Wearing a fragrance you love can go a long way towards ensuring you smell great and feel it, too – but while it’s tempting to find a signature fragrance and stick to it year round, there’s a lot to be said for changing things up with the seasons.
Not only do some fragrances lend themselves better to certain times of year, with particular top notes reminiscent of spring, summer, autumn or winter, but choosing the right fragrance for an occasion will also make sure you always make a good impression. So, if you have a business meeting, are meeting your new partner’s parents for the first time, or preparing to walk the red carpet, then pausing to deliberate over your choice of cologne is as important as taking time out to find just the right outfit.
The good news is that, this summer, some of our favourite perfume houses have brought some tempting new scents to the table that you just won’t be able to get enough of. Suave, sophisticated and utterly luxurious, these summer fragrances are some of the most impressive new launches we’ve sniffed in a while, and once you do too, you’re certain to want to add them to your virtual shopping basket immediately.
Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi
If there’s one scent you’ll want to make sure you pick up in the next online fragrance sale, it’s Tom Ford’s alluring new Mandarino di Amalfi. Just as you’d expect, based on its name, one spritz promises to transform you straight to the balmy and sophisticated Amalfi Coast with a perfectly balanced combination of citrus and aromatic notes that is utterly captivating.
Opening with a zesty fusion of lemon and grapefruit before making way for sweet orange blossom at its heart, it dries down to reveal some fresh, aromatic and slightly spicy middle tones, with a sprinkling of black pepper. Perhaps a little confusingly, there isn’t much mandarin in the equation, but the name is nevertheless a nod to its zingy and uplifting nature.
Louis Vuitton Imagination
They say a great fragrance should capture the imagination, and suffice it to say Louis Vuitton’s latest men’s fragrance does just that. Its name, of course, certainly helps, but its allure does, thankfully, go far beyond that, with a fresh and spicy scent that combines fresh nuances with sweet yet spicy cinnamon in an unusual fusion of aromas that works incredibly well nonetheless.
Opening with vibrant bergamot and neroli for that all-important freshness, it quickly makes way for spicy ginger and cinnamon at its heart. As it dries down, a subtle sense of woodiness comes into play for a fragrance that truly keeps you guessing.
Versace Pour Homme
An aromatic fougere fragrance for men, Versace Pour Homme is a scent that is unlikely to ever fall out of favour, and with good reason.
With top notes of lemon, bergamot, neroli and rose de mai, it builds into floral middle notes of hyacinth, clary sage, cedar and geranium, making for a delightful floral and botanical combination that is subtle rather than overwhelming. Rounding things off, base notes of tonka bean, musk and amber make this a tempting and captivating choice we challenge any man – or woman – not to fall head over heels in love with.
Chanel Paris Edimbourg
Although technically a unisex scent, Chanel’s Paris Edimbourg is, in our opinion, set to be a firm favourite for men this summer. It certainly feels masculine, with potent top notes of juniper berries and cypress starting the ball rolling from the first spritz, with a dominantly woody composition thereafter. Think cedar and vetiver and you’ll be on the right track, although there is certainly a perceptible element of citrus in the mix that curiously, isn’t listed as being present.
A stronger, punchier scent that we can just imagine drifting on the breeze on a warm summer’s evening.
Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme Marine
There certainly seems to be a pattern in what makes a fine summer men’s fragrance, and citrus is invariably a factor – but it’s how exactly it’s activated that makes all the difference. Although Bvlgari’s Pour Homme Marine begins with a sweet and citrusy opening, there’s a distinctive saltiness about it that can’t help but evoke memories of long, sun-soaked days at the seaside.
Water and seaweed notes make for an interesting inclusion at the middle which continues with this theme, making for a light and fresh aquatic themed fragrance that is perfect for a day-to-day spritz when you’re keen to avoid choosing anything overpowering.
