Yahoo News 12 best scented candles for summer
People often associate candles with wintertime – the warm glow and hypnotic scent cheering up a dreary day or chilly, dark evening.
But scented candles are increasingly seasonal, and these ones will fill your house with the rich and varied aromas of summer.
Whether it’s fruity or florals, tropical or herby, we have it covered. And you can rest assured that all the candles we’ve included have excellent burn time and quality.
Where possible, buy scented candles that are completely natural, made from premium wax, perfume-grade fragrance and essential oils with pure cotton wicks.
Cheaper candles made from crude oil by-products, synthetic fragrances, artificial colouring and lead wicks can both smell cheap and nasty (and often oversweet) and burn quickly.
Trim the wick a few millimetres between burning to prevent black smoke from marking the glass, and always burn for at least two hours (and no more than four) at a time.
Noble Isle Rhubarb Rhubarb!: £39, Liberty London
Offering so much more than a mere whiff of rhubarb, this tangy candle is a summer garden in a jar. Energising and enlivening, rich and reviving, it captures that unique bitter sweetness that this summer fruit is all about.
It’s not as if there’s anything unusual about rhubarb scented candles – oodles of them are available from various brands – but few hit the mark, winding up overly sweet and sugary, whereas this zingy offering combines it with the likes of juniper, tarragon and rosemary for a sumptuous blend.
Handmade in Suffolk, it comes with a snuffer and gives you 45 hours' burn time.
Fortnum’s Pomegranate Rose: £38, Fortnum & Mason
If you thought rhubarb candles were common, try Googling rose ones. The problem is that many are powdery, sickly and overpowering. Not so with this fresh beauty that transports you straight to an English rose garden.
Made by Lyn Harris, of Miller Harris fame, its invigorating citrussy top notes of grapefruit, bitter orange and red pomegranate are balanced with tomato leaf and basil mint notes and finished with natural rose, white cedar, encens and honeydew.
Anyone who’s ever visited Fortnum’s candle room will know the power of the glow and aroma of a great candle, and for encapsulating English summertime we think this as sophisticated as it gets. 30 hours' burn time.
The White Company Vine Tomato Signature Candle: £20, The White Company
No need to stick to florals just because it’s summer. In fact, what can be more evocative of long Mediterranean days than the fresh, leafy aroma of juicy sun-ripened vine tomatoes?
The White Company has been a longstanding staple in the world of scented candles, both for their imaginative scents and affordable price-tags, and we think this is one of their best limited-edition versions yet, thanks to the light yet earthy and masculine aroma.
A great option for the kitchen, dining room or outside eating area, you can expect 28 hours' burn time – and there’s a bigger, three-wick version available for £60.
Anya Smells! Sun Lotion Scented Candle: £50, Selfridges
Designer Anya Hindmarch is best known for her quirky handbags, shoes and luggage, but her candles are something to behold too. Who else would think of a candle smelling of sun lotion and what’s more, make it smell so divine?
With notes of bergamot, lemons and orange flowers, the energising aroma was designed to evoke her own personal memories and really does transport you to a world of sun loungers, beach towels and the lapping of the sea against white sand.
And, as you’d expect, the glass looks a picture too, with it’s loud ‘Yes!’ sticker set against black background. 30 hours' burning time.
True Grace Chesil Beach Scented Candle: £30, John Lewis
Even if you haven’t actually visited this long, straight 18-mile stretch of pebble beach in Dorset, you’re likely to have heard of, if only because of Ian McEwan’s book (and now film) of the same name.
This uplifting vegetable-wax candle captures everything about it – black pepper and lime for the salty sea air, amber and wood for the pebbles and driftwood and an overall invigorating freshness to evoke moments of standing on a quiet beach by yourself.
Perfect for a bathroom (although it works well anywhere in the home), it has 40 hours' burn time.
Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Home Candle: £45, Jo Malone
This sweet yet delicate candle captures everything fabulous about the start of summer – that time when the skies are a quality of blue quite unlike any other time of year, the air is full of hope and everything in the garden is opening up ready for the warm weather ahead.
