Confessions of a Candle Snob: Volume 10
Confession: January absolutely slipped through my fingers, and this Confessions email is a bit overdue. The start of the year has been… a lot. Production curveballs, shifting timelines, plans changing in real time. But honestly? Some of the delays have felt like a blessing in disguise.
They’ve given me more space to dream, brainstorm, and really zoom out on what we’re building this year… and beyond. I’m genuinely so excited about what’s coming.
Which brings me to what’s been inspiring me lately.
Over the holidays, Matt and I took our first real, full vacation in five years—since we started HLC. We traveled with my family through Southeast Asia, spending time in Thailand and Vietnam to celebrate my dad’s 70th. This has been a bucket list trip for him.
One of the most memorable moments of the trip was when we were in Chiang Mai and took a cooking class taught by a husband and wife in their home. The hosts grew all of their own herbs, vegetables, and produce, and we cooked everything right there.
I feel like I can smell the freshness in this photo just by looking at it
Before the class, they took us through their garden, and Matt and I were completely floored by the scents — Thai basil, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime. We kept stopping, rubbing leaves between our fingers, and jotting notes in our phones. Ever since we got home, I haven’t stopped craving those fresh, herbaceous fragrances.
Back at HLC HQ, we’ve been deep in “burn testing” mode. Final samples for upcoming launches, early ideas for Holiday 2026(yes, really), and even starting to think about 2027, which feels insane to type. As I’m writing this, I have a sample burning in my bedroom for a new destination scent launching in September… and I’ll just say this: it may have the potential to knock Signature out of the number one spot. It’s that good.
I also wanted to talk about the London Eau de Parfum. Without question, it’s my favorite out of the five perfumes we’ve launched, and it has quietly developed a cult following.
These are just *a few* of the messages I’ve received about it.
Friends, customers, and so many of you on Instagram message me to say it’s their all-time favorite scent. I keep one in my purse at all times and inevitably pull it out at events to let people smell it. I have yet to meet a single person who doesn’t fall in love immediately.
I somehow always end up rambling on way longer than I mean to in these emails. If you’re still here reading… thank you!
And as always, if you have ideas—destinations you want us to bottle, scents you’re craving, concepts or products you’re dreaming about—my inbox is always open. Truly. The feedback and inspiration you share with us means more than you know.
Appreciate you all endlessly.
Xx
Lindsay
Lindsay