Candlemaker Aisha Cort Creates Fragrances That Evoke Emotion

Designers in D.C. work with home in mind — whether home is in the city or a faraway place that adds extra texture and color to their products. Each maker featured in our October Issue is unique, but a common theme persists: a focus on cultural appreciation, sustainability and naturalness. We tell their stories and dive into details of each business below, from cocktail syrups to minimalist earrings to vintage repurposed maps.

Aisha Cort, founder and maker at VELA NEGRA, channels her Cuban and Guyanese heritage into vegan black wax candles made with home, tradition and the environment in mind.

District Fray: What’s the story behind VELA NEGRA?
Aisha Cort: I learned candle making as a child from my Cuban grandmother but picked it back up in recent years as a stress-reducing outlet (plus, I was sick of picking over candle scraps at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls). I wanted VELA NEGRA to create a mindful, environmentally-conscious, luxurious addition to home. Each candle is individually hand-poured using 100% vegan coconut soy wax and ethically-sourced wooden wicks, fragrance and dye to provide a clean burn with the highest quality ingredients. We pour our candles in black because it absorbs and dispels negative energies, provides new beginnings and clarity.

What’s the process like in choosing scents and deciding when a new scent is ready?
I go for fragrances that create a feeling. For Ashé, I tried six different fragrances until I felt the smell communicated what I wanted. The same thing with Morena and Azúcar, or even Coquí. That whole season you drink coquito, what does that feel like? You have to make sure the candle burns right and the fragrance works, but also get to it so when you smell it, it hits the frontal cortex which stores all your memories.

Why was it important for you to honor your heritage in this endeavor?
VELA NEGRA is a continuation and reimagination of tradition, a way to honor my heritage and push a new narrative of ownership and commerce forward. I am the child of immigrants; my mother and my father hail from Cuba and Guyana, respectively. Each came to this country, started from scratch and stayed connected to their roots while pushing for something greater. I wouldn’t be here or have accomplished even a portion of what I’ve done so far without their guidance and support. I really am a mere reflection of them. I also come from a family of makers: I learned candle making from my grandmother and how to make soaps and butters from my mother. I learned how to make coconut oil from scratch from my dad and my aunt.

Anything else you want readers to understand about VELA NEGRA?
VELA NEGRA is a deeply personal project without being alienating, as the fragrances and their stories hit on universal truths. You don’t have to be Cuban or Guyanese for the fragrances to connect with you. For example, one of our bestsellers is Ashé — the word Ashé, in essence, is a blessing and calming spirit that Afro Cuban religion understands as something every being possesses. When the fragrance hits you, you feel that spirit enveloping you. Additionally, the creation process for VELA NEGRA candles is not an autopilot process: I make these candles with my hands. Every step is very intentional.

VELA NEGRA: thevelanegra.com // @thevelanegra

Abi Newhouse

Abi Newhouse is a writer based in Washington, D.C. A recent MFA graduate from George Mason University, her work can be found in The American Scholar, Mud Season Review, and Sediments Literary-Arts Journal, among others.