A man who was diagnosed with a serious condition has turned a hobby into a new eco-friendly business.
Fragrance enthusiast Richard Bates has opened a new 100% natural and sustainable fragrance shop - Wick’s & Spritz - on Westgate, Baildon.
The shop sells a range of vegan, environmentally-friendly and chemical-free home fragrance products, including wax melts, candles and carpet fresheners.
Richard opened the store after he was diagnosed with some health issues which meant he had to find a chemical-free alternative to his favourite scents.
Richard, who welcomed his first customers on Saturday, said: “I absolutely love home-fragrance, the way it can change mood and atmosphere, and I prefer it on an evening night-wise. I can manipulate fragrance into what I want.
“But the product was formed out of necessity and my ill health. After I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and cancerous cells were found I needed to find a way of having a new chemical-free lifestyle and way of living and I couldn’t do my full-time job in sales like I used to.”
“After watching hours on Youtube of people candle-making, I had to find a way of making a wax that didn’t contain chemicals and was natural too and I needed to find an affordable medium which I knew wouldn’t be easy.
Richard said he began by making a mango flavour scent which is his partner's favourite, and then began giving them out to family and friends, which then ‘got out into Baildon.’
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the local community. The local post office noticed I was sending a lot of parcels through and asked if I wanted to promote them there, and then Baildon Cards, Gifts and Balloons did the same.
And then Dannielle who owns The Altreka store said I could use the front room of her beauty salon called NuMi and that’s where I am now,” he said.
Richard creates the products in the garage of his home.
“We started off with just six and they’re all loved, like love stroke, mango and papaya, mermaids cove, but we try to do anything we can do as naturally as possible.”
Going forwards, he wants to look at widening his product range, with items such as natural bath salts, soaps and using natural fragrance find other forms of these products.”
The shop is open on Thursday's from 12 pm - 4.30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 10am - 4.30pm and 11am - 2pm on Sunday.
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