Now that summer is almost here I thought I would talk about my favorite summer fragrances. I love fragrances, though I am far from a "nose" at being able to tell every nuance about a scent. I can tell what ingredients and fragrance families I like and don't like. I talked about fragrances in general in my Spring Fragrance post here. When I think of summer fragrances I think of beachy, light, salty, coconut, fresh and fruit. This is by far my favorite season for fragrances, most of my fragrance collection falls in the summer and fall genres. I also tend to like niche fragrances, they are usually more unique, made in smaller batches, but consequentially harder to find and more expensive.
On the left is Hermes Un Jardin Apres La Mousson. This is my favorite of the four in the Un Jardin series, it's got a spicy quality to it. This is a light, fresh, spicy aquatic scent, some of the notes are ginger, cardamom, coriander, pepper and vetiver. I can't find a whole list of notes. This does have a hint of sweetness to it, almost melon like. This is an EDT spray so it's longevity is low, it has a skin scent quality the silage is low. Most Hermes tends to be this way for me. This retails for $135 for a 100 ml bottle. I like light aquatic spicy scents in the summer, they're not overpowering. I don't mind having to reapply it more often.
Maison Martin Margiela's Replica Beach Walk is a sweet, floral beachy scent. It's not overpowering sweet or floral, but more so than the other beachy aquatic scents I own. The notes are: Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk, Heliotrope, Musk, Cedarwood, Benzoin. This comes in a 100 ml bottle that retails for $125, and now comes in a rollerball which I would have been all over instead of a full bottle, but I bought it before that came out. I reach for this one when I want a more sweet feminine beach scent. This is an EDT, is has moderate silage and longevity. This opens strong, but then dies down to be less sweet and more beachy, so give it a chance to dry down before you say yes or no to it.
Next up is Hermes Epice Marine from their Hermanessence line. This is a unique spicy aquatic scent. This is deeper scent than the light and fresh Un Jardin Apres La Mousson. The featured notes are: cumin, hazelnut, sesame, cinnamon, cardamom, bergamot, sea notes, whiskey, vetiver and oakmoss. This is not a scent for everyone, it's not a typical aquatic scent. It's considered unisex, but leans more masculine. I like it, but I tend to like some scents that are more masculine and less sweet and floral. I would suggest getting a sample before you buy a full size, also because a 100 ml bottle retails for $255. As an EDT it has the typical Hermes longevity and silage, which is low.
Miller Harris Citron Citron is an interesting citrus scent, it's not a typical citrus scent, it has a dry down where the green middle notes appear and make it more interesting. This isn't a sweet or citrus only fragrance. The top notes are: lemon, orange, lime. Middle notes are: mint leaf, basil, marjoram, thyme. Base notes are: green moss, cedar wood, cardamom. This is a unisex EDP, it has moderate to good silage and longevity. A 50 ml bottle retails for around $100. Miller Harris is a UK perfumer that unfortunately isn't sold in the US anymore, I have places I get it from online depending on the scent I'm looking for.
I Profumi di Firenze Brezza di Mare is a light and fresh aquatic scent with a bit of melon. The notes are: sea salt, bergamot, lemon, lime, and watermelon. The sea salt and watermelon are most apparent. This is a 50 ml bottle and retails for $110. The bottle doesn't list EDT or EDP but the box states natural spray so I assume EDT. It has low silage and low to moderate longevity. This has the touch of melon and no spice, so it's similar yet different to the Hermes Apres la Mousson.
Hermes Santal Massoia is part of the Hermanessence line. This is a light, slightly sweet, woody, milky fragrance. The slightly sweet is very light and kind of milky caramel sweet. There's also sandalwood and a resin from New Guinea that is where this almost gets a coconut scent from. This is by far my favorite sandalwood scent. Sometimes sandalwood is too sweet for me. It's an EDT and has the typical Hermes longevity and silage, low. I have a small bottle right now, but I would most definitely buy a large 100 ml size when I run out. The 100 ml size retails for $255. You can get the minis when you buy a create your own gift set on Hermes.com, at Hermes boutiques, or on eBay.
Heeley Sel Marin is my favorite aquatic fragrance. It's a light, clean, sea salt and breezy scent. Heeley's website states: "Sun, warm sand and a gentle breeze of fresh sea air. A refreshing and striking note of lemon fades to reveal an aquatic green, algae note, while vetiver and drift woods of cedar and birch dry slowly in the sand and salty, sea air." Top notes: Lemon, Italian Bergamot, Beech Leaf. Middle notes: Sea Salt, Moss, Algae. Base notes: Cedar, Musk, Leather. This is a EDP Natural Spray, and a 100 ml bottle retails for $180. It is unisex, light and fresh with that unique touch to a sea fragrance. It's a lighter version of Hermes Epice Marine, I like this more when I don't want the spices or deeper Hermes version. Hermes Apres La Mousson is sweeter and Brezza di Mare has more melon and sweetness. Silage and longevity are good.
Heeley Coccobello is my favorite coconut fragrance. This is not a overly sweet coconut, it's a green or natural coconut scent. It's light and clean with a slight sweetness. Per Heeley's website: "Set along the shores of a sun-drenched island, fresh morning dew settles on green palm leaves. Light notes of Tahitian gardenia come and go with the rhythm of a transparent, silent sea. Bountiful and bronzed, a warm body bathed in coconut stretches out over fine white sand, shaded by notes of Virginian cedar wood." Top notes: Palm Leaves, Gardenia. Middle notes: Fresh Coconut, Sea Salt, Bourbon Vanilla. Base notes: Virginian Cedarwood, Benzoin, Sandalwood. Same EDP Natural spray 100 ml bottle for $180. Silage and longevity are good, this is unisex.
I will admit I love Harajuku Lovers G fragrance. I'm a huge Gwen Stefani fan, so that's why I originally bought this, but it became a favorite because of it's light, sweet coconut scent. Top notes: mandarin, fresh coconut, and apple peel. Middle notes: jasmine sambac, freesia and magnolia. Base notes: coconut cream, white sandalwood and cottonwood. It's discontinued so I don't remember what it retailed for. It's an EDT and has light silage and longevity.
Because I loved the original G so much I decided to try the Pop Electric G that came out late last year on the Home Shopping Network. This one is a light, more creamy coconut scent. It's a bit less sweet, and more creamy but very similar. This also has flowers, woods and musk. This retails for $55 for a 50 ml bottle. It's an EDP it has light silage and longevity.