The best scented candles for summer

The best scented candles for summer | These Four Walls blog

It’s sweltering sunshine one minute and thundery downpours the next – it must be the Northern European summer! And with that in mind, I’m continuing my seasonal guides to the best scented candles by rounding up my favourites for the warmer months.

I’m always amazed by the power of scent to transform the ambiance of a space, spark distant memories or transport us to other places, and at this time of year I tend to find myself drawn towards heady fragrances that evoke sun-drenched days in the garden and balmy evenings under the stars. I’m also yearning for a bit of escapism in the form of fresh, coastal-inspired fragrances and scents that conjure up the Mediterranean and beyond.

After a lot of deliberation I’ve narrowed my 2026 selection down to the 21 below, with some old favourites alongside a few new discoveries. I’ve tried and tested many of them myself, and most are produced by small brands and independent makers using natural ingredients. I hope you find something you like!

The best scented candles for summer | These Four Walls blog
  1. ‘Wild Mint & Camellia’ candle by OLIV (£16.95 for a standard jar, £34.95 for a large three-wick one or £50 for a refillable ceramic vessel; also available as an oil, a reed diffuser and wax melts) – a clean, uplifting fragrance with notes of refreshing wild mint among sweet florals
  2. ‘Citrus + Basil’ candle by Hobo + Co (£22 for a standard jar, £36 for a large one or £12 for a travel tin; also available as a reed diffuser and wax melts) – a fresh, summery fragrance with zesty lemon, lime and mandarin over herby basil
  3. ‘Mandarin’ candle by Miller Harris (£55) – layers of Sicilian green mandarin, grapefruit, marjoram, geranium and orange, with a base of cedar, moss and sweet musk
  4. ‘Santorini’ candle by Brooklyn Candle Studio (£33 for a standard jar, £55 for a two-wick one, £86 for a large three-wick jar or £17 for a travel tin; also available as a reed diffuser and a room spray) – a mix of woody sandalwood, earthy amber and fruity redcurrant and fig to make you dream of Greek island escapes
  5. ‘Seaweed & Samphire’ candle by Plum & Ashby (£15 for a votive or £35 for a standard jar; also available as a reed diffuser) – a sea-breeze scented ode to holidays on the British coast, with cooling spearmint and invigorating marine notes anchored by a base of amber, moss and woods
  6. ‘Sicily’ candle by Sincerely Lumière (£42 for a jar or £18 for a travel tin) – layers of citrus and delicate white flowers over peppery basil, caraway seeds, velvety patchouli and green vetiver, inspired by sultry Sicilian summer nights
  7. ‘Neroli & Bergamot’ candle by Plum & Ashby (£15 for a votive or £35 for a standard jar; also available as a reed diffuser) – a blend of the floral, the citrus and the herbal, conjuring up a wander through a blooming garden in high summer
  8. ‘California’ candle by Ash + Ember (£22 for a standard jar or £50 for a large one; also available as an oil) – a fresh, energy-boosting blend of sweet orange, grapefruit and bergamot that will lift your mood throughout the day
  9. ‘Far’ candle from The Future Kept (£18) – a joyful mix of bergamot, coconut, green jasmine and amber to transport you to faraway islands
  10. ‘Seychelles’ candle by Helm London (£29) – notes of bergamot, bright orange and rich amber over warming coconut and vanilla, inspired by travels around the Indian Ocean
  11. ‘Bergamot & Nettle’ candle by St Eval (£15.50 for a tin or ceramic pot, or £19.95 for a glass jar; also available as a reed diffuser) – a green, uplifting mix blended to create a sunny atmosphere, whatever the weather
  12. ‘Jardin de la lune’ candle by Earl of East (£26 for a standard jar or £50 for a large one; also available as a room spray and incense) – a luxurious ode to the gardens of Versailles, where hundreds of tuberoses perfumed the night air
  13. ‘Midsummer 24’ candle by Norfolk Natural Living (£29.50 for a jar or £25 for a refill) – notes of fig seed, jasmine, gardenia, vetiver and cedarwood that capture the enchanting allure and lingering light of a warm midsummer’s evening 
  14. ‘Potted Geranium’ candle by Harvest Skincare (£32) – the herbaceous and gently sweet scent of geraniums, inspired by strolls along sun-kissed French cobbled streets flanked by balconies bursting with flowers
  15. ‘Herbanum’ candle by Verden (£55; also available as a reed diffuser) – the purifying, botanical essence of fresh herbs and wild grasses
  16. ‘Moon’ candle by Evermore London (£37 for a standard jar or £60 for a large one) – layers of delicate rose and spicy saffron over a smoky base of vetivert and cade, evoking nocturnal flowers unfurling under the light of the moon
  17. ‘Wild Garden’ candle by Essence + Alchemy (£48 for a jar or £28 for a refill) – a timeless scent inspired by the damp earth, fresh florals and perfumed leaves of a rain-drenched garden after summer showers
  18. ‘Summer 93’ candle by Norfolk Natural Living (£29.50 for a jar or £25 for a refill) – a blend of sandalwood, orange blossom and honeyed balsam that speaks of golden mornings and sun-warmed afternoons
  19. ‘Jasmine & Tuberose’ candle by Plum & Ashby (£15 for a votive or £35 for a standard jar; also available as a reed diffuser) – a scent for the darker hours, with heady night-time florals mixed with delicate apricot and pear
  20. ‘ØY’ candle by Skandinavisk (£22 for a votive, £39 for a standard jar or £55 for a large two-wick one; also available as a reed diffuser) – a blend of crabapple, dog rose, water mosses and green leaves that takes you to a peaceful uninhabited island somewhere in Scandinavia
  21. ‘Beam’ candle by Cedar (£35 for a jar or £25 for a refill; also available as an oil) – a bright, sunlit scent with citrus notes and a twist of spice
The best scented candles for summer | These Four Walls blog

