Summer Fragrance Review – Pt 1 – Classic Summer Fragrances

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Summer is here and it is the perfect time of year to update your fragrance. Choose something new, tap into a trend or revisit some classic summer fragrances.

Fragrance is intensely personal and it can reflect our mood and how we feel. I like choosing a fragrance for a special holiday, a special event, a change of season – it helps to create olfactory memories. There is nothing like being transported back to a place or time when you spritz your favourite fragrance of choice. It is incredibly powerful.

Perfume is, in part, dependent on heat to work and the warmer summer months can amplify your fragrance choice and help a fragrance to really ‘bloom’ on the skin.

I thought I would start this three-part edit with a review of some classic summer fragrances options.

The Classics – Classic Summer Fragrances

Classic Summer Fragrances – Creed Virgin Island Water

The House of Creed is a brand with amazing heritage and origins creating fragrances for discerning individuals for over 260 years. An iconic brand creating iconic perfumes using the highest quality ingredients.

“A timeless, modern act of creation: perfume of the past, fragrance of the future.”

Creed Virgin Island Water – which you can find here – is a wow! fragrance and a beautiful classic. A fragrance that has the ability to transport you to another place for sure.

“Intoxicating tropical summer scents, shaped by the Trade Winds, dancing across the sky blue waters.”

Top notes:                  Bergamot, lime and Mandarin

Middle notes:             Ylang ylang, Herbaceous Accord, Jasmine and Ginger

Base notes:                 Musk, Tropical woods and Coconut

Wafts of paradise inspired by the Caribbean.  It is fresh and citrusy with a strong lime note, then very warming and creamy. Soft coco-nutty, pina colada amazingness – yum!

There is a masculine edge to the dry-down which I adore; this is a fantastic unisex/sharing fragrance choice for summer. If I was going to summarise Virgin Island Water I would say that it is your favourite beach encapsulated in a fragrance. One whiff and you are on a sun lounger sipping a cocktail, looking out onto the bluest water and feeling the breeze dance through your hair and over your body….it is absolutely dreamy. Find it here

Classic Summer Fragrances – Atelier Cologne Bergamote Soleil Cologne Absolue

Atelier Cologne create the most beautiful fragrances. Taking a very high concentration of essential oils and harnessing freshness and ‘elegance’ they have brought us a little bit of magic – a cologne range with the lasting power of a pure perfume. A great idea. Colognes are beautiful in the summertime but generally they do have to be applied frequently as they do not last very long on the skin. The notion that you can get the freshness of a cologne with some lasting power really does appeal to me.

In their Joie De Vivre collection you will find Bergamote Soleil Cologne Absolue (here) concentrated at 15%. The bottle is beautiful. Atelier Cologne pay immense attention to detail, a sunshine yellow textured label, a bottle top coated in maroon leather and the spray is ultra fine. A ‘new’ classic cologne of character, yet simple and refined. Summery, juicy, bright and happy – exactly how I want to feel and a great vibe to give off (minus the ‘juicy’ perhaps…;-)

This gorgeous fragrance opens with Calabrian bergamot combined with bitter orange from Ivory Coast and ambrette from Ecuador. The heart is Egyptian jasmine, Provençal lavender and Guatemalan cardamom, while the base consists of Haitian vetiver, Slovenian oak moss and white amber.

It is so zingy and citrusy; it really boosts the mind and your mood. As the fragrance dries down it is warm on the skin. You can really smell the bergamot essential oil; it is so ‘alive’. I think the term joie de vivre really does sum up how this fragrance can make you feel – ‘exuberant enjoyment of life’. I love citrus fragrances and this one is no exception – revitalising, uplifting and invigorating through to comforting and leaving you with such a sunny ambiance. The surprise is that it lasts and lasts, great longevity. You can find it here.  Enjoy!

Classic Summer Fragrances – Diptyque Philosykos

This gorgeous fragrance is a woody aromatic green fragrance and smells of figs; fig leaves, wood and white cedar to be precise. Fresh green figs are certainly the dominant note initially with a beautiful woodsy dry-down as it settles on the skin.

The iconic oval 18th century medallion shaped and patterned bottle is stunning and a signature of the Diptyque range. Diptyque use the whole fig tree in Philosykos – leaves, wood and fruit.

Diptyque Philosykos (here) transports me back to Kalkan where I ate fresh figs from the tree – heaven and to Fiskardo in Kephalonia where I had figs with Greek yoghurt and honey as the sun went down. I sat on the harbour amongst the Venetian architecture looking out at the yachts in sheer tranquillity on hot summer evenings with wafts of cedar and cypress rolling down to the Mediterranean – such is the power of this fragrance – one spritz and I am there.

There is a hint of coconut and a beautiful warmth in the base. I am a long-standing lover of Diptyque candles (Feu De Bois is my favourite). Diptyque create the most delectable fragrance blends, not cloying, perfectly balanced, light but lasting. Diffuse this fragrance over your hair lightly and onto your pulse points for a fresh cucumber, fig and cedar wood ambience that is so delicate and beautiful to wear. I have the eau de parfum version and this fragrance also comes in an eau de toilette formulation – you can find it here.

Classic Summer Fragrances – Tom Ford Neroli Portofino

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (here) is a great classic from Tom Ford’s Private Blend range. This is the epitome of freshness. It makes me think of sparkling water, cool breezes and gives me aquatic vibes. It is clean, fresh and crisp. I love to wear this with blue jeans and a white linen shirt, pop on some shades and you are done – sheer simplicity. It does have many facets as I think this works equally well as a summer evening fragrance choice because I find that it does last and on warmer days projects really well. You do not need to use a lot – a couple of spritzes at the most.

It is an eau de cologne concept in an eau de parfum concentration. The neroli (oil from the bitter orange blossom tree) is so green and spicy then develops to become softly sweet and it is a refreshing floral essential oil to use and incredibly therapeutic. I find it really calming and a great stress-reliever. Neroli oil is one of the most expensive essential oils in the world and for the money you get a well-crafted scent in a stunning blue glass bottle in the classic private blend style, it is so attractive.

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino is a best seller and you can find it here a fantastic green, citrus, floral, herby unisex option for the summer months, it smells immense!

Classic Summer Fragrances – Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess

It would be remiss of me to do a review of some classic summer fragrances and not mention Bronze Goddess – Take a look at Ree’s recent review here of the latest releases for Summer 2017 from Estée Lauder for Bronze Goddess and to get your hands on the beautiful range before it sells out, as it often does.

I return to Bronze Goddess every year without fail, a real go-to summer scent and a fragrance tradition for many. The eau fraiche skinscent is so beautiful – suntan lotion sexy on the skin, fresh and light then warm and yummy. They have also released an eau de parfum concentration which is new this year – “All Heat. All Desire” – this fragrance is sexy and tropical with notes of bergamot, amber, tiare flower and vanilla with creamy coconut. It is a good summer night option when you want to feel all sultry…ooo errr!

Have I included one or two of your favourite classic fragrances for summer?

What classics do you return to year after year?  We would love to hear from you.

Stay tuned for Part 2 when I review some new releases for the summer season.

Natalie x

@northernbeautyblogger

www.northernbeautyblogger.com