Bath & Body Works Is Honoring The Black Perfumer Who Made Its Most Popular Scents

Calling all candle lovers! This week, Bath & Body Works unveiled a new capsule candle collection by perfumer Michael R. Carby in honor of Black History Month. Carby was born in the United Kingdom with Jamaican heritage, and is responsible for some of Bath & Body Works most well-loved scents. The brand has brought these smells together to create a collection of candles with fragrances by Carby that are meant to inspire joy.

The collection consists of four candles: Cactus Blossom, Beach Weather, Eucalyptus Rain, and Sun-Washed Citrus. These candles are all about escape — Beach Weather specifically is a nod to Carby's Caribbean heritage, and the sweet citrus and floral fragrances are perfect for imagining you're on an island vacay while in the comfort of your home.

Carby began his career as an analytical chemist, and in an effort to support the next generation of chemists who may also be inspired to pursue perfumery like Carby, the Bath & Body Works Foundation is donating $170,000 to the American Chemical Society Scholars Program. The latter provides scholarships to students from historically underrepresented groups majoring in chemistry-related disciplines.

Last year, Bath & Body Works received some backlash over their Black History Month collection, which featured labels that were inspired by traditional African art. Many tweeted that the brand was indulging in cultural appropriation instead of truly celebrating the achievements of Black Americans, so it's encouraging to see the brand highlighting and passing the mic to Carby this year — even a company as reputable as this one has the ability to learn and grow.

The capsule collection is currently available in store and online. You'll want to burn these until there's nothing left to burn.