Some businesses sell products. Others tell stories. Bright Black Candles does both—using scent as a medium and candles as a platform to share positive narratives about Blackness.
Founded in 2019, Bright Black is a family-run venture led by Tiffany, Dariel, and Elena, each bringing their own creative spark. Tiffany, an experienced professional with a background in academia, philanthropy, and federal public service, sees herself as a social psychologist at heart. She believes everything worthwhile starts with love—whether it’s arroz con gandules, the color pink, or deep connection.
Dariel, a Knicks fan and hip-hop head, comes from a proud Jamaican family and has an appreciation for independent film and comedy. He’s the one most likely to be caught laughing at any given moment. Then there’s Elena, the youngest member of the Bright Black team, who is sweet, passionate, and headstrong. She loves ballet, singing, dancing, and baking—an artist in her own right.
Together, this unconventional, wonderfully quirky family understands the assignment: create products that take people on a scent journey while staying rooted in their culture and community.
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Or, as they like to put it, standing “ten toes down”—technically 30, in their case.
At first glance, linking candles to cultural storytelling might seem like a stretch. But not for Bright Black. Throughout history, candles have served as more than just sources of light—they’ve been symbols of connection, joy, spiritual growth, and understanding.
For this team, the Black Diaspora represents beauty, strength, joy, collectivism, and thriving. Those values are infused into every candle they create. “Candles speak deeply to our souls,” they explain. “And a meaningful dialogue around Blackness absolutely needs that depth.”
Here’s what the Bright Black Candle family had to share about their company.
L.A. SENTINEL: How did it all start?
BRIGHT BLACK CANDLES TEAM: Bright Black began in 2019 as a dream to capture the beauty and brilliance of Blackness through scent. We thought that using scent as an artistic medium for storytelling would be a powerful way to share the nuance and positivity we feel related to our culture.
LAS: What’s the direction for the company in 2025?
BBCT: In 2025, we are centering community—both in real life and virtually. We’ll be using scent and our scent stories to build connection and heal collectively. We’re creating immersive environments that harness the power of scent, and we’ll use fragrance to help facilitate critical conversations across different groups. We’re also excited to introduce new scents—some in our core collections like Diaspora, Genres, Summer, and Holidays, as well as in completely new domains.
LAS: What makes your products unique?
BBCT: Intentionality. Each scent we create is a symbolic representation of its name. No other company captures the essence of time, place, culture, personality, or historical events the way Bright Black does. Our candles are made with the highest quality, clean ingredients, and we go beyond business by giving back. We revenue-share with nonprofits across the Black Diaspora, supporting causes that matter—from juvenile justice reform to college retention and mental health.
For example, 50% of sales from our RESIST candle are donated to Inclusive Therapists’ BIPOC Therapy Fund, providing free mental health services for BIPOC individuals affected by the LA fires. That cooperative economic model—grounded in community—is what truly sets us apart.
As Bright Black Candles moves into the future, the vision remains clear: build community, spark conversation, and continue crafting scents that celebrate the richness of Blackness. In their hands, a candle is never just a candle—it’s a story, a statement, and an invitation to experience Black culture in a deeply sensory way. And as they continue to shape this narrative, one thing is certain—this family business is burning bright.
Website: brightblackcandles.com
- Social media information:
- FB/IG: @brightblackcandle
- Twitter: @brtblkcandle
