My career started in 2011 in the wine industry where I spent over a decade training alongside esteemed San Francisco sommeliers and acclaimed Napa and Sonoma wine producers. This experience allowed me to refine my sense of smell by picking up and describing scenes that are rich and bold notes to more subtle and nuanced aromas in wine.

During this time, I began candle making as a hobby, as it naturally fell into my olfactory wheelhouse. It quickly became a passion. As I dove deeper into candle making, I noticed something missing - there weren't any fragrances that reminded me of home. Born to Chinese immigrants, I grew up surrounded by aromas of exotic fruits, incense, dried herbs, and smoked meats perpetually enveloping the air. This is when I decided to merge my career as a wine expert and my passion as a candle maker with my upbringing as an Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) woman.

JIĀ (Chinese for home/family) creates a nostalgic collection of home fragrances; candles that tell a story with each burn that represents a link to AAPI roots, not just my own. Through my work, I hope to fill the gap of AAPI representation missing from the fragrance industry. 

 JIĀ HOME CO has had an online presence since 2021 and recently expanded to a physical location in Berkeley, CA where we offer workshops incorporating the same wine sommelier olfaction experience into candle making. Guests are encouraged to use their senses and play at our fragrance station while we walk them through the entire candle making process. Anyone can now create their very own scented candle that reminds them of JIĀ, home. 

 

Earth-Friendly 

Sourced with US made and eco-friendly materials, from American grown soy to fragrances free of phthalates, carcinogens, and toxins, down to the lead and zinc free core cotton wicks.

Pursuing plastic free shipping - each shipment is meticulously packaged with recyclable paper and bio peanuts made from renewable resources that are 100% bio-degradable.