When I discovered there was such a thing as olive wax I was beyond excited and immediately started researching candle making. I love burning candles at home; in winter it brings that sense of hygge as well as an elegance to the dinner table, in summer sitting outside in the evening it conjures a bit of magic and the exotic.

On a nostalgic return to Morocco with my mum I loved the evening ritual at Villa Maroc in Essaouira of lowering the wooden candelabra at dusk to light the many candles and raise it back up into the rafters. The soothing gentleness of a flickering flame gives a special evocative illumination to its surroundings.

Part of my journey to become a chandler included the commitment to fragrance the wax with essential oils. I tried all sorts of combinations which would smell divine in the wax but like fuel when I lit the candle. So I went against my principles and bought synthetic fragrances and they worked brilliantly.

But it hasn’t sat well with me – I want everything I do to be natural and earth friendly so I’ve made the decision to try again with essential oils and in the meantime only sell unscented candles.