5 Best Fragrances to Beat the Heat image by Steven
The hazy days of summer has taken on a whole new meaning; the day I wrote this introduction, N.Y.C. (and many regions throughout the country), disappeared behind a heavy blanket of smoky air due to the Canadian Wildfires. So those of us who could stayed indoors, closed the windows and turned on the A.C. Going to the beach or enjoying nature was out of the question. In our co-curated selection of the best fragrances to beat the heat, Steven and I selected fresh, citrus and ocean inspired scents, enriched with ingredients like bergamot, juniper white florals and tea. Summertime is the right time for lighter, brighter fragrances, even if you are landlocked. – Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
Maison Margiela Replica Sailing Day (Violaine Collas): is a crisp, aquatic fragrance that captures the feeling of fresh ocean air with marine notes, cool juniper, and soft woods. -Steven
Top: Aquatic Accord, Aldehydes accord, Juniper Essence; Heart: Coriander, Iris, Rose; Base: Red Seaweed Essence, Ambergris Accord, Ambery wood accord
@maisonmargiela
CREED Virgin Island Water: When I vacationed in St. Thomas, exotic flowers hung from the cliffs and delicate white blooms were surrounded by swaying coconut trees. The opening of fresh lime and juicy bergamot, accompanied by the scent of coconut and rum, creates the sensation of a day by the ocean, sipping pina coladas. –Michelyn
Notes: Lime, bergamot, Sicilian mandarin, coconut, jasmine, hibiscus, ylang‑ylang, ginger, white musk, tonka bean, sugar cane, white rum
Escentric Molecules Cologne One (Geza Schöen): Recently I asked Geza about his creative process for Cologne One and he mentioned it was an idea he had for twenty-five years, but waited. “With a scent like this it is more about what you leave out than what you put in.” Lime, lemon, bergamot, mandarin, an overdose of juniper, with the warmth of ginger and a cool cucumber edge. It’s a modern, minimalist, effervescent ode to the very idea of a gin and tonic. With 15% concentration the longevity is outstanding in no small part to the Iso-E Super and Ambroxan. It is one of our favorite fragrances to beat the heat-Michelyn
Notes: Lime, Lemon, Bergamot, Ginger, Mandarin, Cucumber, Rose, Iris, Waterlily, Hedione, Juniper berry, Ambroxan, Iso-E Super, Musk
BDK Parfums Villa Neroli (Alexandra Carlin): The perfumer “envisioned a garden of orange trees in Capri”. Villa Neroli carries that same sense of place. The opening smells of sun warmed citrus but to me it’s all about the orange blossom, refined and shimmering that carries throughout the fragrance.
Notes: Verdelli lemon (Calabria), neroli essence (Tunisia), Nérolione® (Symrise), petit grain essence (Paraguay), orange blossom absolute (Morocco), rose absolute (Bulgaria), vanilla absolute vetiver (Madagascar), patchouli (Sulawesi), labdanum resinoid (Spain).
@alexandracarlinperfumer @bdkparfumsparis
Best Fragrances to Beat the Heat Nicolaï Parfumeur Créateur Fig Tea image by Steven
Nicolaï Parfumeur Créateur Fig Tea (Patricia de Nicolaï ): In our number 1 position – Fig Tea Eau de Toilette, a soothing and serene osmanthus-centric fragrance. It is aromatic and fruity with the sweetness of davana and feels especially right in summer with its airy and breezy composition. It’s the kind of scent that makes you feel like you’re sipping tea beneath the shade of a fig tree. Jasmine adds elegance, while the tea and fig accords make it easy to wear in warm weather without ever feeling too heavy.-Michelyn
Notes Osmanthus absolute, Orange Essence, Davana Essence, Coriander, Jasmine Absolute, Maté absolue, Guaiac Wood, Amber.
Disclosure: Steven and Michelyn received bottles of BDK Parfums Villa Neroli, Escentric Molecules Cologne and Fig Tea. Opinions their own.
Courtesy of the brand
Thanks to the generosity of Nicolaï Parfumeur-Createur we have a 100 ml bottle of Nicolaï Parfumeur Fig Tea for one registered reader in the US, UK or EU ONLY. To be eligible please leave a comment with where you live, with what you enjoyed about BOTH Steven’s video AND Michelyn’s written reviews. Draw closes 7/21/2026 and the winner will be announced within two weeks after. The giveaway is only for Nicolaï Parfumeur Fig Tea.
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