Confirmed: these are the best summer perfumes, with their sparkling and sun-drenched notes
Combining aquatic accords with warm solar notes, these summer scents will whisk you away to sunnier scenes - with picks for every preference and budget.
Naomi Jamieson
Bottling up a fresh ocean breeze or the creamy scent of suncream, the best summer perfumes have the power to transport you to sunnier climates, no matter when or where you're spritzing them.
While there are definitely merits to timeless, long-lasting perfumes that can't be pinned down to just one season, if you're someone who loves summer and thus wants to be surrounded by nostalgic and radiant aromas all year round, there are plenty of sunny scents to be found. Indeed, some of the best fruity perfumes and solar fragrances can work like a mini teleport, whisking away your mind to a beach break, or metaphorical sun lounger.
There's also something to be said for swapping your perfume seasonally. According to Michelle Feeney, the founder of Floral Street, it's a powerful way of shifting your mood. "We change our clothes seasonally, so why not change our fragrances!" She explains, "It’s about freshening up and matching your scent to how you want to feel. When you're in warmer climates, you tend to go for fresher, fruitier fragrances or florals. It doesn’t mean it’s less complex - it just uses different ingredients to evoke a different mood."
The 9 best summer perfumes according to our beauty team
RRP: from £58 for 50ml | Notes: amber, coconut milk, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver, myrrh, juicy mandarin, Sicilian bergamot, lemon, tiare flower, jasmine, magnolia petals, orange flower buds and lavender
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
Ranked among the best perfumes for women, a summer scent roundup wouldn't be complete without this cult classic. It's truly a sunny vacation in a bottle, with notes of warm amber mingling with creamy coconut milk, vanilla, fresh citrus notes and soft florals. It's radiant but airy, ideal for care-free and versatile spritzing, as well as layering. It's dubbed as a skin scent as it's quite lightweight but very much lingering. The price is also a major plus in its favour, as it's under-£60 for a 50ml bottle.
Feels like: You're at a five-star resort on a Greek island, coconut water in hand.
RRP: from £102 for 50ml | Notes: Posidonia accord, ylang-ylang and vanilla
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
Like a fresh, salty splash of seawater on sun-warmed skin, Issey Miyake's L'Eau D'Issey is a beautiful example of both an aquatic floral fragrance and a summer one. Like all of Issey Miyake's perfumes, this one is soft and almost sheer, and yet, it still boasts impressive longevity. It lingers close, surrounding you with warm vanilla notes, as well as a watery, salty freshness, which, if you ask me, is actually what you want from a summer scent. Despite its sunny season appeal, though, this clean, floral blend is so versatile. Personally, I love to wear it to the gym (all year round) and on work-from-home days, when I want to smell nice, but am not in the mood to smell very strong and heady.
Feels like: your first hit of ocean air and sea spray as you arrive at the beach
RRP: from £28 for 10ml | Notes: Balinese coconut, Madagascan black pepper, oak moss, salted musks, jasmine petals, fig leaves and cashmere woods
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson & Rhiannon Derbyshire
Rhiannon: I'm a big floral girl, but this brand takes traditional petal notes (rose, iris, orchid) and pairs them with unique combinations to give them a more modern, bright feel. They also put sustainability at the heart of their process, with vegan-friendly formulas in eco-friendly packaging, all the way down to the recycled pulp boxes they arrive in. My pick of the bunch, as far as scents for summer go, is Arizona Bloom. It's fresh, warm, and inviting, with a slight tropical edge thanks to the addition of coconut. Jasmine is the main floral in the mix, which again adds to that sunny, vacation-esque feel. I've been known to spritz it on particularly gloomy winter days to lift my mood.
Feels like: A walk along a shore, lined with coconut trees, with a fresh ocean breeze blowing.
RRP: £145 for 100ml | Notes: prickly pear, bergamot, jasmine and iris
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
Rightfully regarded as one of the best Diptyque perfumes, Ilio sparkles to life with juicy notes of prickly pear, fresh bergamot and powdery florals. It was inspired by the Mediterranean Sea, and that really comes across in its sun-soaked, fruity-floral blend. It's unusual, but incredibly chic and is one of those scents that really develops as you wear it. On me, the first spritz is all punchy and juicy pear, but as the minutes tick by, those citrusy notes soften into musky jasmine and soft iris. It's warm and sweet, but not excessively so. Like many of the blends on this list, it masterfully bottles up a sunwarmed, dew-drenched quality that is so nostalgic and radiant.
Feels like: drying off after a dip in the ocean and snacking on a fresh, juicy pear.
RRP: from £62 for 30ml | Notes: bergamot, pink pepper, lemon, ylang-ylang, coconut milk, musk and cedarwood.
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson
Fresh but simultaneously creamy, Beach Walk is a sunny day spent ocean-side. It opens with bright hints of lemon and bergamot, which then shimmer down to reveal warm musk, cedarwood and velvety coconut milk. It's lightweight and not excessively suncream-y like some coconut or milk perfumes can be. Instead, it's subtle and reminds me slightly of Diptyque's Ilio, which is another go-to summer scent of mine. It's not as long-lasting as some of the perfumes on this list, but I actually prefer a more subtle blend in the heat. It's also a lovely scent to layer with coconut-scented body lotions and other creamy, musk fragrances. It's very much what I would call a crowd-pleasing and low-maintenance sort of signature - you can just spray and go - and it's also very affordable.
Feels like: a stroll along the coast, sunlight sparkling over the water.
