Rayion Vassel turns beverage-inspired candle hobby into business
Published:Saturday | July 5, 2025 | 12:06 AMAshley Anguin/ Gleaner Writer
What started as a simple hobby for 19-year-old Rayion Vassel, the founder of Lyon Scented Candles, has since blossomed into an artful craft. Drawing inspiration from his favourite beverages, Vassel creates sweet-smelling candles that not only fill the room with enticing aromas but also captivate the appetites of his eager customers.
His scented collections, made in his bedroom in Hanover, include hot chocolate, strawberry latte, matcha latte, iced latte, and boba tea. By contrast, his unique Jamrock scent — his very first candle — is not inspired by beverages but features Rastafarian colours designed to attract tourists.
“I wanted candles that are flavourful, yummy, delicious,” Vassel told Saturday Living. “I have a creative mind so I wanted a creative outlet. My bedroom smells yummy with all the different scents.”
The hot chocolate candle is his best-seller, offering an unexpected yet delightful scent designed to captivate the consumer’s senses. Its wax captures the rich essence of dark chocolate topped with whipped cream.
“It smells like chocolate. It is so enticing that some customers have the urge to eat it, thinking it’s real chocolate. A customer told me she is afraid to purchase it because her child loves chocolate and may end up eating it,” Vassel chuckled.
A former student of Hanover’s Rusea’s High School, Vassel now works as a prop technician in the entertainment department at Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay.
He was also among the entrepreneurs featured at the hotel’s Seawind Artisan Collective Collegiate Entrepreneur Pop-up event, which supports small local businesses.
The idea of scented candles started last year but creating them only started a few months ago. The hot chocolate is his favourite ‘flavour’, but he says it is also the most tedious to make.
“I whip the melted wax to make it look like whipped cream and [use] a chocolate [fragrance] oil for the chocolate [scent]. The top [looks like] whipped cream and the bottom is filled with brown chocolate,” Vassel explained.
The second best-seller is the strawberry, which has the sweetest scent from the collection. Matcha latte is the third best, followed by ice latte, boba tea and then Jamrock.
Although modelling remains Vassel’s long-term goal, he plans to continue growing his scented candle business. There is also the possibility of adding rum cream or Baileys-inspired scents to his collection — if fragrance oils capturing the true flavours of rum are available.
The desire to have a yellow candle, which will be banana scented, is next on his list. So far, the entrepreneur says the feedback from customers has been great, with his sister, one of his biggest supporters, bringing in most of his clientèle.
“I like the feeling when my work is complete. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. It is even better if it comes out better than [before]. Just a colour can mess up the creation of the candle,” Vassel explained.
Seeking to motivate other youngsters like himself, he is encouraging them to push forward and not to be afraid.
“I don’t believe in people giving up on their dreams. Buck yuh toe, drop two time and get up again. It always starts with a thought. Don’t throw in the towel and do not give up.”