Bringing joy and sparkle

Best Kept Secrets is a British, family-owned, home fragrance company now in its 27th year. The business, now run by managing director Vanessa Curry (pictured right), was started by her father. Since taking over in 2018, Vanessa has grown the business exponentially, to become the well-loved national brand it is today. Its products embody joy, and are loved for their stunning fragrances, colourful wax, and their trademark sparkle.

The team from Best Kept Secrets are a popular feature on the trade show circuit and have several exciting products that they will be showcasing at Harrogate Home & Gift.

Vanessa says: “We have a few products that we are looking forward to showcasing. First is our new, sustainable candle collection, Our Fragrant World. Made in collaboration with artist Nicky Dawson, the entire collection has been created to be environmentally friendly, while still delivering fabulous fragrances, colour, and sparkle into the home. Each candle has been made from a renewable and sustainable crop using certified coconut and plant-based wax, so you can enjoy beautiful, colourful fragrances, knowing that every step has been taken to be kind to the planet. What’s not to love?

“We are also very excited about our new Spirit of Christmas range, which includes our signature scented candles, each featuring different woodland animals. There are 12 in the range, each using our best-selling fragrances and signature sparkle. We love the fun that this collection embodies. Our mission has always been to make people smile with our products, and this collection is all about the joy of Christmas.

“We hope that people will spend lots of time with us at the stand because we have so much to show them! Best Kept Secrets has been established for 27 years, so we really know how to make the perfect candle for every occasion.”

Part of the success of Best Kept Secrets over the past few years has been the popularity of the collections with greeting card retailers. Vanessa is totally committed to retaining a price point under £10, and with a candle burn time of 50 hours, the products are affordable as well as offering quality, sustainability and plenty of sparkle.

A particularly popular collection for greeting card retailers is the Just Because range. Created to give you the perfect gift for any occasion, the Just Because Collection of scented candles, gorgeous gift boxes and tea lights, feature the signature colourful and sparkly home fragrances, and come in a vessel containing meaningful or fun messages for every occasion.

With so much product development and innovation happening, what trends does Vanessa predict for the second half of 2023?

“The trend that has dominated our new product development over the past two years is sustainability and we are proud of our environmental credentials and consider our impact on the planet in all that we do. Our supply chain is proudly British, and, wherever possible, we work with local suppliers. Some of the ways in which we achieve this are by ensuring that our vessels are reusable or recyclable, by ensuring that our trademark sparkles are biodegradable, and by having environmentally friendly print on our FSCregistered packaging.

“For Autumn/Winter specifically, consumers are always drawn to our slightly heavier, muskier, and warmer scents, so we have developed new scents to meet these seasonal trends. This year we have our new Fireside & Cypress, Black Rose & Amber, and White Flowers & Cashmere, which also tick the boxes of what customers love at this time of year.

“A key trend we have also identified is the ways in which consumers are looking to find ways to celebrate and mark special moments in a meaningful and affordable way. This was the inspiration behind our Just Because Collection, and we are excited to be launching our Just Because AGE Tea Light Gift Boxes at Harrogate Home & Gift.”