The juicy nectarines, peach and cassis are lush, the florals have an uplifting effect and the honey brings into play richness and luxury.
An elevating and dreamy aroma, it comes smartly presented in black and cream packaging and has a 45-hour burn time.
Tom Dixon Orientalist Large Scented Candle: £80, Selfridges
From one of Britain's favourite designers, this striking-looking candle in a shiny brass case aims to evoke the rich, sensual smells of an Indian wedding – think rose petal garlands, cinnamon sticks being sold at the beach and pungent herbal markets.
An excellent choice if you want something exciting, spicy and glamorous, this giddy-making candle is opulent in the extreme.
It is available in a smaller single-wick size, but we love the potency of scent that comes with the three wicks on this version – it also pushes the burn time up to 70 hours.
Orla Kiely Basil and Mint: £13, Orla Kiely
The glass is tastefully decorated in this Irish designer’s retro (and now iconic) ‘flower stem’ print. But is it a case of style over substance?
Not a bit of it, with her vegetable wax candles offering a range of impressive Mediterranean-influenced summer scents, ranging from Sicilian lemon to fig tree.
Our favourite, though, is this energising aroma of basil and green mint, blended with notes of caraway, may chang and lemon peel. Think freshly chopped herbs, with added depth and luxury.
Fabulous for the kitchen – or any eating area, inside or out - it has 50 hours' burn time and is great value at under £15.
Tropic Signature Soy Wax Candle: £45, Tropic Skincare
It’s the exhilarating, sharp hit of tangy lemons that won us over with this soy wax candle. Combined with neroli, basil, may chang, patchouli and thyme, it is light and crisp yet heady and intoxicating, with an overall rejuvenating effect.
After appearing on The Apprentice in 2011, Susie Ma launched this natural, ethical and animal cruelty-free skincare range and it’s gone from strength to strength ever since.
We like the tropical-influenced markings on the glass too. 40 hours' burn time.
Neom Tranquillity: £30, Neom
We were torn between Neom’s ‘Feel Refreshed’ candle, with its summery Sicilian lemon and fresh basil, and this ‘Tranquillity’ one, which has scents of English lavender, sweet basil and jasmine, along with 16 other essential oils.
We decided this one has the edge for being so soothing, destressing and calming – perfect for burning on warm summer nights.
The kind of aroma you’d expect in a spa, it is sheer bliss – and if it doesn’t get you ready for the land of nod, nothing will. 35 hours' burning time.
Victoria Cator Casablanca: £50, Victoria Cater
Inspired by the famous 1940s film, the Casablanca two wick candle has a cheerful, upbeat aroma and the smell of lilies hits you before you’ve even lit the candle and lingers on long after you’ve blown it out.
But there’s so much more besides, with cut stems, bergamot, violet leaf, plus lily, tuberose, jasmine, rose, carnation and finally guaiacwood, sandalwood and amber to provide an earthy base.
Evocative of long summer days and fresh flowers blossoming, it’s a great addition to any room. 55 hours' burn time.
Rathbornes Wild Mint, Watercress and Thyme Scented Classic Candle: £34, Rathbornes
This herb-themed blend is surprisingly exotic, tangy and sweet, with the mint, lemon and eucalyptus, along with camphor and rosemary, all identifiable – while the base notes of thyme and ginger warm it all up.
From the world’s oldest candle brand, the beeswax candle has two wicks, which gives a particularly attractive burn, and the result is notably refreshing and sophisticated.
The luxury white glass container is also a winner. 40 hours' burning time.
The verdict: Scented candles
The Rhubarb Rhubarb! candle from Noble Isle perfectly captures the bitter sweetness of this fabulous summer fruit and gives it a herby twist for depth. We’re also giving a special shout out to Fortnum’s Pomegranate Rose candle for the summer months ahead. Close your eyes and you really could be in a quintessentially English rose garden.
