Top 6 best juicy fragrances for languid summer days
Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s been a real challenge to stay focused in the summer heat this year, even in SW Scotland where I live. Not usually the first place that springs to mind when you hear ‘ heatwave’ in the news, but some days have been over 30C.
But luckily, there are cool drinks to hand, plenty of lush trees to absorb the midday heat and, of course, some fabulous fragrances to soothe fevered brows.
As usual in my fragrance blog posts, I’ve written wee scent stories to give you the impression of a perfume. If you’re interested in the specific fragrance notes stated by a brand, feel free to click on the name of the perfume and that’ll take you to their website.
Isleta by D:SOL Perfumes
A cliff top garden. Weathered, crumbling stones tumble into sunbleached grass. Venerable fig trees stoop, leaning over the ancient walls and whispering secrets to the supple stemmed herbs sheltering from the gentle breeze.
Steep steps carved into the cliffside plunge towards the indigo sea, passing a shallow tide-washed pool warming in the sliding sun.
Moored in the bay, a weathered wood diving platform gleams in the evening light. Bobbing and lifting in the tranquil rhythm of rippling waves. Casually tossed aside, a worn linen shirt spangled with droplets of brine slowly dries in the tender heat.
TOP: Bergamot, Bee Balm, Green Mandarin, Juniper Leaf
HEART: Clary Sage, Jasmine Sambac, Fig, White Tea
BASE: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Amyris, Cabreuva Wood
This marvellous perfume has been boosting my mood on the all-too-frequent days when I’ve been feeling frazzled and overwhelmed by the state of the world.
Pony Boy by Jorum Studio
Neon pink fruit wreathed in a gauzy veil. Pony Boy by Jorum Studio is a contradiction of a perfume, but one that’ll make you smile.
Pony Boy is a perfume of contradictions. Initially bright and juicily sharp with rhubarb and pink grapefruit zest, then it puffs soft white flowers at you, trailing ribbons of musk, vetiver and cedar.
Like eating the most mouthwatering and refreshing fruit salad while lounging on lusciously squidgy down-filled cushions covered in crisp white linen, fine muslin curtains wafting in the gentle sea breeze and filtering the dazzling summer light.
This, to me, is a perfect perfume for hot and humid days when you crave a burst of something bright and crisp, but without any spiky corners. It’s a hard act to pull off; sharp and fresh, but also hazy and diffuse. But then Euan McCall, the perfumer, is a dab hand at unexpected combinations and creating fascinating illusions in fragrance.
Note de Yuzu by Heeley Parfums
Heat haze covers the city. A fuzzy, clammy blanket of thick, oppressive air. There’s no breeze at all, not even on the balcony of your smart high-rise apartment.
In desperation, you open your fridge and peer at the contents, relishing the icy blast on your bare stomach. Grabbing some fruit, you take a small knife and a smooth wooden chopping board. You press the sharp tip of the blade and plunge it into the bumpy skin of a grapefruit.
Zingy, tangy, mouthwatering pearls of freshness exuberantly bounce over your kitchen counter. You breathe deeply and sigh in relief. Squeezing the shells of the fruits into a frosted glass, you close your eyes, tilt your head back and gulp the fragrant juice.
Eyes still closed, you picture freshly picked herbs falling from the sky. A twist of lime and a sprig of mint. Tiny white flowers tumble.
Sometimes we just need a moment’s respite.
Infleurno by Eau de Boujee
Infleurno by Eau de Boujee is like a perfectly painted still life of mouthwatering fruit and opulent flowers on a sunlit window sill.
Infleurno by @eau_de_boujee is like your tippety-toppest best pal.
Exuberant and playful, quaffing mouthwatering yuzu and passionfruit cocktails with you in a glittering hotel bar, full of swaggeringly opulent jasmine and osmanthus garlands.
Then, just as you’re about to feel completely overstimulated, they take you home, run you a deep, hot bath and light a glistening wee nugget of serene incense to soothe and steady you.
Infleurno is, quite simply, the BEST fun to wear. Fully taking you by the hand and leading you on a rollercoaster day of delightful gaiety, but with a calm and meditative ending. This is bottled joy indeed.
Another astonishingly beautiful fragrance from the dream team that is @perfumer.pia and @nickrgilbert. All their perfumes are full of soul. A world away from many, many fragrances these days.
Silphium by Stora Skuggan
Fresh ginger being grated—juicy and golden and sparkling like a flickering flame. Spears of rosemary, a blast of mint, sprigs of eucalyptus, and a sprinkle of black pepper. Drifts of juniper scattered over everything, and a softly smooth leather and cedar drydown.
Bright, uplifting and intensely invigorating.
Eau Noble by Le Galion
Silvery green fir tree tops scattered with lemon sorbet and sprinkled with fresh mint. A bracing, mineral infused breeze sweeps down from an ancient glacier. Standing in a pile of wood shavings, and cosy in a woolly jersey, a woodcutter swings their axe for the first time that day.
Need some help with your perfume copywriting?
Writing perfume descriptions is something I do for perfumers and creative directors who are incredibly busy creating their fragrances, and don’t have time to write about them as well.
Sometimes, as a perfumer, your head’s so deep in your fantastic creations, you’re a bit too close. It can be super helpful – as many perfumers have told me – to have another person’s perspective on how best to convey the magic of your perfumes using words. Especially if you sell your perfumes online, people browsing need to feel an emotional connection with your fragrances—inspiring and engaging perfume copywriting is what you need.
And that’s where I can help you.
Rowan Ambrose 
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