From Grief to Glow: Why I Started Scented Serenity Candles

 There was a time when I couldn’t walk past a candle sale without grabbing one or five of the candles from you know that store with the 3-wick offering the annual sale up to 75% off.

I had candles everywhere: one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen, one flickering beside me every evening as I tried to unwind.

 Lighting them felt like a little bit of peace at the end of a long day. But over time, I realized those candles were missing something.

 They burned too fast.

The scent faded halfway.

They left black soot behind.

And even when I lit several at once, something still felt… off.

 That’s when I realized:

I didn’t need more candles I needed candles that meant something.

Before I ever poured my first candle, there was grief.

Deep, layered, life-altering grief.

My world crashed around me one loss after another.

I lost my dad.

I lost my best friend from high school.

I lost a marriage.

I lost my cousin.

I lost my job.

And somewhere in between, I started to lose myself.

All of it happened in this order within just 464 days.

 Grief doesn’t always look like tears.

Sometimes it looks like silence.

Like numbness.

Like pretending you’re okay when you’re far from it.

 Then COVID hit, and my world turned upside down again.

I almost loss my son.

And in the middle of that chaos, my first grandbaby was born, Kaleigh Rose

She was like a bright light rising from all that loss.

A reminder that life still had beauty, still had purpose.

She came into a world that felt like a circus, yet her presence grounded me in something real.

That’s when I started making candles not as a business, but as therapy.

Pouring wax. Blending fragrances.

Focusing on scent gave me a way to slow down, to breathe, and to begin putting the pieces of myself back together.

 The smell of baked goods reminded me of home.

Lavender helped quiet my racing thoughts.

Tobacco and cherry brought back memories of my dad, his voice, his presence, his comfort.

 That small flame became a turning point.

I didn’t just want to light candles for my healing I wanted to create them for others too.

Candles that comfort.

Candles that connect.

Candles that help people heal.

Then another life-altering moment happened.

After COVID, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

But by then, I had found strength.

I had found peace in the glow of a wick.

And I knew I wanted to offer that peace to others.

Today, I am grateful to share that my mom is now cancer free. Here resilience became part of the light I pour into every candle.

And so, in 2023, with a nudge and inspiration from my brother, Scented Serenity Candles, was born.

 I had someone ask me a question that stayed with me. At first, it honestly made me upset. I couldn’t believe they questioned it

“Why would your candles work for someone else if they’re based on your personal story?”

It stung because this journey has been so personal, so sacred. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something powerful.

Here’s the truth:

Yes, my candles were born from my healing.

But they carry the kind of energy that allows you to heal, too.

People don’t buy candles just for the scent.

They buy them for how they want to feel.

Each fragrance I create is rooted in memory and meaning.

But once that candle is lit in your home, it becomes yours.

•  Mocha Café reminds me of my high-energy dog, Mocha.
• Frank’s Cherry Pipe Tobacco honors my dad and the warmth of childhood memories.
• Nooks Kitchen captures the scent of love and togetherness in my mother’s kitchen.
• Love resembles the love I have for God, Myself and Family

 You might not share those memories, and the scent may not remind you of the   moments from my life.

But scent has a way of finding its own meaning in your life.

And that’s the magic; these candles meet you exactly where you are.

 Choosing artisan candles is about more than avoiding toxins or supporting a small business.

It’s about choosing intention over impulse.

When you buy from a maker who cares about the craft, you feel the difference from the first light to the last burn.

 But Scented Serenity Candles isn’t just about candles.

It’s about a story.

It’s about healing.

It’s about glowing even after darkness.

 Somewhere in the middle of all the loss, something beautiful happened.

I found love again.

Not just any love

The kind that reminded me I was still here.

That I was still worthy of joy.

That I could love again and be loved deeply in return.

 But because of my past pain, I almost lost that love.

I had built walls to protect myself, not realizing I was also keeping the light out.

 But here’s the truth:

The love was there all along.

It just took almost losing it to recognize it.

 That realization didn’t just restore my heart it reminded me why I started Scented Serenity Candles in the first place.

 Although my dad is no longer here, he is still with me through my memories, through the quiet wisdom he left behind, and through the love he gave me for 43 beautiful years.

 And though a marriage was lost, I began to realize it was for a season and a reason and with that

reunion came two beautiful girls who are now at an age where I can proudly call them my best friends. Also, I realized that I was not a failure due to that lost.

 Scented Serenity Candles is not just a business.

It’s proof that something beautiful can rise from pain.

It’s the warmth after the storm.

It’s my story and now, maybe it can be part of yours, too.

 If you’ve been looking for candles that do more than just smell nice candles that mean something

You’re in the right place.

 Because when I light a candle now, it’s not just for ambiance.

It’s for memory.

For healing.

And for hope.

 Thank you for being here.

Thank you for letting my glow meet yours.

 

Charlene Hall,

Founder of Scented Serenity Candles