This Luxe Candle Collaboration Is Like an Instant Vacation to Italy

updated May 25, 2021
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Gray Malin x Nest New York

A candle can help you mentally transport from your home to a beloved location, whether that’s a lush garden or even a dive bar (hey, no judgment!). But what if the candle’s packaging could also help you tap into a luxurious state of mind?

That’s exactly what the latest collaboration from NEST New York and photographer Gray Malin does. A special offering of three summer-ready scents, the Gray Malin x Nest collection features Malin’s instantly recognizable summer scenes on the boxes that adorn each candle and diffuser. Pick between a mental getaway to the Amalfi Coast, the Breakers in Palm Beach, or the sandy shores of St. Barths — there’s a scent for each well-deserved vacation after such a tough year.

“The power of fragrance evokes so many memories, and I think it’s so magical how a scent can bring you back to a certain place and time,” Malin told Apartment Therapy. “The smell of a crisp sea breeze and lemon trees always reminds me of the coastal cities along the Amalfi Coast, which is one of my favorite places. That scent really comes to life in our Amalfi Lemon and Mint candle from this collection.”

The candles come in three sizes: A classic one-wick candle, which retails at $48 and boasts 50-60 hours of burn time if you care for your candle properly; a $74 three-wick candle, which will burn for 75-100 hours, and a four-wick “deluxe” version, which retails for $280 and will burn for 130-140 hours. The one- and three-wick candles, which would make for luxe housewarming gifts, come in Coconut & Palm, Ocean Mist & Sea Salt, and Amalfi Lemon & Mint options, while the jumbo candle is only available with the Amalfi Lemon and Mint scent. The handblown striped glass that adorns each candle is a nice touch that will last long after the last drips of wax are gone.

The scents, which will transport you to a beach getaway for a fraction of the cost of a plane ticket and hotel booking, are also available as reed diffusers, which retail for $54 and will last around 90 days. Given most vacations top out after a few days, this mental getaway will outlast even the most careful tan. Bon voyage!