I overheard someone say something that caught my attention the other day. I don’t remember what they said verbatim, but I remember it being something like, “I don’t get why I need different perfumes for each season. What makes a perfume a summer or winter one anyway?” Basically, they were going on a rant about how it’s a scam, and he just has this one perfume that he uses all year long.
Well, indeed, you can have a fragrance that is your signature scent and that you use all year round. After all, versatile perfumes do exist. These types of fragrances are usually unisex and can be worn in any situation during any season. But that doesn’t mean that seasonal perfumes are a scam.
Seasonal vs Versatile Fragrances
An analogy between perfumes and drinks comes to mind. Water, sizzling or otherwise, can be compared to those versatile fragrances. It is good for hydration and does the job whenever you’re thirsty. But sometimes, you might crave something with extra flavor, and those flavors are heavily associated with the weather.
I want you to imagine yourself sitting on a cold winter night, cozying up on your couch. What drink would you prefer at that moment, an iced minted lemonade or a sweet hot chocolate? The same applies to fragrances. Notes in perfumes are similar to flavors in drinks, and because the sense of smell is closely related to the sense of taste, we get a similar sensation from the things that go through our noses as we do from things that go through our mouths.
Seasonal Notes & Fragrances
You might wonder what notes suit which season best. Some notes are warm, cozy, and comforting, and some are happy, refreshing, and cooling. The equation here is simple: Think of how you want to feel in a particular season and get a perfume that will make you feel that way. Following is a list of which notes are best for which season.
Spring:
Spring is the season of flowers. Trees are green, and the world is seeing colors again. Spring is sweet and floral. It is a welcome embrace after the cold months of winter. For this season, you want to look for fragrances with floral and green notes. This will allow you to blossom with the flowers during this time of year. These notes include peonies, jasmine, magnolia, gardenia, orchids, cherry blossoms, mint, violet leaf, green or white tea, and geranium.
1. Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Parfum (For Him)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Ralph Lauren |
| Best for | Men |
| Notes | Top Notes: Mandarin orange, Pink pepper, and Cardamom Middle Notes: Lavender, Clary sage, Vetiver, and Jasmine Base Notes: Oak, Olibanum, and Patchouli |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Longevity | 12 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Carlos Benaim and Pascal Gaurin |
Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren makes a good spring scent because of how fresh it smells. The dominant fragrance profile here is more green than floral.
A more masculine fragrance, Polo Blue is the lawnmowing and barbecue version of spring perfumes away from floral picnics and bicycle rides.
2. Gucci Flora by Gucci Gorgeous Jasmin EDP (For Her)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Gucci |
| Best for | Women |
| Notes | Top Notes: Italian Mandarin, Bergamot, and Black pepper Middle Notes: Jasmine, Jasmine sambac, Magnolia, and Damask rose Base Notes: Benzoin, Australian sandalwood, and Patchouli |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Longevity | 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Alberto Morillas |
Gorgeous Jasmin is part of the flora collection, a collection all about florals and spring by Gucci. It comprises four breathtaking, spring-in-a-bottle fragrances (Gorgeous Orchid, Gorgeous Jasmin, Gorgeous Gardenia, and Gorgeous Magnolia).
Due to their dominant floral profiles, any one of the four women’s fragrances from this collection will make an ideal spring perfume. My personal favorite is the Gorgeous Magnolia. You can choose the one for you based on the flower that you like best.
Summer:
The fruits are ripe, the temperature is high, and so are our spirits. Some of us might be traveling during the summer or going out more, especially at night, as a way to battle the heat, and you’re telling me someone out there would actually not want a new perfume specifically for this time of the year in which most of our core memories are made? I’m not buying it.
Look out for perfumes with these fresh notes to keep the summertime blues away: citrus, lemon, bergamot, aquatic, sea salt, and tropical fruits.
1. Versace Eros EDP (For Him)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Versace |
| Best for | Men |
| Notes | Top Notes: Mint, Candy apple, Lemon, and Mandarin orange Middle Notes: Ambroxan, Geranium, and Clary sage Base Notes: Vanilla, Cedar, Sandalwood, Bitter orange, Patchouli, and Leather |
| Release year | 2020 |
| Longevity | 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Versace |
For me, this perfume was love at first whiff. Eros by Versace is a classic in the world of perfumes, and rightly so.
