Which outdoor elements spring to mind when you think of summer? Perhaps you’re surrounded by garden roses in full bloom, you’re longing for a hike in the woods, or you can’t wait for that moment on a boat when you catch that first scent of sea salt in the air. Shelter-in-place orders have put many of the season’s plans on hold, but those notes all can be found in the latest fragrance debuts. With that in mind, this roundup of summer-friendly fragrances allows you to indulge your senses (safely).
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Rose Prick by Tom Ford
Image Credit: Tom Ford The designer and film director loves few things more than a provocative name, and that’s the case with Rose Prick, a unisex scent that debuted this spring; inspired by Ford’s personal garden, the scent features notes of rare Bulgarian roses, Indonesian patchouli and the caramel and vanilla tones found in roasted Tonka beans. In April, Ford also launched a series of curated gift boxes perfectly suited to this age of staying at home. The Rose Prick Essentials Set includes a 50ml bottle of the fragrance alongside two lip products, Ford’s Maxim sunglasses in pink, a leather cosmetics pouch and a branded baseball cap. Additional gift boxes have been curated and themed for graduation and Father’s Day.
Buy Now (Essentials Set): $1,675
Rose Prick also is available as a standalone purchase, in 50ml and 250ml sizes.
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L’Ombre des Merveilles by Hermès
Image Credit: Hermès Christine Nagel is the head perfumer at Hermès, the famed nose behind the house’s scents for two decades. Her latest in the Eau des Merveilles series evokes thoughts of summer days and nights: L’Ombre des Merveilles, or “The Shadow of Wonders,” combines notes of black tea, incense and Tonka bean for a scent that’s equal parts light and woody, while the highly tactile bottle puts one in mind of a piece of sea glass.
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Yuzu by Acqua di Parma
Image Credit: Acqui di Parma The latest in Acqua di Parma’s Signatures of the Sun collection takes its name and its primary note from yuzu, the prized Japanese citrus fruit that’s been compared to a cross between a grapefruit and a mandarin orange. That sparkling yuzu is blended with luscious bergamot and a spicy note of Sichuan pepper, all followed by delicate florals that include mimosa and violet, and finally the warmth of sandalwood and musk.
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Miss Dior Roses n’Roses
Image Credit: Dior Few moments conjure romantic imagery in the south of France quite like the rose harvest, which happens each May in and around Grasse, the Provençal town that’s been the center of the fragrance industry since the 18th century. Francois Demachy, Dior’s head perfumer since 2006, grew up in Grasse and wanted to honor that moment with the house’s latest scent: Miss Dior Roses n’Roses, which combines the May roses of Grasse with Damascus roses for what he calls “the incarnation of a floral profusion.” Notes of bergamot, mandarin and geranium add a touch of sparkle in this tribute to Monsieur Dior’s favorite flower.
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Yuja by Jo Malone London
Image Credit: Jo Malone London The Korean sister to the Japanese yuzu, yuja is sought-after for its medicinal properties—a yuja tea is popular in Korea for fighting colds, for example, while the fruit’s scent is also believed to reduce anxiety. Jo Malone London is showcasing yuja in a unisex fragrance that’s part of a limited-edition collection that launched in April. Sage and rosemary add earthy notes, while fir balsam imbues Yuja with a touch of warmth.
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Ocean di Gioia by Giorgio Armani
Image Credit: Giorgio Armani As its name implies, Armani’s latest scent has been crafted to celebrate the joy of the sea. A tribute to the 10-year anniversary of Armani’s phenomenally successful Acqua di Gioia, the just-released Ocean di Gioia is a green floral that combines water jasmine and pear with notes of sandalwood, musk and, yes, sea salt.
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Peut-Étre by Maison Lancôme
Image Credit: Maison Lancôme Lancôme is celebrating its 85th anniversary throughout 2020, and among the buzzy moments is the release of an updated version of Peut-Étre, the French beauty house’s first fragrance, which debuted in 1937. Master perfumer Nathalie Lorson has reimagined Peut-Étre (French for “Perhaps”), keeping the bestselling original’s garden inspiration, but modernizing the rose scent with notes of jasmine, musk and benzoin, a tree resin that adds an amber tone.
