the alchemist

Craig Parker - Founder, Creator and Owner of APOTHERCARY64

Living in the beautiful town of Penarth, South Wales.

My fragrance journey has been long and interesting to reach this point, from the onset scents have moulded my world, evoking memories, cementing moments and bringing joy and happiness to my world, and now to others.

The affair with fragrance began with my Grandad’s ripe tomatoes growing in his warm greenhouse, the pungent smell as I brushed passed the vines lay heavy on those long hot summer days and stays with me still.

"The power of fragrance”.

Not just any fragrance, the synthetic copy is no substitute for natures vibrance, which is what has led me to produce my collection of eco and ethically friendly candles and diffusers.

Working many years with fragrance has refined my ability to choose simple and more complex blends using the best essential natural flowers and herbs to accent, accompany or strikingly stand alone, all designed to stimulate and convey a fragrant long-lasting journey.

In the early days I was captivated with natures glorious fragrances especially during the festive Christmas season and how florists formed bespoke arrangements using a variety of flowers, paying particular attention to their fragrance and longevity. Fresh pine, dried orange, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary and various other touches made festive decorations ‘sing’. My aim was to produce a quality natural candle for others to enjoy, to scene set, to cosy up with, for background, for table vibrance, to punch through the air and continue giving right to the last wick embers and more importantly ‘without’ the synthetic undertones or smoky burn.

After many months of research, I was able to produce my first bespoke fragrance last year, using no toxins, parabens or colouring.  Their long clean burn is achieved using only 100% soy wax, cotton wicks and with UK ethically sourced finest produce.

From dream to idea I now proudly produce a chorus of candles and accompanying diffusers by hand and in small batches to retain their optimum fragrance and potency, all made here in South Wales.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CANDLE

Here are a few tips on getting the most out of your Candle.

On the first burn, ensure the wick is upright and burn for 3-4 hours to ensure an even melt pool. Remove any carbon build up that may have occurred on the wick before re lighting.

SAFETY FIRST

Never leave a burning candle unattended. Never burn candles while sleeping. Burn candles out of reach of children and pets. Always leave at least 10cm between burning candles. Do not burn candles on or near anything that can catch fire. Only burn  candles on a level heat resistant surface. Never burn candles for more than 4 hours at a time as it will damage the wick. Do not allow the flame to touch the glass. Ensure the wick is upright, above the wax and central before the wax sets. Always trim the wick to 5mm before lighting to avoid smoking and damage to the glass. Glass may become hot during use. Extinguish when 5mm of wax remains and do not relight.

Blog posts

Pride Month with Pride Cymru

Pride Month with Pride Cymru

To celebrate Pride Month we have partnered with Pride Cymru to release a Limited Edition Pride Candle where 100% of the profits will be donated to ...

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