An interview with Annelie Bystrom-Turner, 37, Hove, co-owner of Corpo Sancto, make-up artist and manager of Into You Brighton
What is Corpo Sancto? Tell us more about the ethos and why you started the business.
Corpo Sancto is a Brighton-based husband and wife team who make artisan, eco friendly, biodegradable luxury rapeseed wax candles – scented and unscented – and a range of other products such as industrial candle holders and lamps.
It all started last Christmas almost by accident, I had made a couple of candelabras using reclaimed pipe bits and my husband was staring at the overpriced taper candles I had bought while drinking his morning coffee. “I could make them” he said and then announced that he was going to make candles, much to my annoyance. The rest is a bit of a blur now, we have been working non-stop ever since while juggling two other jobs each and two children, Chris is the drummer in Orange Goblin and tours extensively at times, which makes life even more hectic for me. Sometimes it feels like Corpo Sancto is our third child, we are very passionate about what we do.
What’s it like running a business with your husband? Are there arguments or do you always agree?
Working with your partner isn’t always easy and yes there are arguments, probably more so in the beginning when we were trying to establish the company identity. We still disagree from time to time and it can be terribly frustrating when you think your ideas are brilliant and your partner disagrees. Communicating in writing works well for us.
What is your background?
I’m a Swedish ex-pat and a freelance make-up artist by trade, I came to London in 2002 after having met Chris, and in 2006 we moved to Brighton after the birth of our first child.
And your connection to the tattoo world? Can you tell us about your own tattoos?
I got my first tattoo when I was 18, in Sweden, it’s now covered by a Japanese goddess by the late Jason Saga. I went to him in 2002 when he worked at Evil from the Needle for what I thought would be a fairly small cover up and ended up with a back piece. He left Evil from the Needle and started working at Into You, which is when my love affair with Into You started. I now manage Into You in Brighton three days a week.
Pretty much all my tattoos are from Into You artists: Back by Jason Saga · Arms by Jason Mosseri · Forearms by Jim macAirt · Fingers by Adam Sage · Snake & Eagle on legs by Jason Mosseri · Knee by Jack Newton · New, Unfinished chest piece by Jason Mosseri · Ribs by James Woodford · Feet by Lucy Pryor
Forearms by Jim macAirt
Fingers & Behind ear by Adam Sage
What is your favourite Corpo Sancto candle and why?
My favourite scented candle is the Oriental Fire, it smells of incense and the Orient without being over powering, it’s a fresh yet musky scent.
What has the reaction to your candles been like at tattoo conventions and are you planning on attending more?
We did our first convention earlier this year, the Brighton Tattoo Convention 2015, which was a success, so we have just signed up to do the London Convention in September.
Any advice on how to the perfect candle scent?
Scent preference is a very personal thing, we try to cater for everybody, so in our nine scent range, there will probably be three scents you love, three scents everyone loves and two or three scents you’ll hate…
Corpo Sancto have very kindly offered a Biker Jacket candle to one lucky reader! To win: simply share a photo of the Biker Jacket candle on Instagram, follow @thingsandink and @corposancto, tell us why you want to win it and hashtag #corposanctocomp
