Fresh Prince of Belle Air: 6 Summer Scents That Pack a Punch
Summer scents can be easy to spot: they come in white and blue bottles (like summer skies!) and they smell like citrus or some approximation of ocean mist, minus the fish. The whole thing can seem like the olfactory equivalent of a tacky beachfront resort. But these fragrances go deeper by mixing reliably masculine notes like sage and wood with lighter, warm-weather hints of florals, fruits, and spices. The refreshing result is something completely different — or a little less on the nose.
American Crew Nine
Best known for keeping your hair on point, American Crew’s Nine proves the brand is equally adept at making you smell fresh. Citrus top notes grounded by sandalwood and clary sage are livened up by the unique combo of floral lavender and savoury rosemary in the middle. $35
Diesel Only The Brave Extreme
For Only the Brave Extreme, Diesel has added apple to the original fragrance’s citrus top notes, creating a crisp con- trast to the strong leather and tonka bean base. This sharp and earthy foundation will linger on your skin long after the other notes fade. $95
Ultime continues the tradition of YSL’s L’Homme col- lection: bold, woody scents for men who want to make a lasting impression. Vetiver and cedar do the heavy lifting in this iteration, while the lighter scents of grapefruit and rose are enriched by gin- ger and geranium respectively. $105
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua
Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino Acqua is a lighter take on its shower-fresh namesake, but that doesn’t mean it lacks substance. Neroli is surrounded with other citruses like bergamot, lem- on, and mandarin, all held together by aromatic amber. $175, at Holt Renfrew
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Popeye Eau Fraiche
Popeye may serve as the inspiration for the latest version of Le Male, but, thankfully, notes of spinach are nowhere to be found. Instead, this unique scent takes a base note of sweet and fragrant vanilla and toughens it up by layering it with tonka bean, sandalwood, sage, and mint. $95
Feature Image: Adrian Armstrong
