Meet the founders of Candlelicious Crafts
Hi, we are Adriaan and Marsel Bezuidenhout, the hands behind every candle handcrafted with love at Candlelicious Crafts.
Adriaan’s love for candles started in childhood, and in many ways, this path began long before the business ever did, nearly 38 years before Candlelicious Crafts was officially founded on 14 August 2024, right here in Hartbeespoort. This brand was not built in a boardroom. It was born from a deep, quiet longing to create the kind of candle we always wanted to burn ourselves, one that slows you down and makes ordinary moments feel extraordinary. But the journey to get here was anything but easy. It took over a year of research, frustration, tears, and more than a few moments of wanting to walk away entirely.
Nearly 100 attempts before that first perfect burn. Nearly 100 times of getting back up, adjusting, trying again, and refusing to settle. And then it happened. That one candle that finally burned the way it was always meant to. Today we say with genuine pride, we did it.
In a world that never stops rushing, where mass-produced candles are churned out by the thousands, burn out within hours, and fade from memory just as quickly, we choose to do things differently. We pour every candle by hand, in small batches, and often, the clock reads closer to sunrise than midnight before we are done. Fragrance blending is a constant, almost sacred process for us, and our burn tests are run with the kind of precision that only genuine passion produces.
EST. 2024 · HARTBEESPOORT, SOUTH AFRICA · HAND-POURED IN SMALL BATCHES
We do not move on until it is right.
And then there’s Mila
Mila’s Luxury Series Tin Candles hold a piece of our hearts that no words will ever fully capture. Created in memory of our baby girl, this collection was born from grief, love and the profound need to turn something heartbreaking into something that brings others comfort. These candles were made for quiet moments, for the kind of stillness where you breathe deeply, feel everything, self-reflect, and know that you are not alone. They are not just candles. They are an act of love, from our hearts to yours. They are available in the original 180g tin and now also in 90g, alongside a Mila’s massage candle series that carries the same quiet comfort into a different form.
Our Purpose: Handcrafted With Love
Our purpose is simple, yet it runs deeper than wax and fragrance ever could.
We believe your home should feel like a sanctuary. Not just a place where you sleep and eat, but a space that wraps around you at the end of a hard day, that breathes with you, restores you, and reminds you that you are allowed to slow down. That belief is not just something we say. It lives in every candle we pour, every scent we blend, and every product that leaves our hands. Every candle we pour uses soy and coconut wax, which burns cleaner, lasts longer, and releases fragrance more effectively than paraffin, making it a healthier and more sustainable choice for your home.
We know that a space that feels good can change how a person feels inside it. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
As Candlelicious grows, we are deeply committed to partnering with local NPOs and using the power of fragrance and light to actively support mental well-being, because we believe that comfort and healing should be accessible, and that beauty can be a form of care.
You need to feel
We want every customer to fall in love not just with our candles and keepsakes, but with how they make them feel. Candlelicious turns everyday spaces into experiences of beauty, romance, and emotion, where fragrance becomes memory and light becomes feeling. We want people to rediscover the joy and intimacy of scent, and to know that true quality & luxury can be proudly local as well.
Who we speak to
We create for people who choose with intention. People who know that a gift can carry meaning far beyond its price. People who understand that the way a space feels is as important as how it looks, and who want the things they bring into their homes and the homes of others to carry something real.
Our customer finds joy in the small details. They choose beauty as a form of care. They value the story behind what they buy as much as the quality of the thing itself. And when they give a Candlelicious candle to someone they love, they are not just giving a candle. They are giving a moment of comfort and love with their name on it.
Where we are going
We are building Candlelicious into something we are proud to pass forward. A name that stands for craftsmanship and genuine care in every South African home that chooses it. We want Candlelicious candles in living rooms, boutique hotels, intimate spaces, and quiet bedrooms across this country, not because we chased scale, but because what we make genuinely deserves to be there.
We are growing slowly and on purpose, always pouring by hand, always testing until it is right, and always making sure that every product that leaves our hands is something we would be proud to give to someone we love. That is the only standard we have ever worked to. It is the only one we ever will.
Where Fragrance Becomes Feeling™