Every special place or memory transients into a scent station for me. For instance a coconut & basil note takes me back to Singapore’ 22, watermelons remind me of a distant summer Ramazan, a vanilla, jasmine & white musk fusion rushes back the Swiss vacay from five years ago. The list is never ending! The association of fragrances is such an intimate and magical phenomenon to experience and hold on to, it brings back all the nostalgia making it almost palpable. This is one of the major reasons why I micromanage my fragrance moodboard and you should too! Besides creating core memories, having a myriad of new scents surges excitement for the approaching season. Not only this, knowing your summer scent ingredients helps you find a mainstay to whip up playful and distinct fragrances that suit the weather and last long.
From your daily body yogurt to a sunscreen on top to your favourite perfume, the scent layering is an immaculate process. How to get the best of your layers and create an unforgettable summer scent is what we asked our experts: Abdulla Ajmal, CEO of Ajmal Perfumes and Surbhi Bansal, Co-Founder Nirmalaya. Read on to know more.
New ingredients and notes under fragrance space that will be perfect for summers:
“There are several new ingredients and notes in the fragrance space that are perfect for summers and offer long-lasting scents. To begin with, there is coconut, a popular scent for summer fragrances, as it has a tropical and beachy vibe. It offers a creamy and sweet aroma that can last for a long time. Watermelon is a refreshing and juicy scent that is perfect for hot summer days. It offers a sweet and fruity aroma that can last for hours.
Ginger has a warm and spicy aroma that can be perfect for summer nights. It offers a unique and exotic scent. Green tea has a fresh and clean aroma that can be perfect for hot summer days. It offers a calming and rejuvenating scent. Grapefruit is a citrusy and refreshing scent that is perfect for summer. It offers a zesty and invigorating aroma that can last for a long time as well. A blend of woody and floral notes, including vanilla, lemon, cinnamon, mahogany, carnation, sandalwood, vetiver, geranium, and bergamot is my top pick for summers and Persian Blue Attar by Nirmalaya bottles them all”, tells Bansal.
Layering guide for long lasting fragrance
“When shopping for perfume, don’t just think about the fragrance, you should also consider the formula and application method. Summer scents work best with natural and softer methods. When you wear perfume, the heat of your body helps release the fragrance into the air. This means that the summer heat often makes perfume smell stronger. So, the best summer scents tend to have lighter, fresher notes. Consider choosing a scent with a higher concentration of essential oils, as these tend to last longer than fragrances with lower oil content”, suggest Bansal.
For layering a treat musk as a holy-grail for base. Any kind of mild musk, must be put on the skin. Women usually lather some moisturiser which can be topped with musl and any kind of fragrance of your choice as long as it is bright solar, fresh and aquatic. Aurum summer by Ajmal Perfumes is an ideal go-to for warmer months with it’s floral and fruity notes. These are the kind of fragrances which will not be overwhelming during summer for yourself, and for people around you. For summer eve gatherings, be careful not to overdo the scents because it’s already a little sticky and you don’t want to feel gooey as well”, says Ajmal.