Inside the Ingredients

Each ingredient is chosen slowly and with purpose, balancing the science of skincare and candle performance, with the poetry of scent and ritual. Every element is here for a reason - to bring comfort, pleasure, and nourishment to the senses.

Essential Oil Blends

At the heart of everything I make is scent. Each Bread & Weather candle and soap is scented with a custom blend of essential oils that I created from scratch and layered slowly, drop by drop. This is done so that you can experience the true botanical character of the oils.

You may notice I have not named the candles for any human reference point eg ‘unwind’ or ‘linen closet’. That’s done on purpose, so that you can get to know the blends, and experience the scents, without any input about how they ‘should’ be.

Each blend is composed of five or more oils and named simply after the two oils that play the starring roles. The oils that aren’t in the name are there to create the perfect background for the two star oils to shine.

I choose to work with individual essential oils instead of ready made blends. This allows me full control over the quality, character, and balance of every scent. I use around 30 different essential oils in my studio to create seven unique blends for candles and diffusers and six distinct blends for soaps.

Each oil is a natural material, and like all things from nature, it can vary with the seasons. That’s why I remake and re-test every blend regularly - adjusting wick sizing, testing throw, and fine-tuning the balance to ensure a consistent, beautiful result every time.

You might notice that the blends for candles and soaps are different. That’s deliberate. Through hours of hands-on experimentation, I’ve found that the best combinations for soap don’t always work in a candle, and vice versa. Each medium has its own rhythm, and I build each blend to suit it.

These scents aren’t just smells - they’re small rituals, hand-mixed to support your senses and bring a little more beauty and presence to everyday life.

Candles

Candles are hand-poured using soy wax, a sustainable, plant-based alternative to paraffin. Soy wax burns slowly and cleanly, giving you longer-lasting light and reducing indoor air pollution.

They’re scented with essential oils, not synthetic fragrance. These oils are distilled directly from plants and retain the therapeutic properties of the original material. Think of them as scent with substance; calming, clarifying, grounding - depending on the blend.

Soaps

Soaps are made using the traditional cold-process method with bee-friendly Irish rapeseed oil. This oil is rich in skin-loving nutrients and supports biodiversity on a small Irish farm. It’s gentle, moisturising, and deeply nourishing for dry or sensitive skin.

You’ll also find natural ingredients that benefit your skin - like finely ground Irish oats and organic honey in our Oat & Honey bar, or homegrown bay leaves in our Rose Geranium soap.

Production & Environment

All Bread & Weather products are made by hand in small batches in our Co. Wicklow studio.

I never test on animals — just willing friends and family.

Every stage of packaging and shipping is 100% plastic free and either recyclable or compostable. The materials I use reflect the care I hope you’ll feel in the finished product.

I hope to use 100% organic ingredients in future, and already do where possible. For now, I work with what’s most accessible and effective in small-scale production, always prioritising sustainability and integrity.