The Melo Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts About Self-Care

Oct 23

We want to give gifts this season that are like taking a big breath. Thus, we gathered our favorite Richmond manufacturers, a few self-care staples that everyone is raving about, and one really comfortable candle from our fall collection.

Every maker in this area is local, and the majority are BIPOC-owned or women-led small businesses—the kind of individuals we want Melo to support. For those who wish to create a small bundle of their own, we coupled each choice with a Melo smell.

Our pick: Nutmeg & Nostalgia

This year, if we could only wrap one candle, it would be Nutmeg & Nostalgia. It's the one you light when the house finally becomes quiet, with a hint of nostalgia and warm spice.

The remaining pieces in the fall collection—Harvest Hug, Orchard Exhale, Slow Sunday Morning, and Midnight Release—also make simple stocking stuffers.

Every purchase contributes to the cause. Melo donates 5% of its earnings to organizations that fight human trafficking and domestic abuse. Visit melocandlelab.com to place your order.

Gift list 01: For the one who needs a reset

Savory Blends Tea Co.

This BIPOC woman-owned Richmond tea company handcrafts loose-leaf wellness and herbal blends in small batches, with many of its herbs sourced from local farmers. A tin of tea is the simplest way to hand someone a quiet afternoon.

Pairs with Orchard Exhale.

Maven Made

Maven Made started with one oil-based facial serum, created to help with the founder's own skin, and that serum is still the brand's top seller. Everything is made in a shared studio space in Richmond.

Pairs with Slow Sunday Morning.

Gift list 02: For the foodie & the host

Miss Maude's Bar of Chocolates

Jessica Leonard's woman-owned chocolate company makes one bar split into eight squares, each a different flavor, handmade daily in Richmond. It's a whole box of chocolates in bar form, and it fits right in a stocking.

Pairs with Harvest Hug.

AR's Hot Southern Honey

Ames Russell's Richmond-born brand blends chili heat into Appalachian honey. Pick up the original Hot-Mild or the Bourbon Barrel Aged version, and add his Hot Honey Cookbook for the cook on your list.

Pairs with Nutmeg & Nostalgia.

The Collective Cup

Richmond's newest coffee roaster brings coffee, resources, and community. Grab a gift card for yourself or someone else.

Pairs with Slow Sunday Morning.

Gift list 03: For the one who wears her heart

Sun & Selene

Founder Brittanny DeRaffele hand-fabricates jewelry inspired by astrology and ancient mythology, using recycled metals and responsibly sourced gemstones. Stacking rings and hoops make easy first pieces.

Pairs with Midnight Release.

The self-care everyone's gifting

These six keep showing up on this year's gift lists, and each one turns an ordinary night into a little ritual.

Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask: a top-rated hydrating mask you wear while you sleep.
Upstate silk pillowcase: kinder to hair and skin, and it just feels like a treat.
Baloo weighted blanket: gentle, even pressure for the friend who can't switch off.
How We Heal by Alexandra Elle: a tender read on self-compassion to unwrap and keep close.
Ozco Goods magnesium spray and milk bath soak: small-batch mineral essentials for a full-body reset.
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil: shine, frizz control and heat protection in one step.

Tuck any of these in with a Melo candle for the full ritual.

Shop in person: make a day of it

Prefer to browse in person? These spots put dozens of local makers under one roof.

Shop Made in VA, 3348 Moore St.: gifts from 150+ Virginia artists and makers, plus hands-on workshops.
Studio Two Three: art prints, apparel and handmade keepsakes from a Richmond print studio. Watch for their holiday markets.
RVA Makers Market: 40+ local makers at monthly pop-ups in Manchester.
Richmond Night Market: a Black-owned market co-founded by Adrienne Cole Johnson and Melody Short, whose Holiday Villages edition gathers dozens of artisans. Check their pages for 2026 dates.