Last Updated: 23/05/2024
When the scent of summer starts to fill the air (finally!), it’s time to put aside your winter fragrance and take your senses on a journey to sunnier climes. The best summer perfumes transport you to a specific location or moment in time – even if you aren’t leaving the house! Think French Riviera, the Tuscan hills, a beachside bar or even your local seaside town.
So, whether you’re a fragrance fanatic or new to the scent scene, join us at Cult Beauty as we go nose first into our list of the best summer perfumes and aftershaves you won’t want to be without...
P.s if you struggle to shop for fragrances online, we’ve created an ultimate guide here.
BEST SUMMER PERFUMES AND AFTERSHAVES
For Picnic Park Hangouts
It’s August, you’re wearing your favourite Ganni sundress, have brought along a bottle of Prosecco (or cans of your favourite tipple) and are sitting cross-legged with your BFFs staring at London from the top of Primrose Hill. Is there anything more British or iconic? Now, how do you bring about that fresh, gorgeously green scent of the mount? Vyrao’s I Am Verdant Eau de Parfum. Grounding yet energizing (thanks to the charged Herkimor diamond placed inside the bottle), this uplifting aroma has top notes of bergamot and cyclamen with a base of iris absolute and orange flower. Delivering good vibrations every time it’s spritzed, this fragrance will forever remind you of picture-perfect picnics.
SHOP ALL VYRAO >>> For Summer City Strolls
Prefer to spend your summers eating gelato, hopping on a vespa and exploring the cobbled streets of a city like Rome? From the Piazza Navona via the Trevi Fountain to St Peter’s Square, you need a scent that subtly says Buongiorno amore, every time you get a whiff. With top notes of apple, galbanum and bamboo and a heart of fig, jasmine rose and neroli, Fugazzi Fragrance’s Thirsty Eau de Parfum is the best summer perfume to effortlessly quench your scent craving with its sweet and delicate finish.
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For Beach Days and Lazy Lays
If the thought of laying on a beach and indulging in a summer read is more your cup of tea (read: midday cocktail), then Oribe’s Côte d'Azur Eau de Parfum makes for an ideal sun-drenched scent. Melding the floral and light aromas of jasmine, lemon and vetiver plus the fruity notes of blackcurrant, this olfactory offering was inspired by the French Riviera.
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For Weepy Weddings
Mendelssohn’s ‘Wedding March’ has just begun, the tissues are in hand, and collectively, the guests hold their breath as the bride makes her entrance, stepping onto the path of petals beneath her feet. If this is the summer memory you wish to evoke then The House of Creed’s Wind Flower’s Eau de Parfum is the best summer perfume for you. Inspired by the swirling movement of fabric, this aromatic explosion features sweet jasmine, warm orange and fresh peaches. Drying down into a powdery iris and warm musky scent, it’s a delicate, rose infused concoction that isn’t at all overbearing. It may however have you whispering dum, dum, dumdum with every slow step you take...
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For Wimbledon Wonders...
Sun hat? Check. Strawberries and cream? Check. Pims on tap? Check. It can only mean one thing... Wimbledon. Inspired by the air of outdoor nostalgia, Jo Malone’s The Emerald Thyme Cologne is the best summer aftershave if you want to be transported to the green carpets of freshly mowed pitches. Putting a modern spin on a traditionally citrusy scent, this light aroma features fresh accords of thyme, zesty lemon and sprigs of rosemary.
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FAQ’S ON SUMMER SCENTS
Still have more questions? Fear not! We’ve got the answers to some of your most commonly asked queries...
What Perfume is best for a hot summer?
When considering the best summer scents for when the mercury rises, you want to go for crisp and uncomplicated aromas. We suggest selecting fragrances with notes of vanilla, coconut and rose blended with salt or bergamot.
What smells do you smell in summer?
Apart from the iconic scent of freshly cut grass, summer evokes the aromas of floral bouquets, sunscreen, citrusy fruits and sweet ice creams to name but a few. For others saltwater, coconut and warm sand stir up the memory of the season.
What scents should you avoid in the summer?
Although floral scents are common to wear in the summer, we suggest avoiding the sickly-sweet kind and anything that features the rich and earthy notes of patchouli, warm (not delicate) vanilla and fragrances that are deep or spicy. This is because they can potentially cloy when mixed with your natural sweat, in turn creating an overbearing aroma in the heat.
And there you have it, whether you’re a beach lover, city explorer or love love, there’s a summer scent to suit whatever mood you’re in.
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