As a beauty writer, one of my favourite pre-holiday rituals isn’t packing my SPF or choosing a beach read, it’s picking a new perfume to take with me. Of all the senses, scent has the rare power to transport us instantly: to a faraway destination, a golden memory, or a fleeting summer that felt endless.
It’s why I’ve long held a personal tradition of choosing a new fragrance whenever I travel somewhere new (yes, duty-free has my number). Back home, one spritz of those bottles and I’m back in Positano, Paris or Palma—no boarding pass required.
Fragrance is beautifully personal. A single note can take you to different places depending on your own memories. For me, sharp citrus always recalls lakeside evenings in Italy, spritz in hand under the shade of orange trees. The earthy green scent of tomato leaf? Childhood summers in my grandfather’s greenhouse.
But some notes feel universally summery, sun cream on warm skin, salty sea air, creamy coconut that smells like pure beach bliss. They’re bottled sunshine. Below, we explore 5 iconic fragrance notes that scream summer, plus the perfumes that capture them perfectly.
1. Sun Cream
Few scents hit the nostalgia button like sun lotion, warm, creamy, and unmistakably summer. Perfumers call this a “solar accord”: a luminous blend of notes designed to evoke sun-warmed skin and endless beach days.
The secret? “Benzyl salicylate paired with ylang-ylang, coconut, and jasmine creates that comforting, tropical vibe,” explains fragrance expert Aamna Lone.
Try:
2. Coastal & Marine
Salty skin, windswept hair, toes in the sand. Marine fragrances bottle that sense of calm only a day by the sea can bring.
“Marine notes often centre on calone for a salty freshness, layered with ozonic breezes and juniper’s crisp bite,” says Lone.
Try:
3. White Florals
Jasmine, tuberose, gardenia—creamy white florals are summer’s most seductive notes. “Tuberose has a warm, milky sweetness that feels like a sunset glow,” says Lone.
Try:
4. Coconut
Coconut perfumes have grown up. Today’s takes are creamy and elegant, skipping the sugar overload for a sun-drenched sophistication.
“Coconut conjures white sands and palms but needs balance—pair with citrus for freshness,” says Lone.
Try:
The 7 Virtues Coconut Sun Eau de Parfum
5. Citrus
Zesty, juicy, energising—citrus scents are like golden hour in fragrance form. Lemon, mandarin and pomelo lift your mood and feel endlessly wearable in heat.
“Citrus notes are uplifting and heat-friendly, evoking that fresh-out-of-the-shower feeling,” says Lone.
Try:
Maison Margiela Replica Never-Ending Summer Eau de Toilette
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