5 Ways You Haven’t Thought Of To Wear Scent In The Heat
Scenting is about so much more than a simple ‘spritz and go’. Warmer temperatures help to broadcast perfume – whether that’s accenting your skin, your hair or your surroundings. SUZANNE SCOTT shares how to incorporate fragrance into every aspect of your summer
Scent with oil
Sunshine and warm skin do something beautiful to a scented oil – the fragrance is intensified, which means it projects further, leaving a soft trail of perfume in your wake. Massage a few drops of a fragranced oil, such as Gucci Beauty’s Gucci: The Alchemist’s Garden – A Nocturnal Whisper Perfume Oil, or Tom Ford Beauty’s Soleil Blanc Shimmering Rose Gold Body Oil, into your shins, décolleté and arms for a glossy touch of glamour. Alternatively, pat a few drops on your neck, beneath the hairline and along the center of your chest, where skin tends to be warmer, to really make the most of it.
Fragrance your hair
If you’re wearing your hair down, try lacing the strands with fragrance so that your every movement leaves behind a subtle scent. The sun naturally warms your hair, so this will help intensify the perfume, too. We love Frederic Malle Carnal Flower Hair Mist for its tuberose notes, which become heady and creamy in the heat. Remember, it’s important to use a fragrance that has been specifically formulated for hair, because the alcohol content has been adjusted so that it doesn’t dehydrate – but don’t apply it at your roots; just through the lengths is ideal.
Switch up summer perfumes
Summer lends itself to coconut- and citrus-laced perfumes that become more concentrated when lent the warmth of your skin. Byredo’s Sundazed delivers a standout citrus scent that combines Californian lemon with neroli, jasmine and musk – so it’s intense but in a low-key way. Nuzzle quite close to the skin to appreciate it fully.
Layer fragrances
Make the most of the blissful time spent in the shower or bath after a day in the sun with a scented oil or salts. The heat will allow your skin to hold onto scent for longer, meaning those aromatherapy salts or scented bath oil will lay a lasting fragrance that will then enhance your chosen perfume. Le Labo Shower Oil, for instance, contains coconut oil to nourish, and smells of mandarin and geranium, creating a perfect skin base for a floral or woody perfume.
Scent your space
Whether at home or away, accenting your space with fragrance will be more impactful in hot temperatures. If you’re lighting a candle, place it on an open windowsill so the scent dances in the breeze. When you’re traveling, a small candle, such as Diptyque Baies, is easy to throw in your washbag and will bring a sense of home to wherever you are in the world.
A traditional Malaysian trick is to burn incense near your bath or shower – the moisture picks up the scent and carries it into every corner of the room, and has the added bonus of keeping bugs at bay. Short and slender incense sticks, such as L’Objet + Haas Brothers Mojave Palm Incense, take up no room at all in your suitcase.