Harlem was my home for the vast majority of my adult life. In fact, even though I am no longer living there, it still feels like home to me. When I first arrived in the city, I was in awe of the sights, the smells, the languages, the tastes... it was an experience. I settled into Harlem immediately and my friends joked that I never left my neighborhood. I was of the neighborhood before it was cool to do so. I loved it. And, one of my favorite places was a walk down 125th Street - the main artery of Harlem. Various street vendors are there, selling their wares - from young, aspiring rappers selling CDs to retired porn stars trying to get you to buy their books to vendors selling t-shirts and sunglasses and colognes and jewelry and so many more. One that stands out, though, are the guys selling fragrance oils. The whole street smells of a billion oils at once. Harlem is a part of me. And, I want to share it with you.
When I created the Harlem Roots Candle, I named it so because my business started in Harlem. I fell in love in Harlem. I made life-long friends in Harlem. I came into my own in Harlem. My roots - while tied to my birthplace in Olive Hill, Tennessee - also are in Harlem. This candle is an homage to the people who make Harlem what it is, despite the overreaching corporate structure of gentrification.
The scent infuses sandalwood and dark musk with amber, jasmine, balsam, lavender and mandarin. I test each scent before going into production and Harlem Roots has been the most well-received candle thus far, by both men and women alike.
If you haven't purchased candles from RLC before, here's what you get: a hand-poured soy wax candle with a lead-free wick that has an 85+ hour burn life. I have partnered with a lovely lady named Ella who has created a brown drawstring canvas bag to house the candles, making them ideal for gift-giving.
This candle! It’s both fresh and warm at the same time. The past two weeks I’ve been lighting it daily as I finish cleaning the kitchen and it provides such a light, comforting scent that makes this shelter in place time so much more pleasant. I can’t recommend it enough!
I was so excited to receive this product since it was a gift for a very dear friend who lives in Harlem.