About MBur

We’re Melissa and Donivan, the couple behind mbur.

This brand started with a personal need but it’s been built through partnership & patience.

Melissa brings the vision, the voice, and the deep-rooted “why” behind everything we create. She’s the heartbeat of Mbur, turning her own story into something that resonates with her passion. From scent development to storytelling, her gift is making every candle feel like a moment made just for you.

Donivan is the systems guy. The problem-solver. The one who makes sure things work. He’s behind the small-batch pouring process, production flow, and quality control that keeps everything feeling intentional. If a candle burns perfectly, you can probably thank him.

We built Mbur with one thing in mind: the people who carry so much, the ones who keep things running, who hold space for everyone else, and don't ask for acknowledgement.

We see you. We created these candles to be more than a smell. A quiet way of saying, “I know you’re doing a lot. You deserve to feel good, too.”

As a first-generation Jamaican-American, the pressure to succeed wasn’t just expected it was demanded. Melissa was the oldest daughter, a full-time Starbucks manager, and a full-time student at St. John’s University chasing a degree in Communications. Every day was full, if it wasn't then it felt like I was doing something wrong.

But when I got home? I lit a candle. It was my quiet signal that the day was finally done. That I could take off the weight of being “on” for everyone else and just exist for a moment. It was my ritual. My acknowledgment.

Then I learned what I was actually burning. Paraffin. Toxins. Things that didn’t belong in the place I worked so hard to make feel safe. I stopped lighting candles completely. 

Years later, after meeting my husband, I started learning about beeswax. Clean burns. Non-toxic scents. I wanted to start making my own candles and then I realized I could create that same moment for others women, without the hidden harm.

This brand was born out of that journey. Out of wanting better for myself and better for women like me, who carry the world, crave peace, and don’t always get the moment they deserve.