5 Homesick Candles That Smell Like Summer
Smells are a powerful way to stir up memories, so much so that we occasionally find ourselves transported to another place entirely with a single deep breath. And why is it that certain smells are so good at arousing seasonal memories? Psychologists and neuroscientists believe it has to do with the fact that the olfactory bulb (the part of the brain that receives and detects smells) is directly connected to two areas of the brain that are linked to memory and emotion. Smell is more closely integrated with the brain than any other sense, which is why the nose is often better at triggering memories than the eyes and ears.
We’ve all had particularly poignant, seasonal memories: The dewy morning air arouses thoughts of waiting at the bus stop in your childhood neighborhood on a fall day or playing on the playground on the last day of school before summer break. At Homesick candles, we’ve worked hard to recreate and jar these memory-triggering scents so that you can enjoy them anytime. Here are the ones we’ve developed to take you straight back to summertime road trips, beach days, barbecues and those hot days that seemed to go on forever.
1. Beach Cottage Candle—Take a trip to the beach with a flick of a match with this summery candle that reminds you of the salt-worn, clapboard cottage where many of your favorite memories live. With notes of beach (sandalwood and cedarwood) and August flora mid-bloom (plumeria and bergamot), you’ll revive deep thoughts that make you feel warm, happy and relaxed, even if it’s snowing outside.
2. American Summer Candle—The smell of fireworks on the Fourth of July, logs smoldering in the campfire, burgers cooking on the grill. All of these aromas trigger thoughts of an all-American summer, complete with picnics, road trips and hours spent outside not knowing what time it is. Our nod to this specific place and time takes you straight back with notes of lemon, lime, watermelon, lily and peach, so you’ll instantly reminisce about biting into a perfectly ripe piece of fruit or sipping fresh-squeezed lemonade at the fair.
3. Backyard BBQ Candle—Our smoky and sweet backyard BBQ candle is for those of us who are instantly transported elsewhere through specific flavors. The sweet smell of hickory, smoke and brown sugar takes you back to the block parties, barbecues and beach grill-outs where many of your favorite memories were forged. It features rich notes that remind you of the best summertime flavors—black pepper, cumin, vinegar, maple, cinnamon, clove and peach—and the sweet smells that tend to linger in the thick summertime air.
4. Summer Camp Candle—How is it that just a few weeks of summertime could leave you with half of your memories from that whole year? That’s the power of a summer spent at camp. This sweet candle is meant to capture the exhaustion, friendship and pure fun of those unbeatable six weeks, with notes of green grass, lemon, lime, sunscreen and jasmine. Burning this candle ignites memories of jumping off the dock into the lake, staying up too late in a musty old cabin and drinking too much punch in the dining hall.
5. Road Trip Candle—There’s nothing better than hitting the pavement in the middle of the summertime, preferably with the radio up and the windows down. Our memory-igniting road trip candle is scented with all the romantic fragrances of the open road, including leather, lime, paper and cedarwood, making you think of spontaneous detours, national parks and quirky side-of-the-road outposts.
Fill Your Home with the Joys of Summer
Whether you use them to arouse fond childhood memories or to fill your home with a sense of comfort and warmth when the temps outside are frigid, these summer-themed Homesick candles will surely spark memories you didn’t even know you had. You’ll feel great about burning these premium summer-scented candles, since they’re made with clean-burning soy wax and are hand-poured in the U.S. We’re sure they’ll make you want to enjoy the incomparable aroma of summer year-round!