From bright and breezy to warm and golden …
1 THE JOYFUL ONE: It was all yellow
Tilia eau de parfum by Marc-Antoine Barrois recently won big at the Fragrance Foundation Awards, and no wonder – it’s a glorious yellow scent that sings of summer. The main note is linden blossom: also known as lime flower, this golden tree has a honeyed warmth and sweetness. It’s a fabulous solar scent that radiates light and heat. You can also smell sunlit broom, with a gorgeous rush of heliotrope and orange blossom underneath. Perfumer Quentin Bisch describes it as “the scent of happy days, like a summer that lasts forever.” For me, it’s like a blackbird’s song in scent form, and somehow captures the glowing sunny days of childhood. Very long-lasting, too. From €115, available at Parfumarija, Dublin 2 or online.
2 THE SPARKY ONE: Green Day
For something more invigorating, try Vetiveria by UK perfumer Linda Pilkington of Ormonde Jayne. It opens with a sparkling fizz of lime, capturing the moment you cut into a fresh citrus and its juice sprays out. Vetiveria then warms to a lovely jasmine and lavender on your skin, with a long-lasting base of mossy vetiver and tonka. And its dazzling green bottle is very eye-catching to display. A great one for guys, too. €225 (88ml); 10ml travel size €45. The Ormonde Jayne website also offers a a set of four 10mls for €145.
3 THE CLASSY ONE: French Fancy
The new perfumes from philanthropic luxury brand Grace de Monaco capture the glamour of the French Riviera in the 1950s: imagine an olfactory version of To Catch a Thief. Run by the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, under the patronage of Prince Albert of Monaco, the brand donates 100 per cent of profits from every sale to charitable causes, supporting the arts. The four perfumes will be available exclusively at Brown Thomas. Grace de Monaco Promenade Sur Le Rocher, for example, created by master perfumer Olivier Cresp, is inspired by sunny walks on the prom; it’s a timeless, classic white floral that perfectly evokes Grace Kelly. There’s a neat refillable travel case available, as well as decadent 100ml bottles.
There are also luxury candles and diffusers, in Limoges-made ceramic, and printed silk scarves (made near Lake Como in Italy) available now exclusively at The Shelbourne Hotel. The Dublin hotel is home to the Princess Grace Suite, where the actress turned royalty stayed on several occasions, loving its view of Stephen’s Green down to the mountains.
4 THE DESIGNER ONE: White Nights
This designer bottle captures a luxury summer by the sea. Balmain Blanc Galaxie is a sunny citrus scent with a twist of cardamom spice, couched on an earthy base of patchouli. One that smells good on everyone – fresh and zesty. At €165 for 50ml, it feels pricey.
5 THE TROPICAL ONE: Marine Dream
You probably know Creed’s Aventus, the bestseller from this illustrious French fragrance house. But do you know Virgin Island Water? This is a bottle I turn to every summer, when I want to feel transported to a boat deck in the Caribbean. With salty lime, bergamot and coconut milk, along with tropical fruits and flowers, this is a vibrant, exotic cocktail that’s hard to beat. Yes, it’s the price of a flight abroad, but this will last much longer … €299, 100ml. At Brown Thomas.
SEE MORE: You’re Invited – A Fragrance Masterclass by the House of Creed
6 THE THREE FOR ONE: Topline Trio
Three travel-friendly summer scents in one neat box. DS & Durga’s Sunshine Set (€140, 30ml, at SpaceNK) features a rose version, an aromatic and a fruity citrus (Debaser), so that you can cover all bases, depending on your mood. Though I’m really tempted by their latest, Brown Flowers, too.
SEE MORE: The Beauty That Welcomes Warmer Weather
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