'It went insane' - Salon owner gets 10,000 orders for new wax melt company
Hollie Ikins set up Poppys Norfolk in January, selling wax melts, candles and other gifts, and it has proved a huge success. - Credit: Poppys Norfolk
A salon owner has put her beauty business on the back burner after the huge success of her new wax melt company.
Hollie Ikins, 32, launched Poppys Norfolk in January, named after her five-year-old daughter, from a studio in her garden in Dereham.
She sells handcrafted wax melts, candles, diffusers and floor fragrances and she has had over 10,000 orders on the website so far.
Poppys Norfolk delivers and offers wholesale across the world. - Credit: Poppys Norfolk
Mrs Ikins delivers and offers wholesale across the world and her products are also stocked on the website of Norwich-based company Gnaw Chocolate.
It is a positive end to a tough year-and-a-half for Mrs Ikins, who had relocated to a larger salon in City Road in Norwich in February 2021, moving from Nelson Street, only to be plunged into lockdown in March.
After months of intermittent closures, Mrs Ikins made the tough decision to give the keys back in October.
Hollie Ikins first started making wax melts with daughter Poppy during the first lockdown. - Credit: Poppys Norfolk
Instead, she moved to a converted portacabin on the forecourt of her husband Simon's garage in Costessey.
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Fortunately, during the first lockdown she had started a new hobby of making wax melts with her daughter Poppy, which they had sold to friends and family.
The lockdown at the end of December was the final straw and Mrs Ikins decided to move her focus to wax melts, starting the Poppys Norfolk website in January.
Poppys Norfolk sells a range of wax melts, candles, diffusers and fragrances. - Credit: Poppys Norfolk
Mrs Ikins said: "In the beginning I genuinely felt like I was in a boat with no paddle and didn't know how I would come out the other side.
"Fast forward to now and I don't have any words, I genuinely can't believe how successful a hobby can be - I have always loved beauty but now I absolutely love what I do."
The business now has 12,500 followers on Instagram, celebrity fans and Mrs Ikins has taken on an employee called Jodi Grubb, who used to work at the salon.
She added: "When I set up the website in January it went insane and we now restock every Sunday at 8pm and are sold out by 8.30pm.
Poppys Norfolk owner Hollie Ikins (left) has now been able to employ a member of staff, who is Jodi Grubb (right) that used to work in the salon. - Credit: Poppys Norfolk
"We have had over 10,000 orders on the website since we started, without the events and wholesale."
Poppys Norfolk will be at the Summer Fair at Sprowston Community Academy this Saturday, August 14 from 11am until 3pm.
Order at poppysnorfolk.com and follow on Instagram at instagram.com/poppysnorfolk
