ALL FIRED UP

Candlemaker Xana Mills goes for a greener glow A comprehensive compendium of Sunday living ideas, sourced from some of Toronto’s most interesting citizens and compiled by Briony Smith

I had finished burning some samples (then noticed the leftover candle jars), and my first thought was, ‘Well, now what am I going to do with these?’

XANA MILLS

“Scents are the first thing I notice whenever I walk into a room,” Xana Mills says, “and it has a significant effect on my mood.” A lifelong candle lover, Mills turned waxward when it came time to complete the final project for her digital communications program at Humber. “I wanted to learn the ecommerce landscape and thought candles would be a great way to do so, as they were easy to ship, and I could brand them how I wanted,” she remembers. “I had finished burning some samples (then noticed the leftover candle jars), and my first thought was, ‘Well, now, what am I going to do with these?’”

Mills was, like legions of candle enthusiasts before her, stuck with an empty container once the wax burned down. Repurposing the candle jar is a good idea, she thought, but how many pen holders does one need? “My next thought was, ‘What if the container could be turned into something new?’ ” She looked up at her desk, saw a plant and the idea hit her: Why not turn a candle container into a cute planter? Mills got to work, experimenting with different materials to create Glowvine, a line of candles in pretty pastel pots that convert to planters. All one has to do is clean out the remaining wax, remove the plug and pop through the seal — and voila! Instant drainage hole (“a very important part of plant care”).

Each candle is made with renewable, non-toxic and vegan virgin coconut soy wax, with oils that are ethically sourced. “I even use recycled bubble wrap in my packaging and starch packing peanuts that dissolve in water,” she says. Mills wants to give buyers a head start, so the candle dust cover is made from plantable seed paper, which can be placed in the new pot and sprout wildflowers.

According to Mills, her candles were a smash even before they hit the market. A TikTok post about the company, which she uploaded one month before launch, received almost half a million views, along with hundreds of excited comments, and all the candles were spoken for during presale. Now, Glowvine is carried in eight stores across the province, and she has charity partnerships and doublewick candles in the works.

Mills loves making candles, but her favourite part? “Definitely fragrance testing and blending,” she says. The candles come in a variety of sumptuous, modern scents, including pumpkin chai, palo santo and bergamot, applewood cedar and leather, and blood orange and lime agave. Customers can mix and match scents and pot colours.

Mills is excited about her upcoming winter scents. “I want to ensure that whatever your fragrance preference is, there would be one for you,” she says. “It’s so hard to decide what to end up with, but that’s the fun part about running my own business: I can always add more.”