Summer Scents
You know that moment when you walk into a room and are immediately transported back to a past memory? It can be a pleasant memory, like the smell of the flowers outside of your grandma’s house, a not-so-pleasant memory like the black ice air freshener in your ex-boyfriend’s car (too specific?), or even a forgotten memory like a madeleine dipped in tea that leaves you “À la recherche du temps perdu” (In Search of Lost Time). Whatever the smell is, there is no doubt that it can play a significant role in our memories.
This phenomenon, called a Proustian moment, lends itself well to talking about fragrances. The scent you choose to wear is the first message that you send when you walk into a room. It’s the “elevator pitch” you give without having to talk about your career goals. It encapsulates the essence of who you are as a person and, if done right, can make a lasting impression on the people around you. While your outfit is the first thing people see, your scent is how people will remember you.
As we move into the summer months (yay), there is a general desire to move towards things with lighter, cleaner profiles. This can be seen in the pastel color palettes of spring, the highlighted hair of the summer, and, in the case of this post, the airy scents of the summer. Keep reading for some of the best fragrance recommendations for your perfect summer scent! Also, make sure to check out the bottom of the list for tips on how to apply fragrances to make them last.
Sol de Janeiro
Brazilian Crush Body Fragrance
$19.00 at Sephora
THIS. BODY. MIST. If you are participating in Hot Girl Summer, this is the perfect summer scent for you. The addictive mix of pistachio and salted caramel, along with the light components of a body mist, is sure to elicit a compliment from anyone within ten feet. Be careful who you wear this around, as they literally might fall in love with you on the spot.
Snif
Poppy Issues
$0.00* at Snif
If you’re a Libra, or just generally indecisive, this is going to be your new favorite company. Snif is a revolution in online fragrance, allowing a free home trial of 1-3 scents before charging for the full-size bottle. On top of that, all of their fragrances are genderless, cruelty-free, vegan, and the packaging is so cute. The scent shown above, Poppy Issues, is the perfect mix of bright and dark, fun and sophisticated, basically a blend of everything you want to be.
* the perfume is priced at $0.00 because you are not charged for the fragrance after your trial period ends. If you decide to keep the fragrance, it is $65.
Maison Margiela REPLICA
Under the Lemon Trees Eau De Toilette
$135.00 at Sephora
Imagine you’re having a picnic of baguettes, freshly picked citrus, and sparkling water while wearing white linen and sitting in the shade of a tree on an Italian summer day. Better yet, picture yourself running through a field with Oliver and Elio in Call Me By Your Name. Got the picture? Okay. Now take that image, make it into a fragrance, and put it in a bottle. You’ve just created Under the Lemon Trees. This fragrance screams Italian Countryside and is the closest any of us are getting to Timothée Chalamet (sigh). This scent is super light and airy; perfect to mix with other scents to create a personal blend!
Mix: Bar
Tangerine Squeeze Hair & Body Mist
$8.99 at Target
This is the citrus-heavy scent of the new Mix: Bar collection at Target. This collection is one of the best affordable fragrance brands out right now, and definitely doesn’t sacrifice quality for the price. All of the fragrances are cruelty-free, vegan, and certified Clean at Target. The refreshing combination of clementine and grapefruit makes this specific fragrance a great mist to keep on you and spray on throughout the day!
HERETIC
Dirty Mango Perfume
$65.00 at Heretic Parfum
Heretic is one of the coolest new perfume companies. They focus on combining fine perfumery with the science of natural oils to create blends of natural perfumes. They also have some of the cutest perfume names. Highly recommended spending some time on their site! They also match their perfumes with an element, chakra, and planet for all of the astrology girls and guys out there. This scent is reminiscent of summer-tanned skin and ripe fruit. A perfect scent if you weren’t able to go on that tropical vacation but will want to feel like you did.
Bath & Body Works
In the Stars Body Mist
$15.50 at Bath & Body Works
I know, I know. A Bath and Body works spray? Hear me out. This is one of the brand’s most popular body sprays for good reason. It’s an ultra-light, warm, sparkly scent that balances masculinity and femininity with the blending of tangerine and musk. Also, it’s known for being a dupe for Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540. So if you don’t want to spend half of your rent on the cult-favorite BR540, this is a great alternative!
Gucci
Bloom Acqua di Fiori Eau de Toilette
$85.00 at Sephora
If the packing doesn’t immediately make you think of summer, the scent inside definitely will. If you ever had read “The Secret Garden '' by Katherine Kearns in middle school and wondered what it would be like to wander through that magical garden, look no further than this perfume. The fresh floral scent of this fragrance is perfect for a summer full of innocent love, prairie girl dresses, and farmer’s market flowers.
Tips For Applying Your New Summer Scent!
Now that you have found your perfect summer fragrance, you need to know how to apply it. Here are some tips that will leave you smelling good all day:
Number 1: Check what kind of fragrance you are using
The type of fragrances you choose (body mist, perfume, eu de toilette, etc. ) has an impact on how to properly apply the frames. If you land on a “body mist/spray”, these can generally be used as an all-over spray. They will also have a shorter wear time than a perfume, so it should be kept close for reapplication! On the other hand, an “eau de toilette'' or a “perfume” will have more integrity, meaning more care will have to be taken in the application. If you’re unsure about the correct application, the website that the fragrance was purchased from should have an “about'' section with the correct application!
Number 2: Apply the fragrance to the warmest parts of your body
The notes that are present in most fragrances will be amplified by the heat of your body. When spraying, apply in the warmest spots of your body, namely in the creases of your elbows, the sides of your neck, and your lower jaw. You can also apply to the inside of the wrists, but this area is very exposed and the fragrance will break down faster.
Number 3: Don’t rub your wrists
The molecules that make up fragrances are fragile and easily broken down. If you prefer to apply perfume to your wrists, avoid rubbing them together as this can break down the scent and ruin longevity.
Number 4: Look for rollerballs/sample sets
Perfumes are made by blending together oils and extracts and all kinds of things to bring the complex profile of the finished product. Due to the labor and demand, perfumes can come at a pretty high price. While there are many amazing affordable brands, sometimes there is a good reason why perfumes are so expensive. If you’re looking to try out a new fragrance without breaking the bank, look on the company's websites for either rollerballs or sample sets for smaller sizes that will leave you smelling good while keeping a happy wallet.