Sure, cozying up with a hot toddy on a wintery night while a candle burns in the background is a great time. However, allow us to call summer bougies the sleeper hit of the season — they instantly vibe up any outdoor party and allow you to cheer up your apartment from the comfort of your AC. (Plus, they’re a great gift to give and receive year-round.)
From candles that smell like a yummy piña colada to bright, citrus-y scents that remind us of balmy summer nights, we’re falling hard for these fun-in-the-sun candles. Shop our favorites here, ranging from affordable Target finds to splurge-worthy buys— and everywhere in between.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Chesapeake Bay Candle Coconut Cove 2-Wick Candle
Target’s candle selection truly has something for every taste and budget. Our summer pick? This tropical, coconut-scented treasure, which comes in a clear glass votive for the candle minimalist in your life.
Chesapeake Bay Candle Coconut Cove 2-Wick Candle, $12.99, available at Target.com
Catbird Summer In Italy Candle
In addition to making some of the chicest dainty jewelry around, Catbird’s in-house range of candles are some of the best around. Summer In Italy’s orange blossom and honey notes are sweeter than a Bellini, and cheaper than round-trip airfare to the Amalfi coast.
Catbird Summer in Italy Candle, $38, available at Catbird
Madewell Neroli & Sea Salt Soy Wax Candle
Come for cute denim, stay for even cuter candles. Madewell’s affordable tin candles come in a variety of fragrances, but we have a soft spot for the elevated neroli and sea salt blend.
Madewell Metal Tumbler Candle, $22, available at Madewell
Follain Candle No. 2
You may already know them as one of the best places to shop clean beauty, but Follain’s tightly edited candle lineup is another great way to get acquainted with the brand. We love No. 2, a coconut- and soy-based wax blend with notes of white tea, lavender, and invigorating basil.
Follain Candle No. 2, $38, available at Follain
Byredo Cotton Poplin Candle
Byredo’s Cotton Poplin candle takes everything you love about laundry day (fresh-smelling clothes, a general feeling of productivity) and subtract everything you don’t (hauling your clothes to your basement’s washer and dryer.)
Byredo Cotton Poplin Candle, $85, available at Nordstrom
Voluspa Casa Pacifica Candle
In addition to making some of the most beautiful votives around, Voluspa’s Casa Pacifica candle takes us back to the beach with marine-like notes of driftwood and sea salt.
Voluspa Voluspa Maison Candle, $30, available at Anthropologie
Paddywax Rosemary Sea Salt Candle
Freshen up any room with a seasonally apropros jar candle with herbacious notes of rosemary, thyme, and sea salt.
Paddywax Farmhouse Jar Candle, $25, available at Anthropologie
Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA’ Beach Walk Scented Candle
Beach Walk’s dreamy blend of bergamot, coconut milk, lemon, and pink pepper instantly takes us back to sandier days.
Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA’ Beach Walk Scented Candle, $62, available at Sephora
Diptyque Mimosa Scented Candle
Diptyque’s Mimosa candle is clean, fresh, and oh so summery. (Plus, repurpose the jar to hold everything from makeup brushes to desk pens.)
Diptyque Mimosa Scented Candle, $65, available at Nordstrom
Boy Smells Chromesthesia Series Anjelica Candle
If the seafoam green jar isn’t enough to make your heart skip a beat, the summery blend of sicilian lemon, bitter orange, and musk definitely will.
Boy Smells Chromesthesia Series Anjelica Candle, $34, available at Nordstrom
Nest Fragrances Orange Blossom Scented Candle
Half-off Nest candles. We repeat, half-off Nest candles. Don’t miss out on snapping up their summery orange blossom candle at 52% the original price.
NEST Fragrances Classic Candle – Orange Blossom, $19.97, available at Nordstrom Rack
Tocca Voyage Montauk Candle
If you can’t make it out to the Hamptons this season, this beachy candle is the next best thing.
Tocca Voyage Montauk Candle, $20, available at Bluemercury
Jo Malone London Wood Sage & Sea Salt Candle
Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt candle is an enigmatic take on summer fragrance: Aquatic notes of sage and sea salt read as vaguely beachy, while subtle woodiness adds underlying sultriness.
Jo Malone London Wood Sage & Sea Salt Candle, $67, available at Sephora
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