Meet The Copper Bell
Sip back and relax as we introduce you to The Copper Bell.
Always a fan of candles, Guelph’s Katrina Bell was frustrated upon discovering the toxic side effects of paraffin wax candles.
“I’ve always been a big candle fan but developed a sensitivity to scented candles after having my daughter,” said Katrina. “I discovered that most candles from big box stores are made with paraffin wax – an oil byproduct – that can result in unfortunate side effects like headache.”
After initially resigning herself to never burning candles again, Katrina was determined to research and discover healthier alternatives to paraffin candles.
Well, we all know that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. So upon discovering the all-natural benefits of soy wax, Katrina Bell began pouring her passion and creativity into making her own candles – with all the calming and aromatic benefits, but minus the toxic side effects.
“I started exploring soy wax as an alternative and never looked back. Soy burns longer and cleaner than it’s paraffin counterpart and I’m so proud to share my soy candles with you today!”
Since launching The Copper Bell in Spring 2020, Katrina has been busy lightning up a tropic thunder storm with her delightfully punny candles!
Not sure which scent to try? Why not cit down and mull it over, or get the Fall Sampler Collection so you can snuggle up with all six of Katrina’s warm and cozy autumn scents! We promise that they’re top koalaty!
FALL COLLECTION:
- All You Knead is Loaf – apple cinnamon loaf
- Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About – pumpkin caramel latte
- In-Cider Information – mulled apples, autumn leaves, musk
- Pear Pressure – pear, riesling, pine
- The Snuggle is Real – cozy blanket
- Up in Smoke – sweet tobacco leaf, sandalwood, musk
Why did you name it ‘The Copper Bell’?
I named The Copper Bell after myself! My last name is Bell and I knew I wanted to include that somewhere in the brand name. Because I was making more than just candles and wanted to leave my brand open to including other things down the line I didn’t want to limit myself to having ‘candle’ in the brand name. ‘Copper’ was totally by chance. I was trying to come up with a name that sounded great with Bell and saw a sign advertising some condos in town that included Copper in the name. I liked the way “The Copper Bell” sounded and saw that there was a lot available on social media so decided that was my name!
What’s your overall mission?
My mission is to make people laugh and bring some joy into their day. I try to do this through puns and funny names as well as the way I interact with my followers on Instagram.
Describe the process behind making your candles and creating the perfect scents.
A lot of trial and error! I think up scents I think would go well together and try to think outside of the box. I blend my oils and create small samples for a sniff test and will go on to make candles once I’m satisfied with how the different blends smell. Candles usually smell different than pure oil so I always do a burn test after I’m satisfied with the oils to note what they smell like when lit and then adjust from there. I try to give my candles a 2-week cure time after pouring them for optimal strength so it can be a long process to come up with something new.
How do you choose the perfect ‘punny’ name for each candle?
I name every candle with a close friend and lovingly refer to this as our ‘candle naming committee’. It involves a lot of brainstorming on puns related to whatever is in the candle or the feeling of the scent – like a beachy feel for example. Sometimes I come up with names I really like and wait until I come up with a scent blend that fits the name.
Do you have any favourite scents? and which candle have you been burning most recently?
I’m a huge fan of citrus smells – particularly orange, so that keeps creeping into my candles. My all-time favourite is one of my Winter scents – it’s a blend of citrus, balsam wood, and mulled cider. A close second is my best seller – Day Drinking.
The candles that I’m burning most recently at any given time is whatever I’m testing for the upcoming seasons. I’m currently finalizing Fall scents and then will be burning Winter scents to make my decisions well ahead of time.
What is your favourite thing about being a small business owner/entrepreneur?
I love the flexibility of running my own business online. I can set my own schedule and work around the needs of my family. It can be really easy to work too much but I’ve found a good work-life balance that I hadn’t had before starting my own business.
What’s some feedback you’ve received from happy customers?
My favourite compliments come from people who took a leap to try a candle out without smelling it first. It can be so difficult to buy a candle online but I’ve found people are always pleasantly surprised! I often hear “I bought this for a gift but after smelling it I think I might have to keep it for myself” – that’s one of my favourite pieces of feedback.
Future plans for The Copper Bell?
I’ve just signed a lease for a new production space that isn’t in my home! I’m very excited to move to a larger space that will give me more capacity to grow and fulfill orders faster. I’m hoping to hire extra hands within the next few months and am very excited to see where we go from there.