No matter if your nose is blocked with plane tree pollen or blissfully clear, smelling good should be your top priority when launching into silly season. Be it at the work Christmas party, while sipping an Aperol on a friend-of-a-friend’s boat, or grocery shopping for a Nagi feast, these are a dozen of the best summer fragrances that need to be on your radar.
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Nonfiction Neroli Dream
Neroli is one of those iconic notes in summer perfumes, and the chances are you’ll smell it daily on this summer’s commute. At risk of it being overdone, enter NONFICTION: a Seoul-based perfumer toting a clean, soapy neroli that is, simply put, a dream.
NOTES:
- Neroli, Orange Blossom, Lily of the Valley, Musk
Akro Breathe
On the hottest days, you want to smell as inoffensive as possible. As a house, Akro is dedicated itself to perfumifying addictions (“accro” = addicted in French). This is an addiction to fresh air: perhaps eye-rolling puffery that becomes all too real on the Bondi-to-Bronte or ‘Tans of the world. Listing water as a note, you can expect the profile of ’90s freshies, such as lavender and herbs dunked in a Gatorade-blue ocean.
NOTES:
- TOP: Lavender, Bergamot
- MIDDLE: Aquatic Notes
- BASE: Musk
Ex Nihilo Speed Legends
For a fresher blast, there’s no easier reach than Ex Nihilo’s Speed Legends. Inspired by the Le Mans Classic, it’s a gentlemanly spritz that reveals itself the longer it wears. Initial spray will be a peppery barbershop fragrance (without leaning too “cologney”), but its brilliance is really in the dry down– a musky, invigorating skin scent, fit for behind the driver’s wheel or no.
NOTES:
- TOP: Sage, Bergamot
- MIDDLE: Black Currant
- BASE: Amberwood, Tonka, Vetiver
Jo Malone London Cypress and Grapevine Cologne Intense
Take one step closer to being Tom Hardy with Jo Malone’s Cypress and Grapevine. It’s a classic masculine scent, while still being fresh enough to stand out from the Aventus/Sauvage crowd.
NOTES:
- Cypress, Woody Notes, Vine
Diptyque Oyedo
Citrus is almost always in the top notes of a fragrance, thanks to the molecular structure of citrus scents are prone to fast evaporation. Oyedo achieves the impossible with a lasting citrus scent.
This isn’t the sweet, synthetic grapefruit/lemon of some classic designer perfumes– it’s a photorealistic, cheek-numbing rind that lasts hours. Initial blast of lime and yuzu settles into an oaky mandarin, said to be inspired by the ancient Japanese city of Edo. So fresh!
NOTES:
- TOP: Mandarin, Yuzu, Lemon, Lime
- MIDDLE: Thyme
- BASE: Woody Notes
Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling
Is there anything more refreshing than nature’s mosquito repellent? As the name suggests, the notes of gin and tonic are undeniable in Penahligon’s Juniper Sling – one that settles into a musky, aqueous skin scent that dips, but never dives, into the alcoholic. The “mosquito repellent” thing may be a myth, but you’ll find company buzzing regardless.
NOTES:
- TOP: Juniper Berry, Orange, Angelica, Cinnamon
- MIDDLE: Pepper, Cardamom, Orris, Leather
- BASE: Vetiver, Sugar, Cherry, Amber
Creed Royal Mayfair
Catering to a calmer crowd, Royal Mayfair 2.0 is a rehash of an earlier (2015) juice. Rosy citruses collide with a just-snapped eucalyptus note, which settles into a woody skin scent. Tennis anyone?
NOTES:
- TOP: Eucalyptus, Bitter Orange, Bergamot
- MIDDLE: Tuberose, Jasmine, Rose
- BASE: Cedarwood, Musk, Ambroxan
DS & DURGA Bistro Waters
Known for their irreverent, experimental but wearable fragrances– DS & Durga’s Bistro Waters is just that– a savoury green spritz reminiscent of a 90’s Greenwich Village bistro. Basil, capsicum, coriander, and pear in a tall carafe– it’s a stalwart stand against today’s reign of sweet gourmands. Shouldn’t work, but this aromatic juice has become my no-brainer reach.
NOTES:
- TOP: Coriander, Pear, Lime Blossom
- MIDDLE: Green Pepper, Mandarin Orange
- BASE: Basil, Moss, Nutmeg
Hermes H24 Herbes Vives
Hermes gave its polarising H24 a herbie, fully loaded treatment, dumping swathes of aromatic herbs onto the metallic citrus base. It’s mossy, stemmy, fresh, and unique.
NOTES:
- TOP: Herbal Notes
- MIDDLE: Pear
- BASE: Physcool
ELDO You Or Someone Like You
Smelling like a mojito to some, or freshly cut grass to others, You Or Someone Like You is a real roll in the hay. Aquatic, minty, and inoffensive, you’ll get constantly stopped for gum.
NOTES:
- TOP: Mint, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Anise
- MIDDLE: Green Notes, Cassis, Rose, Hedione
- BASE: Musk
Le Labo Baie 19
Inspired by petrichor (the smell of rain) after drought, Baie 19 smells ancient, damp and electric. At its core, it’s a drenched patchouli and juniper berry combo more reminiscent of a stroll in the Jurassic period than a Mediterranean yacht, but one that redefines what photorealistic aquatic notes can smell like.
NOTES:
- Patchouli, Ozonic Notes, Juniper Berries, Green Leaves, Ambroxan, Musk
Fragonard Verveine
An unfussy verbena scent, with overtones of lemon and moss mixed with chamomile for a rounded finish. It’s one to wake up to, finishing in a calm soapiness that’ll cruise you through the rest of the day. One of the less expensive options on this list, it’s also a great way to stand out without spending a bomb.
NOTES:
- TOP: Lemon Verbena, Grapefruit, Litsea Cubeba
- MIDDLE: Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang
- BASE: Woody Notes
If you enjoyed this wrap-up of the best summer fragrances to wear when the mercury climbs, you might enjoy some of Boss Hunting’s other fragrance articles:
- Memory In A Bottle: Rare Fragrances That Allow You To Bring The Holiday Home
- Capturing Cosy: The Rare Fragrances That Make You Feel Like You’re Home
- This $258 Perfume Smells Like Summer – And It’s Already Selling Out
- The Unmatched Depth (And Prices) Of High-End Natural Fragrances
- The 12 Signature-Worthy Winter Fragrances For Men
