There isn't a summer perfume out there that I haven't tried—these 22 are undeniably the best of all time

As a beauty editor with an affinity for all things scent, one of the topics I get asked about most is the best summer perfumes. You see, selecting the best perfume for summer is complex. Firstly, we have the issue of longevity. Truthfully, even some of the most long-lasting perfumes out there will struggle to hold up under the sun. Why? It’s basic physics—heat causes fragrance to evaporate at a faster rate, resulting in the scent ‘fading’ more quickly. (Although, there are some great holiday-approved scents that hold up in the heat.)

Beyond that, throughout my years as a beauty editor, I have also noticed that people tend to be picky when it comes to their summer perfumes—more so than normal. Whereas lightweight, fresh scents prove crowd pleasing for spring fragrances, and earthy, woody fragrances tick the boxes for winter, come summer, everyone wants something a little different. While some like their perfumes to be rich, deep and powerful, some like mouthwatering, citrus scents that smell good enough to eat, with others preferring salty, marine aromas that clear the senses. And people are very set in their ways about which perfumes they prefer.

While these perfume camps are no doubt divisive, as a fragrance chameleon, I like to dabble in a bit of everything when it comes to my summer perfumes. It is my job to try as close to every perfume out there—and throughout my career, I’ve made it my mission to give every summer perfume a damn good test in a quest to find the best.

How I tested

Testing perfumes is part and parcel of my daily life. My job is to try every fragrance out there to see if it's worthy of your cash. The criteria for the scents that made it onto this list? It came down to three very simple things:

• It has to stand out enough for me to give it a second sniff.
• As with all my perfume testing, it must win me compliments.
• Most importantly, it has to last on the skin under the hottest of rays. After all, perfume is expensive (although extra points are awarded for blends that smell ten times more luxe than their price tag would suggest), so I expect it to deliver some bang for its buck.

And although I have great faith in my own recommendations, I know you might take some more persuading, so I reached out to a number of fragrance experts for their summer perfume advice—which you can find more details of below. But their general consensus? Look towards citruses with clever blends, woody notes that aren’t too sweet or smoky and sweet florals without a hint of powderiness.

The best summer perfumes, outlined

1. Best summer perfume for 2024: Chanel No5 L'Eau
2. Best long-lasting summer perfume: Byredo De Los Santos
3. Best wearable woody summer scent: Diptyque Tam Dao
4. Best spicy summer fragrance: Aesop Gloam
5. Best intense perfume for summer: Penhaligon's AlUla
6. Best smoky summer perfume: Bastille Un Deux Trois Soleil
7. Best suncream-like perfume: Juliette Has a Gun Lust For Sun
8. Best citrus perfume for summer: L'Objet Kerylos
9. Best affordable summer scent: Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist
10. Best sweet perfume for summer: Vyrao Free00
11. Best coconut perfume: & Other Stories Perle de Coco
12. Best zesty summer scent: Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 + Mandarin
13. Best tropical summer scent: Akro Rise
14. Most uplifting summer perfume: Trudon Isla
15. Best fresh summer perfume: Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Mandarino di Sicilia
16. Best cult summer fragrance: Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess
17. Best powdery summer scent: Diptyque Ilio
18. Best gourmand summer perfume: Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Tiger Lily
19. Best summer floral: Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Solar Violet
20. Best luxury summer perfume: Fornasetti Frutto Proibito
21. Best beachy perfume: Ellis Brooklyn Salt
22. Best marine scent for summer: Gabar Swim

The 22 best summer perfumes:

Overall best

1. Chanel No5 L'Eau

This is, without a doubt, my most cherished perfume for summer 2024. While the classic Chanel No5 is too strong and heady for my fresh tastes, this iteration is light, sparkling and more natural smelling on the skin. It is a splash of expensive-smelling freshness that has everyone asking after it. And if they're not asking after the scent, you better believe they'll be asking about the very chic, handbag-friendly, limited-edition pebble bottle.

Woody & Spicy

2. Byredo De Los Santos

I’m the first to admit that many of Byredo’s cult fragrances have longevity issues, but I can assure you that the warming depth of De Los Santos keeps it lingering on clothes well into the following morning. To put it frankly, De Los Santos isn’t like any perfume you’ve ever smelled before—it’s herby and fresh, but with a smoky incense-like depth that fills a room. Whenever I go away to somewhere much sunnier than here, De Los Santos comes with me. In fact, last summer on a girls’ holiday to Spain, I ended up having to share my bottle with five of my friends who became smitten upon first sniff.

3. Diptyque Tam Dao

While I’m not a big believer in the concept of signature scents (I have countless), if I had to choose one, Tam Dao would be very high on the list. To me, it’s a masterpiece. Like standing in a freshly showered rainforest with the faint whiff of sandalwood drifting over from a nearby temple, it is a sense-clearing fragrance that proves woody bases can be fresh and discreet.

