The Best New Candle of Summer 2024: Daybreak by Casa Zuma

It’s a big week at Casa Zuma—and for me, as a founder. After spending over a year developing our first candle, “Daybreak,” it’s finally here. It’s funny for me to think back—since way before dreaming up the brand Casa Zuma, I always wanted to make a candle. I’ve been candle-obsessed for as long as I can remember, and I always thought it would be the ultimate creative project to make exactly the fragrance that I want my entire home to smell like. (That is, California citrus, blooming jasmine, and salty air.) I wanted a candle that’s intense enough to pack a punch, look gorgeous sitting on my coffee table, and be completely non-toxic and clean burning. And now, I’m proud to say that Daybreak checks every box.

When I started the journey of creating this candle, I was determined to make something that felt like, well, not just another candle! As someone who considers herself a candle connoisseur, I’ve tried them all. I have my favorites, but let’s be honest—most luxury candles look pretty similar, and it’s rare that I discover one with a truly unique scent. Which is why I’m so excited about Daybreak—when you smell it, you’re going to feel that spark that happens when you’re experiencing something for the first time.

For those of you wondering what goes into creating a candle, let me start by saying—way more than I ever imagined. I never dreamed this process would take over a year start to finish, but it was that important that we get it right. The first step was the fragrance. We worked with our scent developer in Los Angeles to imagine a fragrance that’s fresh and clean, citrusy with floral notes, and feels like sunshine. I brought her some of my favorite fragrances that had elements I wanted to pull into our candle, plus references that I’d collected from my travels through the years. The blooming jasmine takes me right back to St. Tropez in 2014. The lemon and oranges are inspired by our trips to Capri. And that salty air and sunrise feeling is straight from our time spent in Malibu.

After several iterations, we knew we’d found our scent. It was really important that we make a completely non-toxic product, so we settled on a blend of natural coconut & soy wax that’s free of parabens, phthalates and sulfates, and a 100% cotton wick that burns totally clean.

The next step was the design of the candle vessel and box. I wanted all aspects of this candle to feel really special, so we worked with our artist friends at Indoek to create a sun-bleached vessel with our signature Casa Zuma seaweed cutouts. Indoek’s work is all about coastal creative culture, and our finished design reminds me of golden hour and the warmth of California sunshine. After deciding on countless other details (sampling, testing, packaging, shipping, etc.) we finally had our first Daybreak sample in hand.

My vision for Daybreak is a happy scent, one that ignites the sun-soaked energy of the best morning.

The fragrance notes:

• California citrus
• Lush jasmine petals
• Wild cypress
• Sun-soaked musk
• Fresh earth

The candle facts

• 60 hour burn time
• 100% cotton wick
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Non-toxic fragrances (free of parabens, phthalates and sulfates)

We also created an accompanying Daybreak playlist so you can truly awaken all the senses with the best vibes possible. Our candles are thoughtfully produced and hand-poured in Los Angeles, and our first run is a limited production batch of 500 pieces. They’re available now at Casa Zuma. I can’t wait for you to experience it (and tag me on IG if you get one!)