Meet the Maker

Hi, I’m Allison, the founder and maker at Applewood Candle Co. I believe you should never have to choose between beauty and well-being, and every candle I pour is a promise to both.

Where it began

I’ve been an entrepreneur at heart since I was twelve. One summer, my mom handed me a Better Homes & Gardens recipe for bath soaks and a basket of ingredients. I spent the day happily mixing salts, scents, and petals - then, per my minimalist mom’s orders, shared them with neighbors. Soon, people were asking for more.

There was one house rule: every ingredient had to be safe enough to eat. (I was using our family’s kitchen tools - no special equipment back then!). So instead of neon colorants and candy-like fragrances, I worked with essential oils and dried botanicals. This was 2005 - “natural” wasn’t a trend yet - and at local craft shows I often heard, “Do you have bubble gum?” I’d smile and explain why I didn’t. That early commitment to clean, simple ingredients shaped everything I do today, 20 years later!

Learning the craft

I studied Entrepreneurship in college, surrounded by people turning ideas into reality. I thought my bath-and-body brand would be my forever path - until I brought home Magnolia, our golden retriever with a whole lot of heart (and just the right amount of sass). Her sensitivity to traditional fragrance pushed me to reimagine what home fragrance could be: elevated, safe, and truly clean.

From wax to wick

In our Metamora, Michigan studio, I hand-pour small batches using a coconut–soy wax blend, natural wooden wicks (that gentle crackle you love), and premium, clean fragrance - always free from phthalates, parabens, Prop 65 chemicals, toxins, and carcinogens. The result is a refined, non-toxic, pet-conscious candle you can feel confident lighting in your home and proud to gift!

Today at Applewood

Applewood is a love letter to the comforts of home: sitting on the couch with a great book, welcoming friends in, taking a deep breath after a long day. We craft seasonal stories and timeless favorites, offer a white-glove gifting experience for our clients, and pour each candle with the care of a small studio and the finish of quiet luxury.

Thank you for being here - and for supporting a small, artisanal, midwest-made brand. I can’t wait for you to experience Applewood’s clean, luxurious fragrance in your home (pups included)!