The Best Citronella Candles to Burn, Baby, Burn This Summer

It's a universally acknowledged truth that nothing ruins warm weather more than mosquitoes, right? Like, give me that 98-degree weather with a broken air conditioner all day, any day. But it's the 3 a.m. buzzing in my ear that actually makes me want to hibernate until December and shout from the rooftops that summer is le *worst*.

This is why we're giving thanks to the holy grail of candles: citronella. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, citronella oil works as a natural, non-toxic insect repellent by masking said insects' fave smells, which makes it difficult for them to, uh, bite and essentially feed on you. In candle form, you can mask your natural delicious human scent for hours. But it should be said that, no, these candles don't straight-up kill insects. (Ew, imagine the cleanup?) But if you wanna zap 'em instead, go for this electric zapper.)

Still, citronella candles are still super effective at keeping mosquitoes far away from you, your friends, and your chilled bottle of sweet wine. And the ones we curated will actually look chic and create the exact right ambience on your outdoor dinner tablescape, obv.

With so many different styles to choose from, you'll be that much closer to a buzz-free summer 2022. Don't worry, I'm talking bugs, not booze.