The Story of The Outer Banks Candle Co.
The Outer Banks Candle Company is a family-owned candle studio, retail shop, and online store located in the Waterfront Shops in Duck, North Carolina.
Since 2008, we have been hand-pouring small-batch soy candles inspired by the beauty and peacefulness of life on the coast. The colors, the ocean’s treasures, the changing seasons, and the beauty of it all finds its way into our fragrance line.
What began at our kitchen table has grown into a full candle studio, a small team of makers, and now a storefront in the town we love.
And we’re still pouring every candle by hand.
Hand-Poured Candles on the Outer Banks
We create a seasonal line of signature fragrances designed to feel like the Outer Banks, whether that’s bright citrus in the summer, cozy spices in the fall, fresh florals in the spring, or woodsy warmth in the winter.
Each scent is blended and tested carefully before it ever reaches your home. We don’t rush fragrance releases. We let them unfold naturally, just like the seasons that inspire them.
Alongside our classic mason jar candles, we also release limited collections of antique glassware & vintage vessel candles throughout the year. Those antique pieces were first inspired by my grandmother’s china cabinet, filled with delicate milk glass and soft pink depression glass that always felt too beautiful to keep hidden away.
Today, in our Duck shop, you’ll find a rotating selection of vintage goods. Online, we release seasonal vintage drops for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, each one carefully sourced and poured in small batches.
Meet Kimber
I’m Kimber Smith, candle artist and founder of The Outer Banks Candle Co.
I started this business in 2008 with three very young children (4, 2, and a newborn… those were wild days!) and a simple desire to create something beautiful and meaningful with my hands. Today, I am a mother of 5 and married to a pastor.
With a degree in art and a lifelong love for old glassware and thoughtful details, candle-making felt like a natural extension of who I already was. I’ve always believed that the right fragrance can transform a room.
This business has grown right alongside our family. My children grew up trimming wicks, helping in the studio, assisting me at artist markets and learning the craft with me. It has always been a family effort, and it still is.
These days, with the help of a small team of candle makers, we continue to pour each candle with great care and attention. We are grateful for every order and every customer who welcomes our work into their homes.
Our Love Your Candle Guarantee
If you’re not delighted with your candle after burning it in your home, we’ll gladly help you find one you truly love.
Please contact us within 30 days of delivery (60 days for orders placed in November and December). Include your order number and a brief note about why it wasn’t the right fit, and we’ll help you choose a candle that better suits you.
We want you to feel confident every time you light one of our candles.
Our Candle Making Process
Candle-making is still very much a labor of love in our Duck studio.
Our process begins by melting natural soy wax in large batch melters. Once cooled to precise blending temperatures, we carefully hand-mix fragrance oils, set each wick, and pour every candle by hand.
After allowing proper cure time for optimal performance, each candle is:
- Inspected
- Cleaned
- Labeled by hand
- Wick trimmed
- Carefully packaged
Every detail matters. Each one leaves our studio ready to burn beautifully!
As Seen In
We’ve been honored to be featured by:
More Than a Candle Shop
Today, The Outer Banks Candle Company offers:
- Candle-making classes
- An in-person retail shopping experience at the Waterfront Shops in Duck, NC
- Online e-commerce shopping
- A monthly Candle of the Month subscription
- A growing wholesale business
- Custom private label candles for boutiques, businesses, weddings, and special events
Whether you visit us in-store, join a class, shop online, or carry our candles in your own boutique, our heart behind it all is the same.
We hope our candles bring a little warmth, peace, and beauty into your home, just as creating them has brought so much joy into ours.
Many blessings,
Kimber
Join Our Candle Fam Email Newsletter – Get 10% Off Your First Order