4. Aesop Gloam

If you like your summer fragrances to pack a spicy punch, Gloam will likely be for you. It’s deep and dark, but in a way that keeps you going back for more. “There is the pink pepper which, for me, captures this classic British elegance, referring a little bit to juniper. It’s stimulating, almost itching in the nose, it really calls the wearer to smell it. Saffron, but also jasmine sambac, give a rich warmth, while mimosa gives the sense of pleasure of imaginary travel,” says Barnabé Fillion, Aesop spokesperson and fragrance developer.

5. Penhaligon's AlUla

I'm not sure that any fragrance house out there nails longevity quite like Penhaligon's. The heritage British perfumery knows exactly how to create a punchy scent that lasts on the skin. This one is truly sublime. It is like walking through a middle-eastern desert at dusk, while fires project twirling aromas of smoking precious spices. And with this it achieves something extraordinary—it never feels like too much. Instead there is subtle element of fresh soapiness to it that keeps things firmly in the 'wearable' camp.

6. Bastille Un Deux Trois Soleil

This scent is truly one of a kind. Although I don't personally lean towards warm, spicy scents in the summer, I'm happy to douse myself in this. The obvious almond element gives it a creamy, sunlit warmth, but the inclusion of incense isn't so much ribboned throughout as it is dropped in a smoke bomb. Most interestingly, though, that rich, smoky incense starts to die down after a few minutes and makes way for the sweet almond to carry through. It's one to try first, but my gosh, when you do try it I just know you'll appreciate its beauty.

Tropical & Creamy

7. Juliette Has a Gun Lust For Sun

Lust For Sun is a summer perfume in its purest sense—like sunshine, cocktails and poolside lounging all bottled up. What’s so masterful about it, however, is that it maintains a sense of undeniable luxury. It doesn’t have any fruity stickiness to it, instead being creamy and fresh—like warm, sun-drenched skin that’s been layered with suncream.

8. L'Objet Kerylos

The brief for Jean-Claude Ellena for this feat of a summer fragrance was to recreate the smell of an overripe citrus fruit falling off its branch and hitting a hot rock under the Mediterranean sunshine—and that is exactly what he did. This scent is brimming with sticky citrus notes that cling to the skin with a warm creaminess. However, it is notably less creamy that most of the others in this section of the list, instead possessing a sea-like, salty freshness that makes you want to drench your entire body in the stuff.

9. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist

By now I'm sure this scent needs no introduction, but for those who aren't familiar, let me enlighten you. Sol de Janeiro's cult perfume mist in Cheirosa 62 smells like sweet, caramelised, tropical heaven. It is creamy, fruity and totally sun-drenched. If you're not a fan of sweet fragrances, stay clear. However, with that said, the super-lightweight mist nature of this fragrance means it isn't in any way overly powerful or cloying. Instead, it veils the skin in a refreshing cloak of pure summer escapism.

10. Vyrao Free00

Vyrao is a little-known perfume brand that I think is destined for really big things—especially if Free00 is anything to go by. The perfumes are organic, meaning the formulas don’t contain pesticides or fertilisers. The whole point of them is that they’re not super intense, so if you want a summer perfume that’s going to linger on shirt collars for days on end (like De Los Santos), then know Vyrao’s Free00 won’t be for you. However, if you like sweet, citrus smells that deliver a floral freshness for a midday, summer pick-me-up, then this is for you.

11. & Other Stories Perle de Coco

I wish you the best in trying to get your hands on this affordable perfume considering the fact its popularity results in regular sell out. I have long adored the body scrub version of this scent, but the eau de toilette is another firm favourite. Again, not one for those who don't like sweet gourmands, this fragrance smells like creamy, sugary cocktails crying out to be sipped under the midday sun.

Fruity & Bright

12. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 + Mandarin

I’ll admit, I don’t make my job easy for myself by being honest about the best fragrances out there. Why? Because I inevitably end up featuring some form of Escentric Molecules Molecule 01. Molecule 01 contains just one note, a totally synthetic scent called Iso E Super—it’s unique, iconic and almost impossible to describe. Fresh, skin-like and a little metallic, Iso E Super might be tough to describe, but it makes for the perfect perfume base. So, when perfumer and founder of Escentric Molecules, Geza Schoen, decided to add mandarin to it to create this summer-ready perfume, it made perfect sense. “Mandarin oil itself is quite transparent and thin and doesn't last very long. So, for Escentric Molecules M+ Mandarin, I felt it needed some more aspects. I wanted to recreate the immediate aroma you smell when peeling a mandarin, so I used traces of other ingredients to achieve this effect, such as a touch of jasmine and orange absolue— it radiates off the skin,” he says.

13. Akro Rise

The way in which world-famous perfumer Olivier Cresp creates fragrances based around specific moments for his own brand, Akro, is truly extraordinary. Rise was inspired by summer moments—and it shows. To me, it is like walking down a palm-tree-lined beach in the late morning before laying yourself down on a sun lounger and ordering a piña colada. It is juicy, pineapple-y and filled with joy.

