Suhri and Sway Haus director and founder Iceta Merritt at a recent pop-up shop by Suga Lifestyle at AC Hotel Kingston.
Hoping to leave a legacy for her two daughters, Iseta Merritt launched Suhri and Sway Haus in January. The luxury self-care and candle venture prioritizes high-end relaxation and aims to provide a tangible legacy for her daughters, whom she affectionately calls CEOs. Merritt, director and founder, has created a unique brand that exudes luxury and tranquility by combining premium products with serene ambiance.
While Merritt was off to a strong start in her social media marketing career, her personal life was different: As a single mother raising two daughters under the age of 2, she struggled to make ends meet. Despite help from her mother and friends, Merritt found it difficult to financially support her family on her own salary, which led her to seek a more sustainable solution.
“When I started making content, it was just for fun. Then TikTok came along and it became huge. My videos went viral. For me, it’s about living my life and expressing myself and sharing the lifestyle that I’ve chosen, which is just being myself and being open, honest and relaxed,” she told the Jamaica Observer, recounting the beginning of her journey.
Merritt’s TikTok presence prompted her to launch a business that harnessed her lavish lifestyle and self-care habits and dived into the world of product development. She recalls that she wanted to create something tangible that reflected the relaxed, high-end lifestyle she showcased online. She asked herself, “What product embodies the essence of a ‘soft life’?,” a term popularized among the younger generation to describe a carefree, luxurious life unconstrained by the stresses of the world.
According to Merritt, candles hold special meaning because they contain scents that powerfully evoke memories and emotions. Scents have the power to transport us back to specific moments and evoke feelings of calm and nostalgia. Merritt began her journey into candle making, intentionally trying to capture the essence of serenity and fond memories. However, this foray into the craft was not without obstacles. Merritt sought guidance from friends and eventually found a mentor who would teach her the basics of candle making. Despite the initial guidance, Merritt soon realized that making quality candles requires a deep understanding of many different factors, including scent strength, wax type, temperature, and container size. Undaunted, Merritt invested $75 into her own startup and launched in January with her first lineup of three scented candles: strawberry, peach, and lemongrass. She utilized her social media marketing skills to promote and secure pre-orders before the products were even completed. The response was overwhelming, with all 24 candles sold out in just seven days.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about the packaging and its impact because as a consumer, I buy based on the first thing I see and then I look at other things. So I’m selling an experience, I’m not selling the candle itself,” she told Sunday Finance.
Merritt acknowledges that selling candles online can be tricky because it’s hard to convey the experience. However, she overcomes this challenge by participating in pop-up shops so that customers can have a personal experience and evoke the feeling of calm nights and the soft life they long for. Merritt’s candle business gained momentum when she took to the streets and offered passersby a chance to experience her scents first-hand, capturing their reactions on video. This sensory approach proved key, as people often have a hard time imagining a scent without experiencing it first-hand. The feedback she received was invaluable, and Merritt used it to refine her products.
With the help of her mentor, Merritt has since expanded her product line to include linen sprays and scented oils. Despite her hard work, Merritt faces stiff competition from industry giants such as Bath & Body Works, which are able to offer candles at significantly lower prices. For example, a 16-ounce candle from Bath & Body Works retails for just $12.99, while Merritt’s costs $3,500 ($22.44).
“Bath & Body Works produces 100 million candles, but I only make 24 at a time. There’s less wax and fragrance, so the cost is higher, which is reflected in the final price,” she explained.
Suhri and Sway Haus currently has a lineup of nine fragrances, including Suave Watermelon, also known as Greek, which is described as a clean, fresh linen scent reminiscent of freshly washed clothes with a hint of watermelon.
“It’s called ‘clean linen that smells like watermelon,’ so it’s like Watermelon Soft Land or Sweeping Watermelon,” Merritt explained enthusiastically.
About 60% of her revenue comes from Suave Watermelon Candles, and the remaining 40% comes from other products. Margins are small but growing steadily. Merit is now reinvesting in marketing to promote her products and brand. Her target demographic is mothers between the ages of 25 and 45 who are looking for relaxation and self-care tips. She aims to teach them how to create a self-care routine using candles. Her long-term goal is to get her products in pharmacies and other stores. Additionally, she hopes to establish a customer base of nail technicians who will buy her cuticle oil in bulk.
Merritt aims to create a store where women can find everything they need to prioritize self-care and comfort at home, without spending a fortune. She wants to make self-care accessible and easy to incorporate into everyday life.
“I want it to be easy, effortless and simple for women to take time for themselves and live a life they love,” she said.
