Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Alene Bell Hortin brews up some candles on her kitchen stove.

Homemade, natural candles become a recipe for success

'Sentimental' message accompanies many

By Shari Kaplan

Nose-tingling aromas waft constantly from the kitchen of Los Gatan Alene Bell Hortin, where the hot contents of pots bubble on the stove and good things bake in the oven. As she stirs her concoctions, the entire home fills with the sweet smells of vanilla, fruits, flowers, spices and candy.

Unfortunately, none of Hortin's cooking is edible, as her "recipe" is for natural, hand-poured candles. Fortunately, the candles can make anyone's home smell as tempting as hers with the simple act of striking a match.

Starting her home-based business was not quite as easy. After working for a time in computer-aided design, in interior design and as a writer, Hortin says she became intrigued by the idea of making her own candles. One inspiration was the chance to be a stay-at-home mom to her three sons; the other was simply a longstanding fascination.

"I'm a total ambiance and atmosphere person. I've always loved candles and how they look. I love good fragrances, and I love perfumes," she says, recalling her teenage years when she'd secrete herself in her room, light aromatic candles, turn out the lights and read a book. She's also a fan of baths by candlelight.

After spending many months of reading about candles and candle-making, both in books and on the Internet, Hortin moved on to finding suppliers of wicks, wax--including high-quality beeswax--dyes, fragrances and her trademark square glass jars with wooden lids. Finally, she began experimenting in her kitchen, heating glass jars in the oven and mixing wax, dyes and essential oils on the stove.

Her challenge was to develop a formula that would avoid the problems other jar-candle-makers experience. One problem involves mixing the highly fragranced oils with wax to produce a smooth-textured, clean-burning candle. Another is the unsightly way cooling wax can contract and pull away in places from the jar.

Hortin, who calls herself a perfectionist, remedied the first problem with fixatives and stabilizers to keep the oil and wax well-mixed. The second remedy is a secret, as she says she's not aware of any other candlemakers with a better formula.

"Basically, recipe and procedure are both key to making a good candle," she says with a diplomatic smile. Hortin adds that the temperature at which she pours the candles, how quickly they cool and their ingredients are all important factors.

Soon after her formula was perfected earlier this year, Hortin says, friends and family wanted to buy candles straight from her kitchen. Popular demand persuaded her to license the name of Wilder Candles and begin marketing them. Currently, they are available at Domus in Los Gatos and at the Butter Paddle in Saratoga.

"I've been known to be pouring candles at two in the morning, trying to beat the heat," she adds with a laugh. Along with the weather, another reason Hortin sometimes works at night is so her children will not be around her hot pots and jars.

Many of Hortin's fragrances carry "scentimental" notes. Mackinac Lilac took its name from a family trip to the Michigan island during its Lilac Festival. Carolina Dogwood--still in the works--is inspired by the flowering dogwood trees of North Carolina, where she and husband Scott spent their honeymoon.

Among Hortin's locally inspired scents are Lavender Lane, named after a Los Gatos street, Summer in Los Gatos, Blossom Hill Springtime and Santa Cruz Surf. She also offers more "generic" scents such as Citrus Grove, Pearberry, Spiced Vanilla Creme and Spiced Ruby Grapefruit.

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