6 Summer Scents To Wear When The Weather Finally Gets Warmer

Summer fragrances are a very serious business.

Not because perfumes should be taken too seriously but because picking the wrong scent in warm weather could be risky.

Fragrance notes can change once they are applied to the skin, with heat sometimes causing quicker evaporation, while sweat can also alter the scent quite heavily. Your perfume that smells gorgeous in winter can suddenly become way to heavy the second it starts getting warm.

And while Ireland is not exactly known for its long heatwaves, when it does get warmer it is always nice to have something in your collection that feels fresh and easy to wear.

We all have our favourite scents, from gorgeous luxury perfumes to classic cheapies and the ones we gatekeep like our lives depend on it.

So, from citrus and sea salt to soft musk and creamy vanilla, here are the summer scents that deserve a spot on your shelf.

Chanel Gabrielle Eau de Parfum – €170 for 100ml

Chanel Gabrielle is a lovely place to start if you want something polished and floral while still wanting to keep things light heading into the summer months.

With a lovely top note of grapefruit it slowly settles as a white floral scent rich in jasmine, orange blossom, ylang-ylang giving it a bright feel, that smells clean without ever feeling old-fashioned.

This is very much a ‘white linen shirt and good sunglasses’ kind of scent. It is deeply feminine elegant and very wearable with still enough presence and sillage to receive compliment and turn heads.

Not the cheapest option on the list but is certainly one of those signature scents that you can almost never go wrong with. Basically, if you want to smell polished and expensive without overpowering everyone around you, Gabrielle makes a very strong case.

Creed Virgin Island Water – €250 for 100ml

If money was no object, Creed Virgin Island Water would be one of the easiest summer recommendations.

It is tropical, fresh and very unisex, with that lime, coconut and clean holiday-skin feeling. It smells like being somewhere much warmer than Ireland, ideally with a drink in your hand and absolutely no emails to answer.

The reason it works so well is because it was developed with the words “beach holiday” very much in mind, literally smelling like Pina Colada in a perfume.

For an eau de parfum, the sillage is decent and the performance is okay, with most people getting around four to six hours at most. Of course, the price is probably the main issue. But if you want a perfume that smells niche and like a holiday in a bottle, it is hard to do better than Virgin Island Water.

Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Lemon Pie – €45 for 75ml

For something much more affordable, Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Lemon Pie is a very cute summer option.

It is very playful, sweet and dessert-like, with lemon, vanilla and very unique graham cracker note, which is apparently the American equivalent of Rich Tea biscuits.

But despite the unique note breakdown it never feels overpoweringly sweet or heavy as some wintery perfumes tend to be. It is one of the more fun scents on the list and makes zero attempt to be mysterious or serious.

It is a honest refreshing scent that belongs to someone that wants to smell sweet cheerful and like they are having a great day.

Maison Margiela Replica Sailing Day – €145 for 100ml

Maison Margiela’s Replica line is basically made for people who want their perfume to feel like a little memory, and Sailing Day is one of the best summer options.

Although Under The Lemon Trees and Beach Walk probably tend to be the more popular summer picks from the Replica line, Sailing Day stands out for its realism and performance when compared to its counterparts.

It is certainly a blue fragrance, with a fresh, aquatic and salty scent that smells just like the ocean in the best way possible. And is a great option if you want something summery, unique and doesn’t need to be constant reapplying throughout the day.

It is also completely unisex, which makes it a very easy scent to recommend. And if you like fresh scents but want something a bit more interesting then your usual citrus scent this is a lovely middle ground.

Lattafa Yara Eau de Parfum – €30 for 100ml

For a more affordable Arabian perfume, Lattafa Yara is a really nice option.

A creamy, sweet and clean, with notes of orchid, tropical fruit, vanilla, sandalwood and musk. It gives you that warm, slightly powdery vanilla feel, but still has enough fruitiness to work for summer.

This one is not a sharp fresh scent or an aquatic perfume, which is why it works nicely in this list. It brings something softer and creamier without going too heavy.

It is also a good reminder that a budget perfume does not have to smell basic. Yara is pretty, easy to wear and much more expensive-smelling than the price would suggest.

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense – €90 for 100ml

Some perfumes become summer classics for a reason and Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense is one of them.

A fresh scent, citrusy and clean, with that classic apple and lemon opening that makes you instantly think of warmer weather. It is the type of fragrance that reminds you of sunshine and the sea, even when you are in the back of a sweaty bus heading to town.

The Eau Intense version is a better pick in my opinion as it is a bit stronger and catchy while still having that Light Blue DNA. Summer perfumes can disappear very quickly, so anything that feels fresh but still lasts is always going to be useful.

This one is not trying to be complicated. It is just a very good summer scent, and sometimes that is exactly what you need.

Setting matters

At the end of the day, the best summer scent really depends on what notes you find appealing.

The setting matters too. If you are heading into the office in the height of summer, maybe leave the Baccarat Rouge 540 smell-alike at home and opt for something a little fresher. Your co-workers will thank you.

So, whether you prefer polished florals, creamy vanillas or salty aquatics, these STELLAR picks cover all the summer scent bases. Fresh, wearable and very easy to keep reaching for.

Words by Andrew Connolly