The Nod: How Rose Halo Candles Really Began
|
|
Time to read 3 min
The story behind Rose Halo isn't a business success story. It's a family story. It's a story about grief, hope, and one quiet moment that changed everything.
I want to tell you the real story of how Rose Halo began.
Not the polished version. The actual one.
In the weeks before my mom passed away, my siblings and I, along with our families, spent our days and nights at the hospital by her side. We overlapped our visits so someone was always there. Some nights she was awake and talking. Other nights she drifted in and out, somewhere between asleep and somewhere else entirely.
One of those nights, I was there with a few of my kids, and my oldest brother was there too.
We got to talking—not about her, but about me.
About my fashion business, Esteez, and the new tariffs that were making things harder than they'd ever been. We were brainstorming, the way families do in hospital rooms when they need something else to think about for a minute.
My brother casually said,
"You should look into making non-toxic scented candles."
Just an idea, tossed into the room.
My mom moved her head. A small nod.
I don't actually know what it meant.
Maybe it was agreement.
Maybe it was simply an involuntary movement, the kind a body makes near the end without any meaning behind it.
I'll never know for sure.
And I've made peace with not knowing.
But in that moment, it felt like something.
It felt like enough.
The Weeks That Changed Everything
I went home that night and mentioned the conversation to my husband.
He laughed and said it actually made perfect sense.
"You've always been a scented-candle kind of gal."
He was right.
I've always loved beautiful scents and creating cozy spaces.
Then life took over.
The weeks that followed swallowed everything else.
There were heartbreaking decisions with my siblings as my mom's health declined.
Then came her passing.
The funeral.
The burial.
Shiva.
And then...
The quiet.
The kind of quiet that comes after everyone goes home and you're left learning how to live in a world that no longer has your mom in it.
Maybe It Was Because of That Nod
Somewhere inside that quiet, while grieving her and trying to keep my business standing, I found myself researching the candle industry.
I'm still not entirely sure why.
Maybe because it was something small enough to hold onto when everything else felt impossibly big.
Maybe because creating something with my hands gave me somewhere to put my grief.
Or maybe...
Because of that nod.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Why I Tell You This...
Rose Halo didn't begin with a business plan.
It didn't start with market research or spreadsheets.
It began in a hospital room.
With a passing comment.
With a quiet nod that I'll never fully understand.
I named the company after my mom, Rosy, because however the idea was born, it was born in her presence, during some of the final nights I had with her.
Today, every hand-poured soy candle I make carries a little piece of that story.
Not because I'm certain what that nod meant.
But because I choose to carry it forward.
Every candle is poured in small batches with care, using clean-burning soy wax and fragrances chosen to make a home feel warm, peaceful, and comforting.
I hope that when you light one, it brings a little comfort into your own home, too.
Thank you for letting me share this with you.
It means more than you know.
With love,
Annette
A Quiet Beginning That Became a Light
When people ask me how Rose Halo began, they usually expect a business story.
The truth is, it began with love. With loss. With family gathered around a hospital bed. And with one quiet moment that I'll never fully understand, but will always carry with me.
I don't know whether my mom's nod was intentional or not. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't.
But every day, I choose to believe that beautiful things can grow from life's hardest moments.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for supporting a small business that was built with heart. Every candle I pour is a reminder that even in the darkest seasons, a single flame can bring warmth, comfort, and hope.
I'm so grateful you're here.
With love,
Annette
Founder, Rose Halo
The Author: Annette Cohen Dahan
Annette is the founder of Rose Halo, a Canadian hand-poured soy candle company inspired by the memory of her mother, Rosy. Before launching Rose Halo, Annette spent over 14 years building Esteez, a successful women's fashion brand known around the world for its modest clothing. Today, she pours that same passion for quality, craftsmanship, and meaningful design into every candle she creates. Through her writing, Annette shares the stories behind Rose Halo, candle-making tips, home fragrance inspiration, and the personal journey that transformed grief into a business built with heart.