So many flowers and fruits ripen in the summer that the urge to commit to a fresh, robust new fragrance can become overpowering. While it's fun to indulge, however, at times this can be a mistake, as impulse scent purchases often lead to headaches once you discover how your body actually reacts to notes of fresh apples or dense vanilla. We've already talked about sugary scents that won't give you a headache and for many, the conversation stops there, but some of us can't wear candied scents no matter how much we love them. If that sounds like you, then rest easy: we've finally come up with a guide on how to pick a light but enjoyable summer scents instead of overpoweringly sweet perfumes which get in the way of your sunshine.
Fruit notes may sound appetizing, but they often overpower the wearer as the months get warmer. It takes a big personality to pull off candied apples or the molasses-style lingering sweetness of plums and kumquats; it’s often easier to pull off light, citrus scents and mild berries, since those notes tend to clarify the mind rather than clog up one’s nose. The sparkling zest and mild bitterness of the young oranges used in Atelier Cologne’s Orange Sanguine ($80) side-steps the issue of being overwhelming entirely from the get-go. Marc Jacobs’s Daisy Dream ($90) props up a gentle, playful medley of blackberry and grapefruit with a harmonizing coconut water for a versatile, lightweight perfume.