The opening citrusy notes make this perfume perfect for summer. They hit you like a breath of fresh air. When the scent dries down, it leaves a sweet and delicious aroma on your skin that lasts a very long time.
2. Faiz Niche Collection Citrus F6000 Extrait De Parfum (Unisex)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Faiz Niche |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Notes | Top Notes: Orange, Sea notes, Aldehydes, and Blood mandarin Middle Notes: Pepper, Neroli, and Cedar Base Notes: Tonka bean, Vanilla, White Musk, Amber, Vetiver, and Elemi resin |
| Release year | 2016 |
| Longevity | 12 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Faizal CP |
This scent by the niche perfume brand Faiz Niche is my go-to summer perfume, and I would recommend it to anyone who would listen.
The opening and heart of this scent carry so many fresh citrus fruits that it will have you craving a nice lemon cake. The base is sweet and grounding, giving us the perfect combination for summer.
Fall:
It is Sweater Weather season, All Too Well season, We Fell in Love in October season; it is fall! And who doesn’t love fall?!
Most of us associate fall with baked goods; imagine living in the little French town Belle lived in, prancing around orange and yellow trees as the yummy scents from the local bakery engulf the town. This cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, spice, and gourmand scents!
1. Tom Ford Cherry Smoke EDP (Unisex)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Tom Ford |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Notes | Top notes: Sour cherry and Saffron Middle notes: Leather, Olive, Chinese osmanthus, and Apricot Base notes: Smoke, Woody notes, and Cypriol oil |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Longevity | 10 hours |
| Projection | Strong |
| Perfumer | Tom Ford |
No one makes luxury fragrances like Tom Ford, and Cherry Smoke is no exception to this rule. I know what you might be thinking, “cherries are a summer/spring fruit,” and you’re not wrong.
What makes this cherry scent perfect for fall isn’t the cherries but the smoke. The smoke and woody notes in the base add so much warmth to this perfume. If you’re looking for this fragrance to be described in one word, that word would be “intoxicating.”
2. YSL Black Opium For Women EDP (For Her)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Yves Saint Laurent |
| Best for | Women |
| Notes | Top Notes: Pear, Pink Pepper, and Orange Blossom Middle Notes: Coffee, Jasmine, Bitter Almond, and Licorice Base Notes: Vanilla, Patchouli, Cashmere Wood, and Cedar |
| Release year | 2016 |
| Longevity | 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc |
Ah, a cult favorite. Black Opium is to women what Eros is to men. Picture this: you’re out and about in town, the weather is cloudy with a light drizzle of rain, you’re going to stay out late, and you need a warm, reliable, long-lasting perfume. Black Opium by YSL is the way to go.
This fragrance has carried so many women on those long, cool nights for almost a decade and will continue to do so for years to come.
Winter:
Remember the cup of hot chocolate we were talking about earlier? Winter is the season that calls for it. So grab your hot drink and a blanket, and cozy up with these notes for this season. Tonka bean, vanilla, oud, sandalwood, tobacco, and other warm, spicy notes wear beautifully on the skin in cold weather.
1. Holy Oud Safar Extrait De Parfum (Unisex)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Holy Oud |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Notes | Top notes: Oud and Incense Middle notes: Cashmere Wood and Oriental Accord Base notes: Grey amber, Tonka bean, and Peruvian Balsam |
| Release year | – |
| Longevity | 10 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Holy Oud |
When I think of winter, I think of oud, and for oud, we go to the experts of this note, the non-other: Holy Oud.
Safar by Holy Oud opens up with oud and incense sourced from its country of origin, the UAE. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with an Arabian perfume made in an Arabian country.
2. Yves Saint Lauren Libre Le Parfum (For Her)
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Yves Saint Lauren |
| Best for | Women |
| Notes | Top Notes: Ginger, Saffron, Mandarin Orange, and Bergamot Middle Notes: Orange Blossom and Lavender Base Notes: Bourbon Vanilla, Honey, Tonka Bean and Vetiver |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Longevity | 8 hours |
| Projection | Strong |
| Perfumer | Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaim |
Libre by YSL is only two years old but has already become a fan favorite among many perfume lovers. I can see it joining the category of iconic scents down the line.
This sweet, warm fragrance is a little boozy and sensual—the little black dress and red lip of perfumes. It is perfect for any date during the colder months of the year.
Browse V Perfumes for more seasonal and versatile perfumes from local and international brands in the UAE and other GCC countries.
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