Lex Dascoli’s enterprise wins Next Top Maker 2021 contestMARLBOROUGH — Back in 2017, Alexis “Lex” Dascoli was not having a very good yr. She misplaced her job, her niece was identified with most cancers and her mom died unexpectedly.Now, she has a thriving candle enterprise and lately gained California-based Wooden Wick Co.’s Next Top Maker 2021, a contest she entered the day her niece celebrated her fifth birthday.“My means of getting out of that darkness is to be a artistic individual. That’s simply who I’m, and I needed to honor my mom in a means the place she may stay on,” Dascoli mentioned. “All the hard work is lastly paying off.”Her father’s nickname for her mom was “Vibes” or “Vibey,” inspiring the identify of Dascoli’s enterprise: Vibes Candles. Dascoli, 38, mentioned she at all times remembers candles in her dwelling rising up, and even created a bergamot-scented candle that she mentioned she is aware of her mom would have cherished, however in any other case creates and assessments scents with out a lot outdoors enter. She additionally affords reed diffusers and room sprays, amongst different merchandise.“When you’re working by your self, you don’t have any one else to bounce concepts off of,” she mentioned. “I’m busy each single day as a result of I’m a one-man crew — one-woman crew.”One is perhaps shocked to study an organization that ships throughout the United States and can be featured in a well-known candle store — Candle Delirium in West Hollywood, California, which is a part of the prize for winning Next Top Maker together with a $5,000 grant — doesn’t even have its personal store.Previously a graphic designer, Dascoli does the whole lot from designing packaging to testing fragrances and pouring candles in her Marlborough dwelling workplace.“How I combine them is simply taking part in round. You’re actually like a scientist,” she mentioned. “There have been many mixes or perfume oils that didn’t vibe with me, like, ‘This is disgusting.’”The candles that do make the lower are made with a vegan coconut soy wax mix scented with a mixture of important oils and fragrances. The wax is a vibrant white, which Dascoli mentioned leads to a cleaner burn and makes the uncooked crystals and crystal chips that Dascoli locations fastidiously into each candle stand out.“The function is to not solely have a good looking candle but additionally set your intentions to these crystals in order that once they burn, you launch all the nice vibes and power of the crystals,” she mentioned. “I at all times attempt to put out the very best. Whatever I believe I’d need, I put it on the market for everyone else to get pleasure from.”She mentioned she likes to match crystals with perfume, like amethyst with lavender, rose quartz with rose. She additionally uses vast, picket wicks that crackle as they burn. Dascoli mentioned the width of the picket wick is adjusted to the container and the perfume combination in order that it burns evenly, stopping sinkholes forming because the candles burn. She mentioned she would really like to ultimately have a retailer, however for now, her sole co-worker is her canine Schatzi, a German time period of endearment.“She’s an enormous a part of my enterprise,” Dascoli mentioned. “She retains me firm and she or he’s my little inspector.” Dascoli mentioned the pandemic mindset of serving to small companies helped maintain her going through the previous yr at the same time as she confronted challenges with provide points for issues as basic because the containers her candles are available.“It was actually cool to see that individuals got here collectively and so they actually did help out my small enterprise and I stored afloat,” she mentioned. “It actually gave me time to focus and get issues the place I need them to be.”Lillian Eden could be reached at 617-459-6409 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @LillianWEden.
