The right fragrance can make all the difference when curating the feel of your home. At make-your-own scent shops such as the ever-popular INLURO in Geneva, you can personalize your space in a way that leaves you saying, “There’s no place like home.”

In Batavia, Illuminate Space offers a new world of fragrance, from candles to car diffusers. The business recently welcomed a new team member named Tilly. This social media sensation is a rehabbed vintage camper that owner Jenni Zielke repurposed into a mobile candle bar, helping fuel the make-your-own scent movement.

“We have a bunch of curated oils,” explains Zielke. “They’re great on their own, but people can also mix and match. Scents evoke so many memories, so I love seeing the combos people come up with.”

All of their ingredients are carefully selected for their nontoxic properties, making their products much cleaner than those you’d find on the shelves of a Target or Walmart.

When choosing a scent for your home, Zielke recommends focusing on the emotion you hope to evoke. “Think of things you like in the real world,” she says. “For example, if you drink lavender coffee every day, we can make you a lavender coffee scented candle. Depending on what you want to feel in your home, we can help you find something.”

Illuminate Space is located in Wilson Street Mercantile in Batavia, or you can visit Tilly as she travels around Kane County at pop-up candle-pouring events.

Home fragrance isn’t restricted to candles. Bath products also play a role in creating your perfectly perfumed space. Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. in St. Charles is a one-stop shop, offering everything from bar soaps to laundry detergents.

The first thing you’ll notice when entering is an associate pouring soaps on the store floor. “We’re an open book,” states owner Mandy Buerster. “The bar is wide open. You can watch us work, so we’re not hiding anything.”

This open-door policy provides comfort that commercialized stores can’t match, while also making it easy to accommodate allergies or sensitivities. Plus, you can work with experts to create your own scent with plant-based oils. For home fragrances, Buerster recommends choosing something neutral the whole family can enjoy.

Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. is “more than just soap,” as Buerster likes to say. “Every month, we feature a specialty soap made for a local charity. All of the proceeds from that soap go back to that organization.”

This Hope and Soap program is what Buerster is most proud of. “It’s very rewarding. If everybody helps a little bit, we can do really big things. I always say I may not get rich selling soap, but there’s a lot we can do for people in the name of soap.”

Finding clean alternatives for home products can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Visit these local businesses to shop phthalate- and paraben-free while also personalizing your home with a scent that’s uniquely yours.