Black Culture Candles was always meant to be a light in the darkness.

The business was created at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement by Lori Parnell, who wanted to highlight Black joy when so much emphasis was being placed on the community’s traumas.

Parnell’s candle fragrances are inspired by shared positive events, such as cleaning on Saturday morning or relaxing after a hard week at work.

“What's interesting about the memories and experiences that inspire my candles is that they aren't limited to Black culture,” she said. “(They) are shared by all of us. I encourage all races and ethnicities to connect with the scents and the memories and experiences that inspire them.”

The luxury brand’s scents tend to be deep, layered and masculine-leaning. Its candles are made using sustainably forested cracking wooden wicks and natural, vegan wax that shimmers when melted, Parnell said. To prevent the loss of any candlelight while burning, each one is put into an engraved glass jar.

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The first candle Parnell developed for her business is also her bestselling scent: Grandma’s Garden — a blend of green tea, luscious, fresh florals and woody amber.

“It's inspired by the memory of me standing in my grandmother's kitchen as a little girl watching her work in her garden and wanting to capture the feeling of that moment,” she said. “This candle is dedicated to the memories of our grandparents whose passion produced nutritious foods, tended to growing plants and grew beautiful flowers.”

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Parnell runs her business out of her home in East Akron. Her goal is for Black Culture Candles to be in stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Right now, customers can purchase Black Culture Candles at Street Craftery and Hazel Tree Design Studio in Akron or online.

Three new candle scents will be hitting shelves soon. The first is inspired by the rest and restoration of a Sunday afternoon. Another embodies the love and comfort experienced from a hug from a favorite aunt. The third is about the sense of belonging one feels when sitting with family on the front porch during a sunny summer afternoon.

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“I create scents like a perfumer,” Parnell said. “It can be a long process to find the right scent notes and depth of layering I look for. I don't follow trends, I use a process that engages scent, memory and emotion.”

Currently, Black Culture Candles has five scents available in 5-, 8- and 13-ounce sizes.

Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans.

The Beacon Journal is profiling Black-owned businesses in Summit County. Read more of these profiles at https://bit.ly/3jb0h1e. The Beacon Journal will continue to highlight minority-owned businesses as part of its ongoing regular coverage. Have a suggestion for a business to feature? Email us at bjnews@thebeaconjournal.com.