Yazhini ManimudiAs the Dubai sun threatens to burn us to a crisp, we’ve already switched our skincare and haircare routines to something lighter and breathable. Fragrance is no different. The heavy sweet, warm, cosy fragrances have to take a break for a few months for light summer perfumes.
While you don’t have to switch, the summer is a good time to enjoy crisp, fresh, sparkling perfumes that have a way of energising you in an instant. When choosing a summer perfume, it’s best to avoid the ones that are strong. Heat has an effect on perfumes. So fragrances that smelled perfectly fine in the colder months can induce nausea or headache in the summer.
Light florals, fruity, citrus, aquatic fragrances are a few types that are more suitable for the summer. If you’re loath to part with your winter fragrance even for a season, try the Eau de Toilette (EDT) option of the perfume as they’re less concentrated and lighter than the Eau de Parfum (EDP) option.
Look for scent pairings. Perfumes sometimes have a companion lotion that can add help with longevity of wear. Some have hair perfumes that are much lighter and more pleasant for the summer. Accompanying fragranced products aren’t always an exact match to their perfumes but are in the same family and help create a multidimensional scent experience. It’s hard to know where to start, so here are the trending best perfumes for the summer:
Best Clean Girl Perfume: Diptyque L’Eau Papier
Key accords: Musk, steamed rice, woods
Freshly done laundry. Warm skin. A hazy memory of freshly cooked rice. One moment you’re floating and the next, you feel grounded. The musky perfume will soften in the summer and give you a cosiness you’ve been craving since the colder months ended.
Best Floral Perfume: Dior J’adore Parfum d’Eau
Key accords: White floral, green, citrus
This J’adore is elegant with an intimate sillage, making it perfect to wear to work. It begins with a burst of fresh greenness and dries down to a very lightly soapy aura of fresh white flowers. I have to warn you: it’s a personal favorite since Rihanna is the face of the line.
Best Tea Perfume: Régime de Fleurs Cacti
Key accords: Tea, green, aquatic
A true embodiment of summer with the crispness of cucumber and clarity of water and freshness of aloe vera. In a world of sterile clean scents, Cacti emerges with an earthy, herbaceous profile. It’s the smell emerging from the earth after a light summer rain, a reminder that this is what life’s about.
Best Oceanic Perfume: Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt
Key accords: Marine, citrus, aromatic
Not every day of the summer can be spent swimming in the ocean as God intended, but thankfully we have this oceanic scent to invoke that feeling when you’re stuck at work. It feels crisp and salty like a delicious sheet of nori crumbling in your mouth.
Best Oriental-Woody Perfume: Holy Oud Expression
Key accords: Fruity, spicy, rose
Deep luxurious scents are usually better suited for the summer, but there can be exceptions. Expression is an all year round expression (ba-dum-tss) of sophistication with its warm, spicy aura. It has an impressive longevity and projections without being cloying. Go easy on the spritzer and it’ll be divine in the UAE summer.
Best Citrus Perfume: Xerjoff 1861 Renaissance
Key accords: Citrus, mint, woods
A burst of freshness for the summer with an array of citruses. The mint feels straight from your own garden, proving a cooling sensation in the hot weather. It has a light herbal personality with a touch of rose, but doesn’t veer too much into the old school green barbershop scents.
Best Tropical Vacation Perfume: Vilhelm Parfumerie Mango Skin
Key accords: Tropical, fruity, green
A cornucopia of juicy fruits in a fragrance that smells like the tropical vacation you’re ready to head for. Mango skin is just right. Straight out of the bottle, it feels like peeling a juicy mango. It’s sweet like a fancy dessert you’d get at an upscale restaurant with small portions. Mild florals make it a more complex scent than I could’ve imagined.
Best Aromatic Perfume: Arabian Eagle Arlen
Key accords: Citrus, salt, aromatic
Blue fragrances have a reputation for ghosting you soon after you meet, but Arlen is an exception. It’s strange in that it’s unique with a unique combination of hedione and seaweed. Made in the UAE, we can trust Arabian Eagle to know just how the perfume interacts with the heat.
Yazhini Manimudi
