Making Scents
Jacquline Farjam grew up on Long Island until she was 18 years old, that’s when she moved to Los Angeles to study fashion design and business management at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Then, in 2006, she and two friends started a fashion blog. They traveled around the country, covering runway shows, which eventually led to the development of an online luxury shopping experience company that supported independent artisan jewelry designers.
With all of the experience and knowledge under her belt, in 2014 she began working for Alice + Olivia in Manhasset and East Hampton as a personal wardrobe stylist. Still, she wanted more — her own candle company to be specific. That’s when Harlow + Bentley was born.
How did the idea for Harlow + Bentley come about?
Candles have always been a part of my life. I’ve realized how transformative candles can be for our wellbeing and how much peace they bring people by allowing them to live in the moment. It allows you to set the mood for whatever the occasion, whether you’re hosting a dinner party, want to relax at home, or a romantic night.
Lighting candles at social events or when guests are over also brings forth a particular ambiance that creates a connection between people and a zone of comfort and a positive environment for everyone. I came up with the name Harlow + Bentley during one of my brainstorming sessions. I just loved how it sounds.
What’s the specific connection to the East End?
When I lived in Los Angeles, I would go back to New York and spend time in the Hamptons, attending many social events and enjoying beach life. Now, I live in East Hampton every summer and fall. I’m not sure which I love better. There’s the feeling of the summer excitement in the air and running into familiar faces in town, and the crisp fall days and nights having a glass of wine in Cittanuova in East Hampton when the crowds lessen in September. I just love it there.
The Hamptons always seem to feel like what I describe “a big-small world.” So many people come and go, yet when you stick around long enough, you see many familiar faces over the years like clockwork. Acquaintances whose faces you see walking down the street become friends, those friends become like family over the years, and it’s just lovely. The East End is where I do a lot of my business. When I created the brand Harlow + Bentley, some of my biggest supporters were the owners and buyer at Whites Apothecary. I’ll eternally be grateful to have had them in my corner since the beginning.
How does Harlow + Bentley connect to the community itself?
We’re proud product sponsors for over 300 VIP guests and attendees at the annual Social Life Magazine St. Barths event hosted by supermodel Christie Brinkley. The feedback we got and support from the East End and city crowd was wonderful and those individuals continue to order today. As business expanded out east, we have offered many of our shoppers delivery right to their doorstep during the summer and early fall seasons.
I personally do candle consultations and we enjoy assisting our customers in choosing the right scents for their homes and their businesses over email, or calls as well. Our mission is to provide a luxury R & R environment for our clientele with our quality offerings. Our client base also loves to set up private at-home candle shopping events with their friends and family. We have fun with it, and it is definitely an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. We truly enjoy being such an integrated part of the community and having such a supportive energy from the community behind us.
Describe your candle making process.
Every scent in the line is well thought-out and tested by bringing it to markets across New York for feedback from our customers. Each scent has a unique blend of fragrances that are exclusive to our brand. In addition, we like to say we have a “scent for every nose.” This means that we covered many main scent variations, whether you are a fan of floral scents, beach house/fresh linen scents, vanilla baked good scents, masculine scents, sweet scents, scents reminiscent of holiday and spring ideals. There is a scent for everyone to enjoy.
The scents sound relaxing. Which are your favorites?
My personal favorite scents are No.1 White Tea and Ylang Ylang, or the No.4 Sandalwood and Patchouli, which I very often burn together. The soft floral notes of the No. 1 combined with the natural earth tones and warm amber in our No. 4 candle is just so soothing to me.
Each scent is reminiscent to me for various reasons. For example, the crisp and touch of soft sweetness in the scent of No.5 Rosé Musk scent reminds me of the notes of summer nights with a glass rosé sitting by the beach. The No. 2 Cotton Blossom and Citrus scent smells like fresh summer linens and beach notes. No. 3 Bourbon and Vanilla reminds me of swanky jazz nights in NYC. Each scent has its own personality.
What inspires new fragrances?
My inspiration behind the different scents are the places I’ve been and the stories I’m trying to tell. We have several main signature scents that are always available, as well as our seasonal scents, but we’re also launching six new collections that will be available for purchase online.
Do you have a favorite story you associate with a particular scent?
There are too many to choose from, but recently a friend of mine reached out after receiving the Gardenia candle and what she told me made my heart melt and it was a good reminder of why I started Harlow + Bentley. My friend left me a voice message in tears telling me how the Gardenia scent brought back memories of her grandmother and how that candle was so special to her.
These are the types of moments that make all the hard work worth it. Listening to her recall this is the type of moment in my business that makes all the hard work I put in so incredibly rewarding. Giving someone some much needed R & R with our products and linking them to good memories from their past really warms my heart and makes me love what I do even more.
Harlow + Bentley is currently offering 15 percent off entire orders using discount code “SUPPORTSMALLBIZ.” See the entire collection at www.harlowandbentley.com and be sure to follow on Instagram @harlowandbentley for upcoming scents.
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