars himself.
Not one to rest on his laurels, David is always looking to make improvements and has recently changed to cardboard packaging which is recycled and recyclable. He has also been able to source aluminium lids for the bottles to replace the plastic ones he originally used. The Key message of his brand being luxury with sustainability.
Although Brookes Lennon still sells on their website, David enjoys selling at markets. He prefers the interaction with customers and having the ability to relate the story and passion that drives what he creates which he feels is best delivered in person. He also enjoys the camaraderie and networking that occurs at such events.
Whilst the original scents are still firm favourites seasonal ranges appear throughout the year. Specially printed labels can be made to order and boxes with unique messages or names which make fabulous personalised gifts.
David can also be contacted regarding “White Label” products a bespoke range unique to your business.
Brookes Lennon also offer candle making classes at their studio in West Derby.
Visit brookeslennon.co.uk to shop and email hello@brookeslennon.co.uk to enquire about bespoke orders.
Better yet, pop along and have a chat with them at the next Liverpool Makers Bazaar at Lark Lane’s Old Police station on Sunday 1 December.