A woman from Bristol has grown what started as a business from her kitchen into a multi-million pound brand. Sassy Shop Wax is a wax melts and beauty business all handmade in Emersons Green.
If you’re wondering what on earth a wax melt is - it’s a relatively new product in the UK that offers an alternative to a scented candle. Usually made of soy wax, it releases a scent of your choosing when burned with a tea light or electric burner. Demand has risen for the product over the years with increased interest in aromatherapy and has since been picked up by TikTok users.
When Sassy Shop Wax founder, Keely Parsons, was seeking to buy wax melts she noted they all spent the same and the aroma didn’t last. She released there was a gap in the market that needed to be filled - and she wanted to be the one to fill it.
Read more: Bristol Light Festival 2023 confirms new installations including stunning underwater projection
“I honestly knew from that moment that this business was going to be a success,” the 26-year-old said. “The night of that spark my mind was flowing with ideas. I was led in bed with thoughts spiralling of the potential of Sassy Shop Wax based on the current wax market and innovation."
She continued: "I couldn’t sleep with excitement. I felt so aligned and since researching this kind of intuition I know that others also have these thought experiences too – this moment immediately changed my mindset.”
Her business was born in 2017 after she had conducted her own research and invested in some quality ingredients to make the products from her home in Bristol. Sales started slow but took off with increasing demand for affordable aromatherapy products, establishing a strong online presence after just six months.
Keely was also working full-time in recruitment while moonlighting with her wax melts business while pregnant. She decided to throw in the towel at her recruitment job and commit to Sassy Shop Wax full-time.
In 2020, she moved into a 5,000 sq foot warehouse unit in Emersons Green employing a team of 20. The business now offers nearly 100 different fragrances and has delved into other areas including soaps, lip balms and bath bombs.
Sassy Shop Wax has exceeded a total turnover of £4.5 million since it first began and has been stocked with popular fashion brands such as Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing. She has built a loyal fan base of more than 103k followers on Instagram alongside a Facebook community of 17,000.
With thousands of loyal customers and an incredible social media following (103k on Instagram, as of Jan 2023), alongside a Facebook community of over 17,000, Keely’s Sassy has grown into a market leader in the industry.
Read next:
