Think of water as wisdom: the calm ebb and the free flow, giving us time to pause, collect ourselves and gather strength, revealing our capacity to adapt.
Remember standing in the rain? Soft drops from sudden storms hitting the ground, the earthy smell of petrichor rising up. The way it makes you feel like time is suspended and everything is new and clean and refreshed.
Scent profile: Citrus, Water, Wood, Spice
Top notes: Bergamot, Neroli, Petitgrain
Middle notes: Rain, Lotus, Caraway
Base notes: Chinese cedar
Size: 180g
Burn time: 35-40 hours
- Made in South East London
- Size: 180g
- Burning time: 35–40 hours
- The wax:
The candles are made from a blend of rapeseed and coconut wax produced approximately 20 miles from the studio. The rapeseed used is sourced from EU and UK crops grown on existing agricultural land. The wax contains certified organic coconut oil grown by smallholder farmers in Asia without deforestation. The wax is non-GMO, palm free and vegan.
- The scents
Our fragrances are made using high quality natural essential oils and toxin-free fragrance oils. We work with UK-based suppliers of essential oils that are sustainably sourced and derived from non-endangered plant species. The synthetic fragrance oils we use are free from phthalates, palm oil and animal testing and are made using less water and natural resources than many natural oils.
- Smoked glass vessels
100% recyclable, refillable and reusable, the signature smoked glass vessels are designed to be reused in the home long after the flame has gone out.
About homework:
balance
Like many stories, homework's begins with a search for balance. After working for years as a graphic designer for brands, Stephanie, the co-founder, longed for something that combined her love of design, community, and the healing power of nature. And while the words "home" and "work" had always resonated in two different worlds, their connection felt like the yin and yang she needed. This idea of opposing but connected elements finding harmony as a pair gave us our name: homework.
heritage
homework is a tribute to Stephanie's Chinese heritage, having grown up with Traditional Chinese Medicine - from her grandmother picking herbs in the mountains of Tai Po to develop her own remedies, to her parents emigrating to Manchester in 1984 to open their own clinic. So it was both natural and important that homework's sensory philosophy is rooted in TCM.
Beyond the fragrances they create, they also use their platform to amplify voices from the East and Southeast Asian community by sharing their work, stories, recipes and rituals.
Nature
A big part of the practice as a sensory studio is being nature-focused. This looks like living in harmony with the seasons, drawing on the grounded and tangible elements of nature, from the quiet rippling of water to the warmth of the sun. Because of this, they run their business on similar principles. They produce in small batches, use responsibly sourced ingredients, encourage people to reuse the jars and offer to recycle them themselves.
In an effort to create more balance – a back and forth of give and take – they are also members of 1% For The Planet, an organization that requires companies to donate 1% of their annual revenue to environmental causes.
