John David Candles

Working with private labels over the past several years, David realized there was a gap in the market. «I discovered that it was very difficult to find candles with a consistent amount of fragrance. Often, manufacturers will ‘top-load’ wax with fragrance, meaning after an initial burn the scent is greatly diminished. I wanted to see if I could perfect the mix.» John David candles feature the highest scent-to-wax ratio possible. The fragrance is mixed evenly throughout the wax for a consistent scent throw for the entire life of the candle.

John David has grown a following over several years with a series of residential and commercial projects that led to a retail storefront, Stinson Design Group. «With the store, I noticed candles were one of my top sellers and I loved working with private labels and meeting other entrepreneurs who have successfully launched their own lines. They helped to guide me in the creation of my personal scents.» He adds, «I knew from the beginning that I wanted to do my own manufacturing so I could have control over everything from wick and scent to container and packaging. There’s a lot of craftsmanship in every detail.»

David says that he started with the idea of a single collection with six scents. However, the plan snowballed into six collections with multiple scents under each. «After I completed the original lineup, I felt that each had a great story that deserved to stand on its own.»

The John David candle collections include: Lux, Signature, Gourmet, Solstice, Woodral and Vastye. Two of the collections with special ties to John David are Woodral and Vastye. «Woodral is a family name on my father’s side. The individual scents are named after relatives that have had an impact on me throughout my life.» David shares, «Vastye is another family name on my mother’s side. The lineage has ties to French aristocracy that I wanted to play up in the collection. My mother is also an artist, and the Vastye logo is the signature from her works.»

Every candle in the collections feature three fragrance notes, a base note, high note and middle note. John David believes that scent is a trigger for memory and emotion. «The base note is the strongest. You notice it first, followed by high note. The middle note comes through once the candle is lit. In my candles, I wanted the three notes. When lit, it produces a constant rotation through the scents.»

The designer’s goal is to appeal to a wide range of consumers. «With these collections, I feel there really is something for everyone. The containers are different from anything on the market right now and I think the extra attention to detail and quality will show through and help the lines standout.» The designer currently plans to introduce a new scent every three weeks.