Hey there —
Every holiday has a scent memory and the 4th of July is no exception. Smoke. Charcoal. Grilled food. A summer garden in full swing. Rosemary on the deck. Tomatoes warming on the vine.
I’ve been chasing that feeling in candle form for years and I’m sharing what I’ve found. Here’s how to bring it into your bedroom in a way that feels sophisticated and yummy, but not like the BBQ is wafting inside.
The tomato vine candle — the unexpected hero
This is the one. When I smelled my first tomato vine candle years ago, I was hooked. Walking into a space using a candle with this scent feels so fresh, real and grounded. It seems like tomato vine is having a cultural moment in the candle world and I would say it is specifically a perfect Fourth of July scent. Sun-warmed garden, herbaceous earth, the smell of summer at its peak.
Flamingo Estate Heirloom Tomato Candle — the definitive tomato vine candle. I’ve smelled it. I agree with the reviews, it smells exactly like a tomato vine. That distinct earthy, bright refreshing scent without being overwhelming. Around $64 for 8oz. Treat yo’self.
Linnea Botanik Candle — Fresh, green and slightly sweet this scent brings the garden into your bedroom. Not to mention it’s the best reviewed tomato candle Anthropologie is carrying this season. But also, Anthro’s full tomato vine scented candle selection right now is seriously worth a browse.
Jo Malone Green Tomato Vine — the luxury option. Herbaceous, green, the scent of strolls through a vegetable garden and sweet summer days. Around $140. Yeah…I haven’t burned this one yet, but if anyone is looking for gift ideas, here it is. I must know the difference from a $28 candle to $140 one!
The rosemary candle — the BABBLE off-the-beaten-path pick
The smell of rosemary holds a special place in my heart because it is the smell of summer. Running my fingers through the plant every time I pass it on the deck, in the garden, at the nursery. It is SUMMER. For others, that warm, herbal smell may bring back memories of cooking something on the grill. In a bedroom candle it reads sophisticated, clean and woody. On the Fourth of July it reads like the party that’s happening outside your window.
Flamingo Estate Rosemary Candle — They’ve become the high standard for great scents for a reason. Clean, herbal, warm. This one smells like my best friend’s house while I was growing up. The one whose mom had great (natural) taste before great taste had a name.
The smoky candle — for the fireworks lover
Boy Smells Ash — charcoal, palo santo, smoked hay and scorched embers. Vegan soy blend, phthalate-free, cotton wick, hand-poured in LA. The smoky candle that makes the bedroom feel like the fireworks show happening outside your window.
Primally Pure Crisp Smoky Woods — Bonus, it’s a therapeutic pick! Pure beeswax and coconut oil with wildcrafted black spruce, cedarwood, silver fir and tobacco absolute. One of the most botanically clean smoky candles on the market. Be sure to check availability as it sells out regularly.
Can’t find it in stock? Their Crisp Smoky Woods Room Spray uses the same essential oil blend and is a beautiful linen spray alternative.
On the 4th, after all the burgers, hotdogs, and apple pie have been consumed, and you’ve drunk your last glass of crisp lemonade, promise me something. You’ll light one of these candles, put on some fantastic pajamas, crawl into your well-dressed bed with your glass of champagne and cheers to America as fireworks boom in the sky around you. I know I will be.
Happy 4th y’all. And Happy 250th, America.
Carli
p.s. — If you need some patriotic bedding inspiration, check out the 4th of July bedroom color guide here.