For more considered summer home and lifestyle picks, see my seasonal edit.

Top and bottom images by Abi Dare; all other photos via the respective brands above

The post The best scented candles for summer appeared first on .



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Home office style with Carl Hansen & Søn’s CH621 swivel chair

Image
[Advertisement – this post is a paid partnership with Carl Hansen & Søn, but all words and opinions are my own] Finding the perfect office chair can be tricky. You’ll be sitting on it for long periods at a time, so you’ll want something comfortable that won’t cause aches and pains or do any damage to your posture. You’ll want something sturdy and well-built, which can withstand hours of use day after day. And if, like me, you work from home, you’ll also want something stylish that fits with your décor and doesn’t look ugly or overly clinical. It’s a lot to ask from a single piece of furniture, but I’ve found one that ticks all the boxes: renowned Danish mid-century designer Hans J. Wegner’s CH621 swivel chair , which was first released in 1948 and has now gone back into production with Carl Hansen & Søn. Often dubbed the ‘Master of the Chair’, Wegner was responsible for iconic designs such as the CH24 ‘Wishbone’ chair and the CH25 lounge chair . But out of the more than 5...
Read more

Natural autumn styling with a dried wreath & pumpkins

Image
When you think of autumn styling and Halloween decorations, you probably think of vibrant reds, oranges and golds. They look stunning, of course, but this year I’ve chosen to do something a little different and opt for shades of green, beige and off-white instead. It’s a softer, more muted and textural take on seasonal decor, and I think it works beautifully in my calm, minimalist home . My inspiration came from the autumn wreath that I made during a press trip to Tudor Farmhouse Hotel in the Forest of Dean last week, when Jo Thompson of Wye Valley Flowers hosted a workshop using naturally dried flowers and foliage from her own farm. My creation incorporated wispy grasses, gypsophila, Lunaria (the pearlescent disc-like things), Phalaris, thistle heads and a sprinkling of Sanguisorba, with a sage-green silk ribbon to finish things off. The colours happened to tie in perfectly with the cushions, books and pale oak accents in my living room, while the Lunaria reminded me of the New...
Read more

My interiors book, the Soft Minimalist Home – published today!

Image
Today is a big deal for me because it’s publication day for my first book, The Soft Minimalist Home – Calm, Cosy Decor for Real Lives and Spaces . It’s a dream come true – a moment that’s exciting, nerve-wracking and surreal all at the same time. I’ve always wanted to write a book, and specifically this book . Over 10 years of blogging and styling, I’ve come to appreciate the benefits of minimalist decor on our mood and wellbeing. But I’ve also found myself coming up against the same misconceptions – that minimalist spaces are stark, soulless and impractical – over and over again. With this book, I want to dispel those myths and introduce a more relaxed approach to minimalism – one that’s warm, inviting and highly liveable. In it, I visit 15 real homes around the UK and Europe, exploring how a diverse range of people have designed pared-back spaces that are as individual as they are. Throughout, I hope to show that minimalism does not necessarily mean living with less, but r...
Read more