Grace & Marie is Geelong’s answer to gorgeous hand poured soy candles
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24.05.2018

Grace & Marie is Geelong’s answer to gorgeous hand poured soy candles

Photo by Allira Potter.
Words by Chloe Cicero

Hand poured in Torquay.

Hand-poured in Geelong, Grace & Marie was founded on a love for all things candle-related. After years of searching for high quality, affordable and beautifully scented candles and not being able to find ones featuring all three qualities, Grace & Marie was created using only the finest ingredients offering a variety of fragrances, in a selection of beautiful glassware to discover and enjoy. Forté’s Chloe Cicero spoke to Cartier Finesse, owner of Grace & Marie Soy Candles about her creative venture.

Hey thanks for chatting to us! First off, tell us, how did you get started?
I’ve always been really obsessed with candles and it wasn’t really until I was spending lots of money on them and had a tub full in my house because I had so many that my partner had the idea to make them myself. I bought a candle making kit online to give it a go, then in November I had surgery and my mum was down and I couldn’t do much, so while mum was here I thought she could help me get started. It was close to Christmas so I though I’d gift them to people and then I started posting about it on my social media. Afterwards I had people asking me to make custom orders for them and it kind of took off from there.

What products do you supply?
My most popular products are my individual candles which are available in a number of scents. I also have gift boxes that can be personalised with custom labels and names on the box itself. Also reed diffusers At this stage this is all of my range, however reed diffusers and room sprays.

Where did you get the inspiration for your name?
It’s completely personal. Grace is my sisters middle name, Marie is my middle name and both names go back to our grandparents and great grandparents. I wanted the brand to be personal, coming from the heart; I wanted the name to show how much love and devotion goes into every aspect of this brand.

What sets you apart from other candle businesses?
One of the main things is that I make everything myself. I hand pour all the candles at home and I design all the labels. I’m also trying to make the brand as environmentally friendly as possible, with all packaging being recyclable I limit plastic use. The soy wax is 100% natural and the oils are also environmentally friendly; they aren’t tested on animals, and are made in Australia. Another thing is that I’m trying to reduce waste, so I offer refills for returning customers and clients, who receive a discount when they return used Grace & Marie jars.

What’s your all-time favourite candle scent?
If I’m going for a sweet scent, vanilla caramel always tops the list, or if it’s a fruity one it’s a tie between Grapefruit, Lime & Coconut; or Coriander & Orange.

Whether it’s to create a certain mood, leave a room filled with wonderful aromas or to create a calming environment, ‘Grace & Marie’ candles aim to bring a little love, calm and light to your life.

You can find Grace & Marie online at www.graceandmariecandles.com