Fragrance makes all sorts of emotions bubble up to the surface. I’ve never been impervious to beachy perfumes that smell like warm breezes, foamy sea water and damp, salty skin drying in the sun. They affect my mood at both an emotional and energetic level, which is why I forgo the tenacious spices and woods that many perfumers insist should waft from our wrists in winter.
It’s not as crazy an idea as you might think. When you consider that nostalgia can unravel stress or rekindle positive feelings, your favourite scent is actually a legitimate self-care tool. For me, the memory of pulling off my shoes and sinking my toes into wet, cookie dough-like sand is a salve on days when I’m spinning multiple plates.
Now think about how an aquatic scent, or the smell of sun cream, can rip you from the present back to that beach. It’s as though perfume is a wormhole to other places and hands you a boarding pass to time travel.
“This is because your olfactory bulb is operating at the speed of light,” says Linda Pilkington, perfumer and founder of Ormonde Jayne. “Before you even consciously notice an odour, your brain has beaten you to it; it has received and forwarded the necessary information to the correct regions responsible for emotional processing. When it’s a new scent, your limbic system will ‘cc in the hippocampus to create a scent memory. If it’s a joyous scent, it creates a positive association so whenever you encounter the same smell, you subconsciously remember to feel happy.”
In my case, spritzing on a beachy scent reminds me of linen curtains softly billowing in Naples; that invisible crust of salty water on your limbs after swimming, and lazy, carefree days nursing a sweating gin and tonic with my nose buried in a book.
The best beachy smelling perfumes I have on constant rotation
Like most people who grew up in the ‘90s, my introduction to beachy scents came via Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio. It captured the minimalist mood of the moment and, since then, I’ve built up a fragrance wardrobe that evokes feelings of holiday-like bliss.
Every year I wait with bated breath for Louis Vuitton’s latest collaboration with LA-based artist Alex Israel. So far there have been five West Coast getaways. Of these, my favourites include On The Beach, which has a soothing, hazy quality to it, and reminds me of how it feels to wrap sun-kissed skin in a sandy towel. It never fails to make me feel warm and fuzzy inside (it actually contains sandy notes of thyme, rosemary, pink pepper and clove to keep things hyper real). Another favourite is LV’s California Dream, where fresh citrus and vanilla-tinged benzoin unfurl on your skin to conjure up the crackling heat of an LA sunset over the ocean.
If, like me, you love Ibiza then look no further than Loewe’s ode to the island. Paula’s Ibiza is a mellow affair spiked with coconut water, a seaweed-like note, driftwood and creamy frangipani flowers. Dior Eden-Roc whisks you away to the South of France; its intimate puffs of salt, jasmine, coconut and pine feel like an olfactory secret that only you and the rich and famous share. Meanwhile, Portofino ’97, the first perfume launch by Victoria Beckham, is the latest addition to my collection, teasing fresh sea breezes before warm amber and vetiver roll off your pulse points.
The benefits of wearing a perfume that smells like the sea in winter
Given how amazing these scents smell, it’s no surprise that rather than gravitate towards vanilla for cosy girl season, I still have my warm-weather scents on rotation. Ultimately, though, I reach for beachy perfumes to support my mental health on bleak, grey days.
According to marine biologist Dr Wallace J. Nichols, who coined the term “blue mind”, our heart rate lowers and we fall into a very relaxed, meditative state when we are near bodies of water. Perhaps it’s not too big a stretch to say that smelling an aquatic scent is the next best thing, as it can create a snapshot in your mind of being by water.
“Palm-fringed, deserted beaches with pristine white sand in Kenya inspired our Frangipani scented candle,” Linda notes. “I take the time to let the scent return me onto this coastline and it’s definitely a wonderful antidote to winter months. I’m wary of ever claiming perfume has the power to improve your health, but I do think scent can play a subtle role in inducing a sense of calm and positivity.”
Or maybe I just like the idea of smelling like a mermaid all year round.
For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR’s Acting Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.