RRP: from £25 for 90ml | Notes: pistachio, almond, heliotrope, jasmine petals, vanilla, salted caramel and sandalwood
Reviewed by: Rhiannon Derbyshire
Generally regarded as one of the best-smelling body lotions of all time, Sol De Janerio’s iconic Bum Bum cream is my favourite body moisturiser for summer. The mix of coconut and orchid makes it a truly delicious scent that works as a gorgeous treat for your whole body, not just your bum (bum). It was only a matter of time until they bottled the iconic scents for summer into a fragrance. They have a traditional Eau de Parfum, but I prefer the body spray for a more wearable, affordable everyday spritz. I keep it in my bag in the summer, for a quick refresh after the long, sticky commute. This one can also be used on your hair to give it a bit of a zhuzh and refresh. The only downfall is that everyone else seems to love it too, so it’s often sold out. If you can get your hands on it, it’s definitely worth putting in your shopping basket. Sunny and tropical without being sickly, you’ll be complimented left, right, and centre.
Feels like: A sultry day in Rio De Janeiro, pina colada in hand
RRP: from £135 for 35ml | Notes: Italian bergamot, aniseed, crystalline hedione, citrus, verbena and sweet fennel
Reviewed by: Rhiannon Derbyshire
For serious luxury, you can’t go wrong with Maison Francis Kurkdjian. Their scents feel rich (and to be fair, so they should at these price tags). They’re also a brilliant brand for creating long-lasting perfume. If you’re looking for some beauty gift ideas, I can think of nothing better. If you're someone who longs to be by the sea (same here), you'll love this invigorating, oceanic new scent. It blends bergamot with aquatic crystalline, with richer notes of fennel and aniseed. It's a really unique, addictive scent. One spritz of this feels immediately refreshing - it's as close as I'll get to a dip in the ocean while trudging on my sweaty commute.
Feels like: That first dip in the Ocean on a long-awaited summer vacation.
RRP: From £35 for 15ml | Notes: Pomelo, vetiver and patchouli
Reviewed by: Naomi Jamieson & Rhiannon Derbyshire
Rhiannon: Jo Loves' Pomelo is a classic of the citrus genre that's hard to beat. As the name suggests, this scent has one focus, and that's on the zingy pomelo. While it's balanced with notes of patchouli and vetiver, the grapefruit is the real star of the show - that's thanks to the layering of pomelo with pomelo zest, giving a bright burst with a double dose of the fruit. This is one of my favourite scents for summer because it's so fresh and uplifting. Citrus always feels quite energising to me, and this scent is the perfect example of that. This also means it's ideal for adding a touch of freshness to your winter perfume if you want to experiment with fragrance layering.
Feels like: A stroll around a farmers' market, picking your selection at the fruit stand.
RRP: £135 for 100ml | Notes: Iso E Super and mandarin
Reviewed by: Rhiannon Derbyshire
Many perfumes end up smelling different on each wearer. That could be down to a few things, like what your best body moisturiser smells like, or what kind of environment you live in. Or, even the more scientific stuff like your skin’s pH levels. Escentric Molecules lean into this fact, creating unique, hard-to-describe scents. So, forgive me in advance for this somewhat vague description. The brand uses a unique formulation note called Iso E, which sounds elusive but is generally regarded as a warming, velvety note. Each of their perfumes features different levels of this mysterious note, and smells totally unique on every person. Their newest options blend their classic Molecule 01 scent with new elements, mandarin, iris and patchouli. My pick of the bunch is mandarin, which is light, bright and juicy. It’s a whole new take on scents for summer.
Feels like: The world is your oyster, with a hint of orange.
How we picked the best scents for summer
For the purpose of this feature, we tried a lot of perfumes. From warming, sunny scents to zingy, fruity options. Because we wanted a wide range of prices, we tested options from countless brands, spanning the range from drugstore buys to more luxurious designer brands. With scent being such a personal, subjective topic, we wanted to ensure that there was an option here for every taste, budget, and style.
The team tested each of these summer scents for their notes, longevity, and overall feel. Perfumes are big investments, so we wanted to make sure that every option on this list really delivered. Did they feel summery and bright? Were the scents unique? Did they smell as expensive as they looked, or was the packaging unnecessarily frilly? The perfumes above all passed this rigorous checklist, and many are actually long-standing favourites of our team's too, which we've worn through many summers.
How to choose a scent for summer
Expert parfumier Emilie Bouge shares her tips on picking the best scents for summer.
- Curate a scent wardrobe: “This is a personal choice, and not at all a necessity - but scent wardrobes have become more and more common. The change in seasons is one of the key definitions that people use to differentiate between fragrances, as well as having different options for days and evenings.”
- Pick sunny notes: “Summer perfume has always had an association with the citrus family and specific combinations of this family with florals, aquatic and aromatic notes. Think bergamot, mandarin, gardenia, and crisp woods. The Neroli flower is a real summer favourite of mine.”
- Make it last: “Citrus scents often have a light molecular structure, so sometimes these fresher scents are quicker to dissipate. Look for Eau de Parfum as these have a higher level of scent concentration. Or, apply a matching body lotion before application, to boost the scent for longer.”
- Layer up: “Layer a fresher scent with another slightly darker scent underneath to get a longer trail, and create your own bespoke fragrance.”
What are warm scents for summer?
Floral Street's Michelle Feeney says that this is quite a subjective question. "There are no rules to perfume wearing - it’s very individual," she says. "Personally, I prefer a lighter, fresh fragrance during the day in the summer, then a more exotic fragrance in the evening."
She continues, "I always feel that Jasmine brings an aroma that is so lovely during the summer months. I also love bergamot and citrus fragrances in the warmer seasons."
