Four Inane Questions with Effing Candle Co.’s Birdie Hansen
Birdie Hansen of Effing Candle Co. // Photo by Travis Young
Wax on. Wax off.
As the founder and CEO of Effing Candle Co. (and sister brand, themelty.co), Birdie Hansen has found her calling whipping up fragrant, hand-poured candles for the local masses. The entrepreneur tells us not only that she calls Midtown home but that’s also where you’ll find her shop. (Yes, you’ll have to brave the construction on Main. Yes, it’s absolutely worth it.) She adds when she’s not “pissing off conservatives with my “Abortion is Healthcare” candle, I’m busy finding new favorite, local restaurants—currently Bacaro Primo and Kata Nori.”
After a busy Christmas season, the chai-drinking, book-reading candlemaker is also gearing up for her next big retail holiday. “See you soon, Galentine’s Day!” she quips.
We chatted up with the wick-tastic and wax-tastic mogul to zing her with our zany questionnaire. We also found out that grapefruit and bergamot are an insanely compatible combo. Bless.
The Pitch: How close can you duplicate a candle fragrance?
Birdie Hansen: Very close. Dangerously close.
But I usually don’t—or won’t—because I’d rather make something new that’s unique to Effing.
In 2024, I’m moving away from much of the hands-on making/blending to more of a creative director/CEO role in the company, thanks to a fragrance house we recently signed with.
They will take over making fragrances based on collections I want to launch. I’ll tell them, “Hey, I want to come out with a collection with (insert fragrances here),” and they’ll come up with the actual fragrance oils.
We actually haven’t announced that change yet, so you heard it here first!
Doodles Eleanor Hansen. // Courtesy photo
If you were an Andy Warhol painting, which Andy Warhol painting would you be?
I’d be one of the 25 Cats Named Sam (preferably the hot pink one) because that’s my favorite color. (If you come into the shop, you’ll know what my favorite color is right away)
And… I. Love. Cats. I always have a black cat. They’re the least likely to get adopted at shelters, so I like to scoop them up and give them the coziest life ever with all the forehead kisses and treats they deserve. I’ve included a pic of Doodles Eleanor Hansen for your enjoyment.
What’s your average response rate on returning calls and/or text messages?
Five seconds—or never.
My toxic trait is looking at a text and either responding immediately or thinking, “I will get to this later,” and later becomes never, especially when it’s peak season.
I’m pretty flat out from August through January each year with running the business. (Let’s be real, the business is really running me.) And between thousands of emails/DM’s/notifications, the first thing to go is the emotional bandwidth to keep in touch with people. My friends and family do not love this about me.
What song would instantly awaken you from a coma?
Oh, God—this is so embarrassing. I want to say it’s something cool, but it’s probably, like, Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles.”
If it comes on in Walgreens, I’m going straight to the haircare aisle to find a hairbrush to sing into. It’s catchy as fuck. I remember putting it on every mix for guys I had crushes on. (Loving that this is going on the record. Not embarrassing at all.) I also feel ten thousand years old because that song is now old enough to drink alcohol.
Bonus 5th Question: ‘Fess up, what’s your favorite candle scent in the history of candle scents?
I absolutely love P.F. Candle Co.’s Patchouli Sweetgrass candle. It’s warm, cozy, and fresh all at the same time. I’ve been a P.F. Candle Co. fan for years. I think they make a great candle at an affordable price point. Plus, it’s a husband and wife team that built something out of nothing, which is something we know a little bit about here at Effing.
