Destination Candles: How We Create Scents Inspired by Places Around the World

When I started Port of Joy Co., I wasn't just thinking about candles, I was thinking about home. As someone born and raised in Colombia, US citizen, married to a Mexican-American, and now living in Texas with family and friends scattered across the world, I've always been surrounded by different cultures, traditions, and memories.

Living in Texas, where so many people come from different corners of the globe, made me realize how powerful scent can be. One fragrance can instantly transport you back to your grandmother's kitchen, a favorite vacation, or the place you grew up. That's where the idea for destination-inspired candles and home goods was born: creating products that help people reconnect with places they love without ever leaving home. That was my Aha moment!

My creative process starts with the seasons. I spend weeks researching fragrance trends, testing different fragrance oils, and narrowing down dozens of possibilities until I find the perfect scent. Once I have a winner, I begin imagining which destinations naturally connect with that fragrance. For example, fall often takes me to New England, Vermont, or Canada, while winter inspires thoughts of cozy European villages. Spring reminds me of Colombia and parts of Asia bursting with color and life, while summer often brings visions of Africa and tropical destinations throughout Asia. During this stage, I'm constantly sketching ideas, taking notes, and organizing inspiration using my iPad for drafting and design ideas. 

After selecting a destination, I start designing the candle itself. One thing that makes Port of Joy Co. unique is that I didn't want our candles to look like traditional candles. Instead, I wanted each one to tell a story through its design. I sketch embed ideas for the top of the candle, create mood boards, and gather feedback from our customers and VIP members through polls to see what resonates most.

My desk is usually covered in sticky notes, sketches, and colorful Sharpie highlighters helping me organize concepts and bring ideas to life before they ever become products. I also use a Cricut machine to help create prototypes and experiment with packaging and presentation details.

*Our calista vessel labels. 

Once the design is finalized, the real testing begins. I burn-test candles for weeks, sometimes even months, making adjustments until everything feels just right. Then my husband steps in with one of his favorite parts of the process: creating the label design and helping choose the final product name. He's incredibly creative and always finds a way to bring the vision together beautifully.

*Fall collection labels getting cut in our cricut.

Sometimes we'll even sketch ideas the old-fashioned way with simple wood pencils before moving them into final designs. When everything comes together, the candle is finally ready to launch. To this point it has taken us about 2 months to finish the final product.

My hope with every collection is simple: to take people somewhere meaningful, spark memories, and bring a little piece of the world into their homes one candle at a time.

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