Meet the Maker: Scripted Fragrance
Meet the Maker is a blog series on The Dapple featuring Q&As with small businesses, creatives, and makers who are crafting unique products for dogs and dog lovers.
Earlier this year when I was browsing Etsy and looking for ways to make our home cozy through the winter months, I stumbled upon Scripted Fragrance. I immediately fell in love with their dog breed candles, which match scents with the personalities of different breeds. So fun, right?
Scripted Fragrance’s candles have been keeping our home sweet-smelling and cheerful all winter long, so today I’m really excited to be interviewing the talented mother-daughter duo behind the brand.
After launching their business in Brooklyn, Elizabeth Isabella and Amberlee Isabella moved their candle studio to the Hudson Valley. Along with their two miniature dachshunds and their calico kitten, they’re creating scents that tell stories. Read our Q&A with them below.
Explain for our readers what you make.
We’re chandlers who celebrate what we love most through fragrance! Pairing beautiful scents with scripted stories, we hand-pour natural 100% soy wax to create one-of-a-kind candles.
What led you to create Scripted Fragrance?
We were fascinated with the fact that you’re one hundred times more likely to remember an experience if there is a scent tied to it. Creating a unique gifting experience around this idea is what led us to create the company.
We're obsessed with your dog breed candles! Talk us through how you design a fragrance profile for each breed.
Thank you! It’s honestly as fun as it sounds to design a unique fragrance for each breed! First, we do a deep dive into the breed standard and personality as determined by the American Kennel Club. From there we take into account origin and their job roles. We have over 35 unique dog breed candles as well as Rescue, Service Dog, and Cat!
Which dog breed candle is your favorite?
It’s so hard to choose, but our Rescue Dog Candle in our Reusable Signature Silhouette Glass is close to the top. It has notes of green grass and light warm sunshine. We like to say he or she is thankful for their new backyard or dog park.
You donate proceeds from the dog breed candles to pet charities. Which organizations do you work with?
Yes, we work with the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to advancing the health of all dogs (purebred and mixed breed) and their owners by funding scientific research and supporting the dissemination of health information to prevent, treat, and cure canine disease. We also donate candles to a variety of non-profits for charitable events to support smaller organizations across the country.
You also create candles for cities and states. How do you decide what the defining scents of different places are?
We look at the geography, people, and culture for inspiration. Local focus groups is another tool we use to ensure we tell the richest and most authentic stories possible for each city and state. It’s amazing to hear people share such fond memories and experiences of their favorite places with us!
You two are a mother-daughter team—what's it like to work with family?
We’ve always been really close and it’s an asset because we trust each other implicitly. We both come from strong retail backgrounds with different areas of expertise so dividing and conquering is important. With so many decisions to be made, that trust is critical for us to be successful.
What's the most challenging part of running a small business?
Spreading the word about our products! The internet is a crowded space, we really love doing pop-ups and special events where we’re able to interact with our customers and tell our story in person.
What's your favorite place to work?
Our studio! We recently moved from 200 square feet to 1,000 square feet and it’s been life changing for us.
What's each of your favorite item for sale from Scripted Fragrance right now?
Elizabeth: Our Dachshund and Boxer Reusable Signature Silhouette Candles! We have both breeds in our family and love using the glasses after the candle is finished around the house for decor and at the mini bar.
Amberlee: Definitely our Create Your Own Gift Set! Customers can choose four mini gold tins across all six of our collections! In addition to Pets, State, and Cities, we have three additional collections which include Birth Flower, Wellness & Meditation, as well as Seasonal. You can choose one candle from multiple collections or select all four from the same collection. The combinations are endless and we love to see the creative combinations that our customers come up with!
Any exciting upcoming plans for Scripted Fragrance?
We have so many! New partnerships, retailers, and products are all in the works.
What's the most rewarding part of your work?
The surprise and delight that comes from discovering our products is wonderful to see. Whether it’s realizing we have the perfect candle for their home or watching someone find the perfect gift for someone they love. It never gets old.
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Shop Scripted Fragrance and sign up for their newsletter at ScriptedFragrance.com. Or follow them on Instagram at @scriptedfragrance. And don’t forget to use code DAPPLE10 for 10% off.