Bailao & Co Debuts Three Signature Candles

Bailao & Co, the African-Nordic wellness house based in Copenhagen, debuts three signature candles this autumn — hand-poured in Denmark using a wax blend of Danish-sourced beeswax, coconut wax and coconut oil. Founder Mouna Skoubølling Jacobsen built the collection to bring ancestral fragrance traditions into modern everyday life.

It started with something I couldn’t find. Candles have always been special to me. Growing up, light, fragrance and ritual were part of daily life — in my grandmother’s home, in the homes of family and in the communities around me. Candles created warmth, connection and a sense of belonging.

But as I became more conscious of what I was bringing into my own home, I started to question what I was actually burning. Even some of the most beautiful and expensive candles didn’t feel right. Some used waxes that didn’t burn the way I wanted them to, while many fragrances felt synthetic, overpowering or simply too much. I wanted scent in my home — but I wanted it to feel softer, more considered and clean.

That awareness sharpened after October 2024, when I survived a house fire. In its aftermath, I became newly sensitive to scent, while also navigating a period of illness — both of which made me far more conscious of what I let into my home and onto my body.

So I began experimenting. I explored different waxes, wicks and fragrance compositions, eventually developing a blend of coconut wax, Danish-sourced beeswax and coconut oil, paired with fine fragrance oils from Grasse. I wanted beautiful scent throw without the feeling that fragrance had taken over the room.