About
The Harlem Candle Co. is a luxury home fragrance brand specializing in scented candles inspired by the richness of Harlem. Founded in 2014 by travel and lifestyle expert Teri Johnson, the Harlem Candle Company is the manifestation of her love affair with fragrance, jazz, and Harlem.
As a child, Teri grew obsessed with her favorite aunt's collection of exotic perfumes and travel stories, planting the seed for her own relationship with travel and fragrances. Through her travels to nearly 70 countries, she discovered the power of scent and its ability to transport you through time and place.
Teri, a native Texan, decided to make the New York City neighborhood of Harlem her permanent home.
Through intense research, she discovered Harlem’s vibrant and rich past. Music icons including Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington who performed at clubs such as the Savoy Ballroom, the colorful areas of Harlem’s Sugar Hill and Lenox Avenue all inspired her to share these stories.
The Harlem Candle Co. began in her kitchen in 2014. Teri now designs fragrances alongside award winning perfumers to produce beautifully scented candles that celebrate the Harlem Renaissance.
The success that Teri has experienced with the Harlem Candle Co. has allowed her to collaborate with a variety of different partners — from large legacy brands like Kodak to Manhattan's first and only whiskey distillery, Great Jones Distilling Co. — in sharing the magic of the Harlem Renaissance with candle lovers everywhere. Like music, the top, middle, and base notes of each Harlem candle tells a story while taking you on an olfactory journey through time and place. Drawing on inspiration from legends like Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday, the candles instantly enhance your space while creating a sense of comfort and luxury.
Each candle is specially handcrafted using a soy wax blend and infused with one of a kind fragrance oils developed by a team of globally recognized expert perfumers.
Our mission is to continually capture the beauty and essence of Harlem of yesterday and today as we illuminate spaces around the world with our soft glows and exquisite scents.