10 best summer candles to burn this season, from fresh citrus scents to sweet florals
Transport yourself to warmer climates and find notes of coconut and vanilla that are reminiscent of long afternoons on the beach – or delicious hits of mint, rum and lime from poolside mojitos
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Alas, we can’t all be on a permanent summer holiday, but a well-chosen scent can conjure images of sunnier climes – sun cream, turquoise sea, Mediterranean cliff-top villages – in the familiar comfort of your home. Our summery picks are a delicious combination of zesty and refreshing, warm and breezy and sensuous and evocative.
They’re potent too, which means the scent disperses – or throws – well around the room; many (though not all) cheaper candles smell great in the jar but don’t reach far when you light them at home. So while our top picks may feel pricey, you’ll get more scent for your money, and they all burn for at least 40 hours, some as many as 60.
Burn your candle for at least two hours at a time (and maximum four to help it last), until the wax has melted in a pool across the surface, to help it burn down evenly rather than the wick burrowing down and leaving wax up the sides of the jar.
If your candle gives off black smoke when you light it and leaves sooty residue up the side of the glass, it’s because you need to trim the wick before burning. You can buy fancy clippers to do it, or else just use a sharp pair of scissors.
We burned each candle for at least two hours to observe how evenly they burned, how far the scent dispersed and how long it lasted once the candle had been blown out; all our favourites were still perceptible in our flat hours after we'd finished burning.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Laboratory Perfumes gorse scented candle: £45, Laboratory Perfumes
Burn time: 40 hours
We’re not sure we’ve ever wanted to eat a candle more than we did when we first sniffed this. It is citrusy and lightly spiced but in a zesty, crisp way, rather than a thick, heavy way. We love its minimalist, laboratory-flask-style packaging, too.
D.S. & Durga breakfast leipzig candle: £60, Osmology
Burn time: 60 hours
Brooklyn-based D.S. & Durga take an unusual approach to fragrance, building scents that are evocative of a particular moment, such as the smoky "portable fireplace" and rain-on-tarmac "big sur after rain". Our pick for summer, breakfast leipzig, with its notes of almond, coffee and butter transport us straight to reading a book outside a cafe on a summer city break.
Skandinavisk lykke scented candle: £24.65, Trouva
Burn time: 45 hours
When a brand from the world’s happiest nation (Denmark) names a candle lykke – that’s happiness to you and me – take notice. It’s sweet, fresh and gentle, with notes of apple, lemon and spring flowers. You can’t help but feel more relaxed and, yes, happier when you smell it.
Byredo cotton poplin candle: £57, Space NK
Burn time: 60 hours
Byredo’s cotton poplin is a perennial favourite for its simple, delicate scent, with chamomile, linen and cedarwood – it’s fresh and breezy, like clean linen drying on the line in the sun. We’re also suckers for its black jar and matching wax and wick.
Boy Smells Lanai scented candle: £35, Osmology
Burn time: 55 hours
Boy Smells’ pink and black packaging is made for Instagram, and its unusual scents are pretty attractive too. Named after an island in Hawaii, Lanai is a tropical and lightly spiced fragrance – a welcome change from the sweet, cloying nature of most coconut scents.
Anya Smells sun lotion orange flower and musk candle : £50, Cult Beauty
Burn time: 30-40 hours
English fashion designer Anya Hindmarch’s candle range is full of her signature sense of fun and enthusiasm, and it doesn’t get much more enthusiastic than the "yes!" emblazoned jar of sun lotion. It’s a blend of bergamot, orange flower and cedarwood for a perfect hot holiday scent, evocative of the eponymous suntan lotion.
Atelier Cologne orange Positano scented candle: £55, Sabina
Burn time: 60 hours
Named for a village on Italy’s Amalfi coast, Positano was off to a strong summery start before we’d even smelled it. It’s a salty, citrusy scent that conjures strong sun, a light sea breeze and bright blue water. The blue bottle has a narrow neck so you’ll need a gas lighter or long matches once it burns down.
Malin + Goetz mojito candle: £42, Space NK
Burn time: 60 hours
There isn’t much else that conjures the uplifting, fun experience of a summer holiday with friends like a mojito, and this candle brings that home with its fresh notes of mint, rum and lime. A refreshing cocktail of a candle.
LA Bruket grapefruit scented candle: £55, Liberty London
Burn time: 45 hours
We love the chunky, dark terracotta-orange of this glass holder from Swedish brand LA Bruket almost as much as we love its scent. Its name sums it up well: this is a clean, fresh, bright citrus powerhouse.
The Nomad Society daydreamer scented soy candle: £35, The Nomad Society
Burn time: 85 hours
This is a sweet, creamy, sun lotion-like scent with notes of vanilla and coconut. Subtle and not overpowering, it’s easy and relaxing; a scent reminiscent of long, lazy afternoons on the beach or reading by the pool.
The verdict: Summer candles
Laboratory Perfume’s gorse is everything we love in a summer scent: light and zesty, it somehow simultaneously calms the mind and invigorates the senses. For something richer and more decadent, reach for Anya Smells’ sun lotion or Atelier Cologne’s orange Positano.