There’s nothing quite like lighting a relaxing candle at the end of a stressful day — especially when you find that ideal candle scent. Tinika Green, founder of local candle company Glim + Glow Home, enjoyed her end-of-work-day ritual of lighting a candle and pouring herself a glass of wine, but she didn’t like the fact that the aroma of the wine and the fragrance of the candle sometimes competed with each other. This observation led to Tinika experimenting with candle recipes that smelled beautiful but subte, and this hobby grew into a serious business called Glim + Glow Home. Read on to learn more about this Jersey City-based online candle company, Glim + Glow Home.
A Candle That Does Not Overwhelm
Tinika grew up surrounded by a host of different smells, often mesmerized by how deeply smell could be linked to memory. Her love of scents followed her as she grew preceding the start of her candle business. By the time Tinika started Glim + Glow Home, she was already an expert of olfaction. As the beverage director at New York City restaurants, she spent years training her sense of smell to work with aromas in drinks. Yet it still took a lot of trial and error to find a formula she was satisfied with. The wax and wick had to create a safe, calm, and steady burn — and the fragrance needed to be “strong enough to be noticed but not so strong that it overwhelms everything else.”
Tinika settled on soy-based wax, which burns cleanly and causes less soot build-up. The scent is derived from a blend of essential oil and synthetic fragrance, which, as Tinika explained, “are shelf-stable and designed to be burned.”
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Tinika started Glim + Glow Home by selling in local markets. She said it was a great way to gauge people’s interest and get feedback. Now, it operates as an online-only shop, but you can also find Glim + Glow at Jersey City’s art and craft events — like this one.
The candles are handmade in Jersey City and use only sustainable ingredients. Plus, the shop prides itself on being an affordable luxury business, so these deliciously scented products won’t break the bank.
How To Find The Right Scent
Glim + Glow Home now has rotating seasonal collections as well as two long-standing ones, each with three different fragrance options. When it comes to selecting the right fragrance, Tinika says the first step is to “figure out what kind of mood you are trying to set.”
“[The Lovers + Others collection] adds a bit of beauty to your environment and a bit of warmth with a sexy edge,” Tinika commented, while the Gratify Me collection is great for meditation, relaxation, and focus. Its website has a fragrance finder that helps users choose according to the occasion (after cleaning, meditation, etc.) and preferred style of scent (floral, warm, woody, etc.)
The brand also features diffusers and sprays for those who want a flameless fragrance.
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The Giving Initiative
Not only are these wonderful candles great for relaxing, but they’re also great for the local community. Glim + Glow runs ‘The Giving Initiative,’ which donates a portion of its candle sales to select charities. “It has always been important to me to figure out a way to not only earn a living but to give back to the world, even in a small way,” Tinika said. The program includes sets that can be purchased year-round and all proceeds from these sets will go to different charities, as well as quarterly scents that raise awareness of certain issues. Past themes have included heart health and human rights. A new theme will be launched in June, so stay tuned.
