Akin to the scent of a newly laundered white t-shirt or the juicy zing of a squeezed orange, these fresh perfumes offer a bright and comforting impression for year-round spritzing...
Though woody blends and musks are plentiful on the list of the best long-lasting perfumes - offering warmth and a sensual smoothness - sometimes you just want to be trailed by the uplifting scent of spring, or the soapy finish of your go-to body washes. Citrus notes and powdery florals often afford such an aroma and leave your skin smelling, for lack of a better word, clean. Naturally, this genre is a popular one among the best perfumes for women, but unlike that of gourmand pistachio or solar perfumes (which are synonymous with summer), these fragrances are timeless and can be worn all day, every day.
So, if you're in the market for a versatile signature, that is both lightweight and comfortable to wear (no heady and overpowering smells here), these are the nine fresh perfumes our beauty team can't recommend enough...
The 9 fresh perfumes to wear for a chic and clean signature
So, you're looking for a fresh and timeless scent? We've rounded up a selection, spanning everything from cottony iris perfumes to sparkling citrus scents, that are guaranteed to lift the senses and spirits...
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Lily of the Valley, pear, aldehydes, ambrette seeds, iris, rose absolute, orange flower, white musks and patchouli
If you've ever wanted to embody the scent of clean bed linen, now's your chance as Maison Margiela's Lazy Sunday Morning blends fresh and light hints of Lily of the Valley, with comforting skin-like notes of ambrette seeds, aldehydes and cottony iris and white musks. It's warm, delicate and perfect for everyday wear - though esepcially on slow weekends...
Who should buy it: Those who love fresh sheets and button-up cotton pyjamas...
RRP: from £82 for 50ml | Notes: pomelo, vetiver and patchouli
Like a breath of fresh air, Pomelo combines zingy grapefruit with verdant vetiver for a green and crisp scent. It's ranked among the best Jo Loves perfumes by our team, with Beauty Writer, Annie Milroy especially singing its praises for an 'energizing and mood-boosting' signature - that's ideal for year-round wear.
Who should buy it: lovers of all things citrus
RRP: £39 for 30ml | Notes: grapefruit, neroli, patchouli, sea spray and orange blossom
For those who wish they could bottle up the freshness of a morning shower, woman&home Senior Beauty Editor, Rhiannon Derbyshire recommends this scent from Jones Road. It combines citrus hints, with fresh sea spray and soft orange blossom for a refreshing and elegant signature- that's bound to lift your mood.
Who should buy it: those who look forward to their morning shower and have quite the luxe collection of body washes.
RRP: from £66 for 50ml | Notes: rose, lotus, lily, white flowers and precious woods.
Senior Writer, Amelia Yeomans describes L'Eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake as her favourite fresh perfume: "It's an older scent but one that I will never tire of - the first time I smelt it I fell instantly in love. It's designed to smell like water on a woman's skin and it actually does deliver that - if you can imagine what sexy water would smell like, this fragrance is it. Its mature yet fresh finish really does give a light and aquatic feel, with small hints of white flowers and woody notes to round it off."
Who should buy it: Those seeking a lightweight and almost dewy signature
RRP: from £145 for 30ml | Notes: Italian bergamot, mandarin, Sicilian lemon, Tunisian neroli, orange flower, lavender, amber and rosemary
A sparking citrus scent, Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino is the definition of a grown-up fruity perfume. It blends zingy blends of lemon and mandarin with green bergamot and rosemary, for a fresh but rich scent that then gives way to aromatic florals.
Who should buy it: anyone looking to elevate their citrus scent collection
RRP: £153 for 75ml | Notes: musk, iris, ambrette and pink peppercorn
Treading into slightly muskier territory, Fleur de Peau is a great option for those who steer clear of fruity scents. It's soft, powdery and comforting, and Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson can't get enough of it: "The only way I can think to describe this perfume is like laundry being warmed and dried by spring sunrays outdoors. Its notes of iris create that cottony aroma, whilst pink pepper adds a 'skin'-like quality. I reach for it nearly every day, no matter the weather or occasion, because it just makes me smell so...me."
Who should buy it: Fans of woody and floral perfumes who are looking for the scent equivalent of the clean, white t-shirt.
RRP: from £55 for 30ml | Notes: ambrette seeds, sea salt and sage
Capturing the briney crispness of a sea breeze, this perfume from Jo Malone offers a musky but airy blend of sage, ambrette seeds and sea salt. It uplifts the senses and is perfect for both a unique everyday scent but also an aquatic summertime signature.
Who should buy it: Those who wish they lived by the sea...
RRP: £55 for 30ml | Notes: jasmine, vanilla-chestnut accord and sandalwood
If you're a fan of sweeter and creamier scents, This Is Her! from Zadig & Voltaire is a must-try. Despite not featuring the typical zesty citrus or dewy florals that are synonymous with fresh perfumes, this number still manages to smell light and breezy. Its blend of sandalwood, jasmine and vanilla chestnut reminds us of ice-cold cream or milk but in a very chic way.
Who should buy it: those seeking a clean but hard-to-pin-down scent
RRP: £60 for 30ml | Notes: bergamot oil, vegetal accord, pink pepper and Isparta rose petal essence, aquatic accord, pine needle oil and moss
This scent was curated to smell exactly like the earth after a rain shower. It's floral and green, with aquatic notes that bring a sense of dewy freshness - like raindrops on grass. It's vibrant and maybe a tad richer than some on this list but definitely leaves a sophisticated and interesting impression.
Who should buy it: anyone who loves a rainy day
What is a fresh perfume?
What constitutes a fresh perfume we hear you ask? This is quite subjective as someone else's 'fresh' might come off too soapy and perfume-y or even too fruity to others. That said, as far as woman&home's beauty team of self-proclaimed scent connoisseurs is concerned, it's typically a blend of either florals, citrus or aquatic notes.
Some floral perfumes, for instance, can smell like laundry and soap, so affording a 'clean' sort of freshness. While notes of lime, grapefruit, orange and lemon deliver than invigorating crispness, which is also, by all definitions, fresh.
Salty and oceanic hints can also offer a fresh feel, like taking a blustery walk on the beach, as can milk perfumes, with their soft and lightweight creaminess. A fresh scent is whatever alights your senses, makes you feel awake and like you want to take another deep, inhale of the aroma.
