Photo courtesy of The Candle Fusion Studio
In the market for a wasabi-scented candle? This shop in Central West End can help.
The Candle Fusion Studio (4742 McPherson) allows you to create custom candles and other home products. The shop recently opened its doors in December and features more than 100 different fragrances to choose from. The scent library—or candle “bar”—offers unusual options like bacon and leather, as well as traditional ones like lavender and vanilla bean.
Although husband-and-wife owners, Deanna McClintock Lester and Keith Lester, have different business backgrounds, they’ve always discussed teaming up. The couple thought it would be fun to combine both of their skill sets with their love of candles.
“If you’re looking for a hands-on, creative atmosphere, wanting to do something different, and embrace the power of scent, we’re really a perfect place for that,” McClintock Lester says.
The studio offers guests the opportunity to create a signature aroma in products such as spa salts, reed diffusers, room and body sprays, and wax tarts. The most popular, however, are the candles.
Typically it will take customers about 30 minutes to pick their candle options. Guests grab a clipboard and choose their favorite scents from the extensive library that is packed with fragrances from A to Z.
“Take the lids off all the candles we have on the walls and smell yourself silly,” McClintock Lester says.
Photo courtesy of The Candle Fusion Studio
Visitors pour oils to create a scent.
Next, guests choose the glass container to put their custom candle in. After, they make their way to the “bar” where the staff help narrow down their favorite scents to three oils to blend together. Guests then pour their own formula of oils they chose, which is then used to make each candle.
“You will have such a mix of blends that you maybe wouldn’t put together, but our guests create some amazing candles,” McClintock Lester says. “Were keeping a journal of all the great blends that people are putting together because everybody’s nose is different.”
It takes the candle about an hour and a half to set. McClintock Lester welcomes guests to explore the Central West End neighborhood and pick up their candle later. They can also come back a different day or have it mailed to them. Every candle is natural, clean-burning, and soy-based with cotton wicks. Guests can make a custom 8-oz. candle that burns for 60 hours for $18, or pick out a one-scent candle already made for $16.
The Candle Fusion Studio also has a private party room available for all different types of celebrations.
