Planning a trip and want the best perfume to match the destination? These are the ultimate vacation perfumes, from fresh and salty beachy scents to niche, coffee-like blends fit for a city escape...
Selecting your perfect vacation perfume can be quite the decision, as the aroma can help to create a dreamy scent memory that—with every whiff—will transport you right back to your poolside spot and evoke those happy, blissful vibes, even when you're back on the work grind. If you're planning to pack light, you might also need a fragrance that covers all the bases—like a day-to-date night perfume. So, like we said, it's a big decision!
Whether you're on the hunt for a versatile spring-like perfume (like Hailey Bieber's perfume) or a tantalizing vanilla perfume for your next adventure, we've asked the experts which fragrances will create the perfect scentscape for your trip...
Best vacation perfumes for long-lasting memories
When it comes to holiday scents, you might typically think of sweet and floral perfumes that evoke thoughts of blossoming flowers, blue skies and sunscreen but The Fragrance Shop's Chief Commercial Officer, Natalia Ortiz recommends some altogether zestier perfume notes for summer 2023...
Best summer vacation scents
- Recommended summer notes: Citrus, lemon, honeysuckle and salt
For a summer getaway, Ortiz says: "Citrus scents are some of the most appealing for summer according to studies and the multifaceted lemon note is a summer winner. Think gorgeous lemon groves in Greece! With sweet, sour and aromatic undertones, lemon is cheerful, uplifting, and gives a boost of energy and confidence to those who spritz."
Honeysuckle is also a dreamy scent for summertime, Ortiz says the note evokes thoughts of: "walking through the countryside on a warm summer’s day. It emits a sweet floral note with a beautiful and delicate nuance of honey and pollen.
"Its payoff is heady and ambrosial and is often reminiscent of jasmine mixed with vanilla."—which also happen to be two of the heart notes of Sydney Sweeney's favorite perfumes!
If you've got a beachy vacay booked, or just want to reminisce over a past sea-side escape this summer, Ortiz says to seek out salt notes "like a burst of sea air on your skin, salt notes are used to add a zing to aquatic, wood and gourmand fragrances.
"It’s the perfect warm weather note as it adds a tang to otherwise sweet notes. Think chocolate, praline, vanilla and caramel. It creates a real wow contrast."
MIL's edit of best summer vacation scents
Best city break scents
- Recommended city notes: Matcha, pistachio, 'skin-scents,' cedar, vetiver and spices
If you've got a city break booked for next fall and are perhaps looking for a more sophisticated, complex scent—like some of the best oud perfumes—Ortiz recommends matcha-themed fragrances.
“Matcha is perfect for those who love a light skin scent for summer and the perfect everyday note for a city trip, as it is unassuming and subtle," Ortiz explains. "Matcha tea accord smells like creamy fig with facets of subtle vetiver and natural cedar.
"If you’re a person who loves getting out into the bustling city streets at every opportunity, this is the new note for you. It’s also very aesthetic, and in keeping with the clean girl fragrance trend of late."
Pistachio-based scents are also having a major moment right now and are topping the spring perfume trends. Speaking on the surge of popularity around the nutty notes, Ortiz says it's "used to add a touch of warmth and richness to floral, fruity, and gourmand fragrances, or as a standalone note in niche perfumes, its ability to range from sultry to playful and sweet adds to its appeal and popularity."
She adds that it's perfect for a city holiday and is, "particularly appealing to fans of gourmand fragrances—it will last all day as you meander the city streets."
MIL's edit of best city scents
Best day and night perfumes (for packing light!)
If you're looking to pack light for your sun-soaked getaway and just take one of your fave perfumes, Ortiz says: "Heat causes our fragrance to evaporate differently and the perfume's base notes, which are the strongest, stay on the skin longer.
"If you prefer a light, crisp, airy summer payoff, it may be worth switching out your holiday perfume for a body mist, as this provides more of a subtle boost of fragrance throughout the day, and into the night. " The Sol De Janeiro Brazillian Crush mist (available at Sephora) is a favorite on TikTok and would be the perfect travel companion!
Ortiz also recommends the Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Fresh Moisture Mist at Sephora, which 'serves a wave of soft amber which is the perfect day to night note.'
