Here comes the sun – in scent form. Sarah Halliwell susses out scents for sun-worshippers…
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As I write, April showers continue to fall. Winter felt longer than ever. The recent solar eclipse blocked out our sun’s light entirely. And when the sun finally does show itself, we’re constantly warned off it, with dire predictions of ruined complexions and dark spots. Which is where perfume comes in. “Sunshine in a bottle” is one of the most alluring scent descriptions; we can rely on a liquid version of the sun’s warming rays at any time of the year. And “Solar” has become a key category in scent. Because scent is about more than smelling good. More than 70 per cent of fragrance-wearers look for a scent that lifts their mood, according to one consumer report; brands like Vyrao are connecting scent with wellbeing, enhancing your mood.
“The sun can have such a strong influence on our mood,” notes perfumer Ann Flipo, the nose behind Charlotte Tilbury’s new Joyphoria eau de parfum, which aims to conjure happiness and radiance via coconut, tuberose, ylang ylang, jasmine and neroli notes: imagine being bathed in sunlight. Your own idea of a sunny scent will vary according to your olfactory memories: notes might include cut grass, salty marine notes, uplifting citrus, white orals or coconut and almond, with suntan oil and tropical beach vibes. Witness the runaway success of bright and happy Sol de Janeiro (owned by parent company L’Occitane), whose super-sweet scents and body creams capture an intoxicating blend of suncream, caramel and gelato and golden skin. The brand’s aim, to “bring the joy and warmth of summertime to people all year round” is working, with astonishing global sales.
Sunny scents don’t have to mean sweet fruitiness. Gourmand notes, such as warmed almond, golden honey and coconut, are an obvious choice for conjuring beaches and bright days. Marine scents capture sea-salty days in sunglasses. Which is why Tom Ford’s Porto no remains an eternal bestseller (such a clever – and much copied – name); Ford’s Soleil Blanc uses citrus, white floral notes on a base of warm, creamy tonka to conjure bright sunlight.
Lauder’s Legacy collection – five longstanding perfumes reimagined by Frédéric Malle – includes Azuree Legacy, which has a herbal vibe to suggest breezy seaside walks. Ormonde Jayne’s ambery Vanille des Afriques Intensivo meanwhile, is about a hazy sunset, with smooth Madagascan vanilla absolute.
On our (sunny) horizon? We love the sound of perfumer Suzy Le Helley’s new eau de parfum for Acne Studios, in collaboration with Frédéric Malle, which celebrates radiance and luminosity, via orals and sparkling aldehydes: think rose, peach and violet notes with luminous orange blossom and so musk.
HELLO SUNSHINE
Hit the bottle: vitamin D, bottled
BRIGHT AND SUNNY WITH SPICE: Vyrao SunRae, €160; www.cultbeauty.com.
LUMINOSITY AND SPARKLE: Acne Studios x Frederic Malle, €230, at counters nationwide; www.brownthomas.com.
SHIMMERING SUNSET Ormonde Jayne Vanille des Afriques Intensivo, from €215; www.ormondejayne.ie.
GLOWING SCENTED SKIN: Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil, €114; www.arnotts.ie.
HOT SUN: The Library of Fragrance Sunshine cologne, €25; www.thelibraryoffragrance.eu.
EXCLUSIVE
THE POWER OF POTIONS We chatted to Charlotte Tilbury about her just-landed new perfume collection, a “wardrobe of emotions” … www.charlottetilbury.com
Having conquered the make-up market, Charlotte Tilbury is now storming the scent scene, plunging in with not just one, but an entire wardrobe of six perfumes. “I’ve always been curious about why scent makes me feel the way it does,” she explains. With Tilbury, a face cream is never just a cream, but a magical elixir – and now with scent too she wants to do more than make you smell good. The aim is to “give you the control to switch and heighten your emotions through the power of scent,” Tilbury enthuses when we chat, whether you want to feel calm, energised, grounded or happy. The six brightly coloured glass bottles look like wizardy potions; lined up, they bring to mind an alchemist’s apothecary in a Disney movie. The boxes, with a front door opening to reveal an “incantation”, are also quite Disney.
The scents themselves are not frivolous, however: Tilbury called on master perfumers at International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). “We’ve known for a long time that we can time-travel backwards with memories – but why can’t you time- travel forward, to design your day and choose how you want to feel?” she suggests. She has always wanted to work with a neuro-scientist to prove that scents can activate emotions, and says that working with IFF made this possible. The scents are gender-neutral; Tilbury advocates combining them, too (for example, should you want to feel both calm and energised). My favourite is the purple one, Cosmic Energy, created by Dominique Ropion, no less. At counters nationwide, €150 each. Try them out via the 10ml travel spray (€23) or the discovery set of six (€29).
SEE THE FULL INTERVIEW: Potions For Emotions: An Exclusive Interview With Charlotte Tilbury