14. Trudon Isla

I accept that £210 for a fragrance is eye-wateringly expensive, but this limited-edition luxury scent is one of the best summer perfumes I have encountered in a very long time. It is citrusy but not zingy or sticky—the bergamot and grapefruit aroma is soft and silky in a truly expensive-smelling sort of way. The inclusion of musk means it melts into the skin and becomes warm and reminiscent of sunshine, while the greener elements of vetiver and rosemary give it a fresh, earthy feel. It is brimming with joy and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

15. Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Mandarino di Sicilia

This bottle of fragrance embodies summer in every sense. At first, you're hit with a teeth-clenching, sticky bitterness—like tearing a bergamot clean in two. Quickly, it becomes a fresh, minty delight—think an ice-cold glass of citrus-infused water, garnished with fresh mint leaves. I keep this on my shelf for the hottest of summer's days, when I need a quenching delight from extreme temperatures.

Sweet & Floral

16. Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess

I couldn’t possibly have a round-up of the best summer perfumes without including this iconic scent. Bronze Goddess is, if you’re asking me, the scent of summer. If you don’t like creamy perfumes, then it won’t be for you. However, if you like your summer fragrances to radiate warmth and sunshine and you haven’t smelled Bronze Goddess before, consider this your sign—it’s like if Harrods had a tropical beach club that sold coconut punch.

17. Diptyque Ilio

I challenge anyone to smell this perfume and dislike it. I genuinely believe it is impossible. At first, it's like an effervescent fizz on the nose, without any hint of the citrusy sweetness that typically comes hand in hand with summer perfumes. Instead, it is powdered, a little soapy and light (thanks to jasmine and iris), while prickly pear gives it a quenching freshness—like a cool oasis in the middle of the desert.

18. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Tiger Lily

If you like your summer florals to pack a punch, this one is for you. It has all of the same sweet, powdery, warming, sugary goodness that the original iconic Flowerbomb scent possesses, but this time there is a sun-soaked, tropical element. This is the sort of crowd-pleasing holiday fragrance perfect for those who aren't too sure on the sorts of things they like.

19. Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Solar Violet

L'Eau d'Issey is up there with one of my favourite summer scents of all time—its water-like freshness goes unrivalled. This new take on the classic is distinctly floral and, to me, all-encompassingly nostalgic. It smells like childhood summers—a mixture of creamy sun lotion, freshly-washed linen hanging on the clothes line and flower-filled gardens. I'll admit, it is strikingly similar to Diptyque's Ilio, but there's a distinct nose-tickling freshness that makes it more noticeably floral.

Grounding & Fresh

20. Fornasetti Frutto Proibito

I really want to apologise for the price of this. The problem is, it's just too good for me to not include it on this list for those who do have the ability to drop nearly £500 on a perfume without batting an eyelid. If you do fall into that category of financial freedom, listen up. This extrait de parfum (that means it contains the strongest concentration of perfume oil, with greater longevity and sillage) is a pure feast for the senses. It is deep, sweet and spicy, thanks to an obvious concoction of anise, vanilla and cedar. It could, in all honesty, sit in the spicy, floral and/or creamy categories of this list, but there is a green fruitiness that makes this powerful scent distinctly grounding. Once it has taken some time to settle on the skin, it is a powdery, floral, enticing delight that has you getting lost in every inhale.

21. Ellis Brooklyn Salt

If you haven’t heard of Ellis Brooklyn before, you’re about to see it everywhere. It’s an uber-cool, US-based brand that specialises in fragrances that tell stories and create core memories—and Salt is just that. Unlike other sea-based smells, Salt isn’t water-like. Instead, it’s like skin after a post-sea dip. Like tropical florals, musks and driftwood, but with a dry, salt-like freshness that leaves it feeling elemental, rather than sweet.

22. Gabar Swim

The blackberry bud element of this fragrance makes it juicy and brimming with a freshness that I haven't encountered before. It is green and undeniably sense-clearing—reminiscent of fresh stems and foliage more than any sort of floral. It is entirely addictive and meditative, much like going for a solo wild swim surrounded by wild British countryside.

How to choose a summer perfume

If you're looking at this list and wondering where on earth to start, I totally get it—shopping for a great summer scent isn't easy. My best advice? Start with thinking about the sort of scents and notes you are most drawn to when the weather is warm. Here's how experts suggest shopping for summer perfumes, depending upon the notes you typically like...

Citrus

“Citrus molecules naturally evaporate more quickly, but the right concentration (opt for Eau de Parfum) blended with a well-balanced formula of heart and base notes can make for a long-lasting summer scent. Look for combinations with amber, oakwood, vetiver, saffron and ginger. This sets them in a way that allows them to be worn in the summer and last all day,” says Alex Oprey, Product Director at Miller Harris.

Woods

“For summer, go for woody notes because they are not too sweet and not too heavy. I recommend sandalwood, cedarwood and musky notes because they are neutral,” says Geza Schoen, founder and perfumer of Escentric Molecules.

Sweet florals

“The best summer feeling is the feeling of being in the ocean, sun-kissed and sensual. Flowers like jasmine and vanilla are much more long lasting and will make you feel like you are on a summer beach holiday,” says Yasmin Sewell, founder of Vyrao.