When Stacy Miller launched Sea Love in 2017, her goal was to create natural, nontoxic and clean-burning candles that wouldn’t trigger her husband’s asthma. By Jessica Petrucelli
A Breath of Fresh Air
When Stacy Miller launched Sea Love in 2017, her goal was to create natural, nontoxic and clean-burning candles that wouldn’t trigger her husband’s asthma.
“I was burning candles every day in the kitchen, the living room and the spaces where my family gathered,” Miller said. “With my husband’s asthma, I realized I had never stopped to question what was actually in them. Once I began researching fragrance oils and common additives in the industry, I couldn’t unlearn what I found.”
Miller’s passion project became a mission to design clean scents that she could proudly market as something clean that consumers could breathe in deeply.
“At Sea Love, we use phthalate-free fragrance oils with no known carcinogens, mutagens or hormone disruptors because scent should elevate your life, not compromise your health or the health of those you love,” Miller said. “When someone blends a fragrance at our fragrance bar, they’re not just making a product – they’re creating something that will live in their home around their children, their pets and their everyday moments.”
Miller’s luxury lifestyle brand is now a leader in the experiential retail space, offering interactive, custom candle-making workshops as well as a curated selection of coastal-inspired home fragrance products.
“Clean ingredients aren’t a marketing angle for us,” Miller said. “They’re a responsibility, and I wanted to build a brand where luxury and integrity coexist — where guests feel confident not only in how something smells but also in what’s behind it.”
Clean-burning waxes, an elevated scent throw and a reuse-and-recycle vessel philosophy are at the company’s core, and Miller is focused on empowering franchisees to create local gathering spaces where memories are prioritized over mass production.
“Sea Love was never meant to be just about pouring candles. It was about helping people connect scent to memory, story and the feeling of home without compromising their standards,” Miller explained. “Our early choices around wax and fragrance became the foundation for everything that followed. When you build with integrity from the beginning, the brand evolves in the right direction.”
Franchisees honor that commitment by using only approved oils and wax while also providing a universal guest experience.
“For us, the Sea Love promise isn’t optional — it’s foundational,” Miller said. “Every franchisee commits to using only our approved clean fragrance oils and soy wax. That protects the integrity of what we’ve built and ensures that no matter where you experience Sea Love, you can trust what you’re breathing in.”
The commitment goes beyond ingredients. Each owner-operator is trained not only in product knowledge but also in experience design. Team members are certified as scent stylists who understand how to guide guests through a thoughtful blending process by asking questions, learning their preferences and helping them create something deeply personal.
“Ultimately, it’s about stewardship,” Miller concluded. “Our franchisees aren’t just operating stores. They’re caretakers of a brand built on clean ingredients, storytelling and meaningful connection. We choose partners who believe in that mission, and we support them with systems, training and community to help them uphold it beautifully.”
According to Miller, that’s how the promise stays strong from one location to the next — with transparency, intention, experience and quality.
Jessica Petrucelli