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Written By: Maggie Brown (@maggiethe_journalist)
Ashley Foster is a mom, wife, Chemical Engineer, and now an entrepreneur that wants to help people prioritize their self-care through her all natural, toxin free, and vegan candle line. “I think [my candles] are for the everyday person,” Foster said. “….self-care is a luxury…that I think [everyone] should experience.”
In March of 2020 during the beginning of the COVID-19 lock-down and after the birth of her second child, Foster began putting actions behind her dreams.
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Foster says the inspiration for the candle line came from her love of candles and her passion of wanting to be an entrepreneur. The 29-year-old California native has a degree in Chemical Engineering with two minors (Business Administration & Material Science) and a MBA from UT Austin, where she currently resides.
The name of her company is a mashup between her children’s names, Aria and Aiden. “When I was [creating my candles], I wanted something that spoke to who I am” Foster said.
Foster says she did a lot of research on which type of wax would best suit her customers, plus is the most ethnically sourced, toxin and chemical free, so she eventually chose coconut wax.
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Foster proceeded to explain how much she likes Bath and Bodywork’s candles, but she does not allow them to burn for too long because it begins to give her a headache from some of the chemicals and paraffins they use.
She credits the quality of fragrance, sustainability of the wax, and the luxury modern design as a few things that sets her apart from other candle lines.
“I am proud of what it has become,” Foster said. “I did not cut any corners while creating this…[and] time is not something we can not get back…so if I am going to do something, it’ll be something I love.”
You can stay updated with Ashley on Instagram at @ardensleisurecandleco and reach out to her via DM for questions and/or interviews.