Meet the Maker: Roen
Meet Brit Roennigkev, the founder of Roen candles.
In a quest to capture the scent of her neighborhood, Brit started developing fragrances and soon after, Roen candles were born. Each candle is handcrafted using a small batch approach.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PRACTICING YOUR CRAFT?
I started Roen in 2017 after I had my second baby. I would go on long walks through our Glassell Park neighborhood and would take in the incredible scent of orange blossoms, osmanthus, jasmine and Australian laurel that would bloom in the spring/summertime. The bouquet of scent was so beautiful and fragrant, I wanted to capture it in a candle. I started to dabble in my tiny kitchen and eventually Roen was born.
WHAT DREW YOU TO YOUR MEDIUM ORIGINALLY?
I have always LOVED fragrance and candles and their ability to create a mood or transport you to a favorite memory. I love how simply lighting a candle has a calming effect and creates such a beautiful warmth and ambience.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST & HOW IS THAT REFLECTED IN YOUR WORK?
I am very inspired by travel. I love trying to recreate a specific scent or an overall mood from a place I've visited. Scent is very closely linked to memory and it can bring you right back to a favorite moment in time. Both our amber and blush collections are centered around some of our favorite places in Los Angeles. Recently we've launched our French collection which was inspired by some beautiful memories from a trip to France.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ITEM TO MAKE? WHY IS IT YOUR FAVORITE?
Currently I'm very into Euphoria which we just launched. It smells like springtime in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles with notes of star jasmine, osmanthus and greens. Saint-Malo is another favorite at the moment, It is bright and fresh with clean notes of citrus, mint and sweet basil. It has become a ritual of mine to light it first thing in the morning as I get ready for the day.
WHAT DO YOU WISH CUSTOMERS UNDERSTOOD BETTER ABOUT HANDMADE ITEMS?
There is a true focus on the art of the craft with each and every candle we produce. We are a small team and each candle we make gets a lot of love and attention through every step of the process. We all take turns prepping the jars, pouring the wax and putting each label on by hand as we get them ready for their new home ;)
