The best fragrance notes for very hot weather

Listen, let’s be honest – sunny South Africa is wonderful and all, but sheesh Mzansi can get sweaty when it wants to. If you’ve ever been in the situation where you tried to make your fragrance last in the midst of a humid heatwave in Durban, a summery thunderstorm in Jozi or a Southeaster-flustered February weekday in Cape Town, you’ll understand how difficult it can be. You might as well throw in the towel and go au naturel, right?

Well, according to Tammy Frazer, founder of Frazer Parfum in Cape Town, there are a few things you can do to smell great all day long. This includes choosing fragrance notes that are more likely to retain their potency in warm conditions.

Into the woods

“If you asked a perfumier this question a few years ago, it would have been all about the citrus – fresh top notes of orange and lemon that play into that summery vibe and somehow make you feel a little cooler,” explains Tammy. “These days, however, you’ll find that people prefer woody notes because they last longer, and are also perceived as fresh. Citrus notes will last on your skin for about 20 minutes and then dissipates. Woody notes tend to develop and don’t become sickly sweet – they add a little bit of spice to your scent, which is nice in warm weather.” 

Ready to try a woody fragrance? Here are some options we love:

For women

Clinique Aromatics Elixir EDP features a subtle blend of sandalwood and oakmoss mixed with pleasing notes of rose and jasmine, while Yardley Bond Street EDP makes a strong statement with top notes of orange blossoms followed by cedarwood and honey.

For men

The Body Shop Arber EDT layers citrus top notes with an earthy, woody base to create a soothing, masculine fragrance. Dunhill Icon EDP is a robust scent which opens on bergamot and black pepper, leading to tempting depths of agarwood, vetiver and leather.
 

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