My choice for 2024
Every summer, your favourite classic fragrances release a “fresh” version for summer. Makes sense, to spray yourself with something lightly fragranced and refreshing instead of a heavy warm and vanilla based scent. My favourite scent for summer was and will always be the scent of sun lotion. It reminds me of my childhood and the beaches I went to with my family. The wam sand, the glistening water, salt on the skin….I picture all of this with an underlying scent of good old sun lotion. So I have to conjure up those feelings each summer for that extra feel of carefreeness. However, recently I went fragrance free with my sun lotion as my skin now tends to break out so I’m opting for the anti-allergic, oil-free versions. Over time I must have developed a slight sun allergy, which means that anything with oil, silicone and fragrance will irritate my skin even more, especially when sweating. Still, I need my summer fragrances, so here are my favourite.
NUXE SUN Delicious Fragrant Water
Sensual, creamy and like warm bronzed skin at the end of a day at the beach…that’s what this smells like. As if we’re just enjoying the last warm summer rays of the day before we head off to our hotel and get ready for dinner. Most summer fragrances or summer versions of fragrances are fresh and crisp, but this one has a different take. Similar to Estee Laudeer’s Bronze Goddess, Eau Delicieuse offers a warm, creamy scent with hints of coconut and sweet, exotic Tiare Flowers. A touch of freshness comes from Orange and Petitgrain.
I love this one because its warm and oh so beachy creamy yet fresh and light without any hints of citrus. It really is delicious, the minute you smell it you want more. It’s addictive. Good thing is this comes in a large 100ml bottle as it does evaporate fairly quickly, so be sure you get to spray over your body and enjoy it throughout your day. On the plus side, it’s nice to touch up your fragrance during the day if need be, it gives you that glam feel so why not. For a more subtle effect, spray it onto your hair brush. The fragrance will then be dispersed evenly over your hair as you brush it. Or even on your sheets for summer nights that feel like an embrace… (excuse my romanticism here).
The bottle is a simple cylindric shape and wouldn’t you prefer something more elaborate for winter? Who needs pompom in 40° heat. The colours of the bottle are more than enough to call up summer feelings right away: the colours of a good tequila sunrise mixed with the blue of the Mediterranean sea. So simple yet so effective and the warmth of those colours suits the scent. Loving the simplicity.
Olfactory notes
- Sweet orange
- Tahitian gardenia
- Coconut cream
- Petitgrain
RITUALS Ocean Infini
Ever since Issey Miyake released its signature fragrance L’eau d’Issey in 1992 I discovered and learned to love oceanic scents. It is simply the fresh smell of water. Following this principle is Ritual’s Ocean Infini, a fresh flowery scent, reminiscent of those 90s oceanic craze.
I don’t usually splurge on summer scents as I like it to be uncomplicated and not too precious like a heavily ornate bottle with a deep oud scent for winter. So this is a lovely inexpensive dupe for most sea breeze inspired fragrances from designer brands.
Olfactory notes
- Nashi Pear
- Lily of the valley
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh
Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Eau So Fresh – flowery, fruity and positive, is the perfect summer scent for the working girl in the city. A bit more glamorous than the others in this list (just look at the bottle cap) this one is has all the peachy freshness a girl can dream of and it is positivity in a bottle. Now mind you I don’t like sweet scents that are too flowery and almost aggressive in their sweetness, however this one is just fresh. If you now Daisy, this one truly is a very light version of its original and it works without fading too quickly and without its sweetness.
The bottle is large and heavy, so each time you have to take that cap off and hold this large plastic flower in your hands, it really isn’t that far away from the commercial in which the girls are holding a bottle the size of a two year old child. It certainly isn’t anything handy to take with you in your handbag or let alone travel with but it does have the successful-girl-glam-factor. Therefor, this fragrance is not quite as simplistic but is rather a more complex composition for a summer fragrance. Great if you want to keep up your “more is more” attitude even in summer 🙂
*Please excuse the Marc Jacobs bottle is empty in this pic, I loved it soo much and it had a sentimental value so I used it all up very quickly and kept the bottle!
Olfactory notes
- Top notes: grapefruit, raspberry, pear
- Heart note: violet, apple blossom, wild rose
- Base notes: musk, cedarwood, plum
L’Occitane En Provence Rose
Rose scented fragrances have been trendy for a couple of years now with many brands such as Chloé, Gucci, Bvlgari, Issey Miyake and many others. They all created a rose version of many of their classics. So which one is right for you?
Most of them smell lovely, some are stronger and sweeter than others but in this case, I opted for a classic french brand just because this one is the real deal. Rose by L’Occitane has been around for decades and I find it funny that just recently many luxe brands have discovered this beauty. L’Occitane works with many natural ingredients and usually, their fragrances, despite not being well known, are of much higher quality and longer lasting than the ones by reputable brands. Their ingredients come from the Provence in the sun drenched south of France and this fact alone makes me dream. Which is what wearing fragrance is all about 🙂
This fragrance is more of a floral rose water than a perfume and it smells like a flower field or a bouquet with roses in its centre. A hint of peaches and violets here and there, this ones for the holiday in the country.
Olfactory notes
- Freesia
- Raspberry
- Violet leaves
- Jasmine
- Peach
- Peony
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
Extravagant yachts at the coast in Sardinia, or a private villa in white and blue, what do you prefer? That’s what this Italian little piece of luxury is reminiscent of: THAT kind of holiday.
If you prefer it zesty, this one’s for you. I personally find it also slightly powdery so the citrus notes are not too overpowering and they harmonise more as a wholesome composition, rather than standing out too much as plain citrus.
Generally, be very careful when opting for a citrus scent. Often, after an hour or so, they tend to smell just like any soap or even worse, dish washer liquid. This one actually smells very expensive, so for a citrus sceptic like me, this one os a safe option.
The scent is confident and sporty: a strong, tanned body in a white bikini in front of the blue Mediterranean is the idea of the campaign. Clean and straight forward, this is the ultimate fresh and zesty luxury summer fragrance for me. Pair it with a white oversized blouse and large sunnies. If you have a tough meeting ahead, this is the one to wear to give the extra boost “here I am in all my fresh glory. Come and fight me”. And then have a Prosecco afterwards. It is a feminine fragrance yet not too feminine due its fresh clarity. It could potentially also work as a unisex scent.
Just like Daisy Eau So Fresh, this is more of city scent rather than a romantic holiday companion.
Olfactory notes
- Orange blossom
- Virginia Cedars
- Calabrian Lemon
- Green apples
