This Brooklyn-Based Black-Owned Candle Company Has the Best-Smelling Scents
It really goes without saying — because maybe you’ve noticed?— but Apartment Therapy’s a company full of candle lovers and homebodies. There’s something super-soothing about lighting a candle, any time of day really, and just letting the scent fill your room. All candles are not created equal though, so it’s always special when you find a new company to shop from with amazing new scents to obsess over. Right now, I cannot get over Tribe & Oak‘s offerings, and I think everyone should have one (or all!) of their dreamy candles at home.
Tribe & Oak is a newer company, founded in 2021 by Taylor Tankson and Kareem Wallace, a Black couple based in Brooklyn, New York. In an effort to connect after going into yet another year of the pandemic, Tankson and Wallace started trying a bunch of different activities at home, and the one they enjoyed the most was candle-making. “We started making more and more candles then shared them with our family and friends, who convinced us to turn it into a business,” Tankson says. They decided to go for it last year and haven’t looked back.
Tankson and Wallace researched different types of candle wax and learned certain types can be harmful to the environment, pets, and people with varying conditions. “We deal with sinuses, allergies, and other environmental sensitivities, so it was important to make products that are safe,” the couple says. Tankson specifically suffers from asthma, so using all-natural and cruelty-free materials was a must. “Making natural products that are vegan, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free was our number one priority,” says Wallace.
Of all of their products, the Coconut Sandalwood scent is easily Tankson’s favorite; once lit, you can expect it to give off a warm, potent coconut fragrance infused with spicier notes like cedarwood, orange, and patchouli. Wallace’s go-to scent is the Amber Cedarwood candle, which has a bold, more woodsy fragrance with some subtle, earthy notes like black pepper and pimento berry. However, Tribe & Oak’s best-seller is the Citrus Pine candle. “This one is liked by all genders, Wallace says. “It has an enchanting blend of fresh evergreen finishes with a sweet hint of exotic fruits.”
If you want to give Tribe & Oak a try, you can start with smaller, votives-sized samples for $15 each. That said, there’s not a bad scent in the bunch, so you can fully indulge by purchasing a full-sized, 11 oz. candle for $38 as well.
As their business continues to grow, Tankson and Wallace value their customers more than anything. “This past year has taught many of us that connecting with ourselves, and those closest to us in the places we call home, is the most important thing,” their site reads. “Our mission is to bring luxury and quality products to your home that do just that.”