Wish you could bottle up the scent of hazy summer afternoons and sun-warmed skin? Solar perfumes do just that, taking inspiration from the sun's golden rays to offer a radiantly warm and nostalgic scent.
As far as the best long-lasting perfumes go, the lineup consists of all the classic olfactory families: floral, woody, aromatic and so on, but right now, there's another, honorary fragrance genre that's garnering attention. Along with milk perfumes and more niche banana blends, 'solar' perfumes are proving very popular this year. The reason? Well, the name is a dead giveaway, as these solar-inspired blends look to evoke the feeling of being bathed in sunlight with every spritz. Think perfumes that smell like suncream, as well as slightly salty, aquatic scents and delicately warm florals.
So, if owning a perfume that smells like sunshine bottled is something you're interested in, these are the nine solar fragrances to add to your collection - both for summer and any time you need a reminder of sunnier scenes.
The 9 shimmering solar perfumes to spritz this summer (and beyond)
From warm and creamy woods to sweet floral and citrus blends, these are the nine solar perfumes we plan to spritz under every blue sky from now until autumn...
Salty and warm Floral Street Arizona Bloom Eau de Parfum
RRP: from £74 for 50ml | Notes: Balinese coconut, Madagascan black pepper, oak moss, salted musks, jasmine petals, fig leaves and cashmere woods
Floral Street's Arizona Bloom is the perfect example of a solar fragrance. It's so creamy and really smells like nostalgic summers spent swimming in the ocean and drying off in the sun. The notes of coconut, cashmere woods and salted musk linger, delivering that warmed, suncream-melted-into-the-skin quality that is just divine.
Who should buy it: Those who wish they could bottle the feeling of basking in sunlight.
RRP: from £53 for 30ml | Notes: Almond milk accord, solar lilac accord and musk
Clean and creamy, this Issey Miyake perfume combines warm solar hints with a soft sheerness. Almond milk swirls around radiant lilac and slightly salty musks, creating a scent that is so reminiscent of suncream applied to sea-soaked skin. It's lightweight but lingering, offering this breezy and dewy freshness that slowly melts down into a warm, intimate and cosy sort of summery scent.
Who should buy it: those who favour soft, airy perfumes that are too heavy or too intensive.
RRP: from £62 for 30ml | Notes: juicy mango accord, tuberose and sandalwood
One of the newer additions to Maison Margiela's Replica perfume line-up, Chasing Sunsets is seriously juicy, with opening notes of mango, followed by tuberose and cardamom. True to its name, it does smell like what I would imagine chasing a setting sun to be like, with creamy hints of vanilla and sandalwood adding a sun-soaked warmth and cardamom, a touch of spice.
Who should buy it: those seeking a radiant, fruity perfume that is perfect for both day and night.
RRP: £99 for 50ml | Notes: mandarin, pink pepper, coconut milk, vanilla cream, jasmine and orange flower
Juicy, warm and deliciously creamy, there really is something 'golden' about this Phlur perfume. It's quite affordable, compared to other popular fragrances on this list, which is already a plus in its favour, and its notes really do radiate a sense of summer. Warm florals mingle with coconut milk and vanilla cream, along with spicy pink pepper, which lends the scent a sun-warmed skin effect. It's a soft and effortless sort of scent, one you want to wear even in the heat, because it's not heavy or in your face.
Who should buy it: those seeking an easy and crowd-pleasing summer perfume that smells like golden hour at the beach.
RRP: from £100 for 50ml | Notes: Jasmine lactone, amyris, sandalwood, vanilla, iris butter, sandalwood, jasmine sambac, ambrette, salicylate and Iso E super
This lingering scent is a favourite of woman&home's Digital Beauty Editor, Aleesha Badkar for its warm and woody aroma. There's a versatile sweetness and powderiness to it that lends itself perfectly to both a summery scent, aswell as a niche and cosy everyday signature.
Who should buy it: those who love warm, skin-like scents and prefer more unique and less-discovered signatures
RRP: from £90 for 30ml | Notes: Blackcurrant, ylang ylang and cedarwood
Touted as one of the best Penhaligon's perfumes, Solaris is one of the brand's more modern scents and is everything I picture a solar aroma to be. It's creamy and almost salty, like warm, suncream-covered skin, but it's also juicy and quite lightweight - ideal for summer spritzing. The blend of juicy blackcurrant, ylang ylang and cedarwood also really captures the feeling and nostalgic scent of beachy vacations perfectly.
Who should buy it: those seeking quite a luxe and expensive-smelling take on a solar fragrance.
A crowd pleaser Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess
RRP: from £58 for 50ml | Notes: Amber, coconut milk, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver, myrrh, mandarin, Sicilian bergamot, lemon, jasmine, magnolia, orange flower and lavender
With its blend of warm amber, sandalwood and coconut milk, with bursts of lemon and bergamot, this scent was designed to smell like summer skin. It's warm and features nearly every note you would attribute to this season - plus it's a proven crowd-pleaser.
Who should buy it: Those who are looking for a vetted summer favourite
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, pink pepper, lemon, ylang ylang, coconut milk, heliotrope, transluzone, musks, cedarwood and benzoin
With skin scent elements granted by notes like pink pepper, musk and benzoin, this perfume smells warm and creamy on the skin. Its hints of coconut milk and earthy bergamot also help to create the classic solar quality.
Who should buy it: those who love unisex scents, or are looking for a summery signature that is light, airy and a tad suncream-y
Creamy & luxe Tom Ford Soleil Blanc EDP
RRP: from £145 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, cardamom oil, pistachio, ylang-ylang, benzoin and Coco de Mer
Described as a 'solar floral' this perfect blends bergamot and ylang-ylang with creamy coco de mer and sweet and nutty pistachio (pistachio perfumes are also very popular right now, so win-win) for a luxe and sparkling impression.
Who should buy it: those seeking a summer scent that is both creamy and floral
What are solar perfumes?
In case you're not well acquainted with a solar-esque perfume yet, Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street explains: "A solar perfume is quite a loose term that refers to fragrance with a 'sunshine' feel to it. Whilst solar perfumes aren't a fragrance family in the way that florals or woody scents are, they have an undeniable quality to them that sets them apart."
What do solar perfumes smell like, exactly? "Fragrances that make you feel like you have warm, golden rays of sun on your skin are typically dubbed 'solar' fragrances, and their popularity is down to exactly that - feeling like you're on holiday. Many solar perfumes contain notes with a familiarity to them, to give you that nostalgic feeling of summer," says Feeney and a good example of a scent that embodies all of this and more, is Floral Street's Arizona Bloom.
"It was inspired by the Atacama Desert in Chile - I experienced its high altitude salt flats with bright blue skies and was so moved by its irresistibly contemplative ambience," says Feeney, adding, "It made me want to create a perfume grounded in nature that captures the feeling of total freedom with a natural high! It combines Balinese coconut, jasmine petals, salted musks and Madagascan black pepper - there's a creamy, milkiness to it from the coconut, whereas the salted musks create a beautiful second skin feeling."
What are 'solar' perfume notes to look for?
- Solar perfume notes: coconut, jasmine, amber, bergamot, lemon and mandarin and salted musk
As for selecting a solar signature from among the best perfumes for women, Feeney has shared a few key notes to look out for: "There are a few different ways to interpret that sunny, exotic 'solar' feeling. Some sure-fire 'solar' fragrances include the warmth of jasmine or amber, whereas some lead more with citrusy notes like bergamot, lemon and mandarin. Ingredients like salted musks give a second skin feeling as if you are drying in the sun and a natural coconut gives a rich creamy smell reminiscent of the beach!"
