I Found Scent Nirvana in the Catskills, and Now People Can't Stop Saying How Heavenly I Smell

It’s not a stretch to say that fragrance is transportational. Scent is one of the most powerful senses that the human body possesses, with the strange power to resurrect long-buried memories or conjure visions of sun-soaked beaches, overgrown gardens, or glitzy nights at historic jazz bars. (No really, there’s a perfume for that.)

But fragrances don't just pluck your mind out of your body—in a very real sense, the right cocktail of notes can offer some serious healing benefits. No one knows this better than Courtney Somer, founder of Lake and Skye, who began experimenting with the holistic healing powers of scent after numerous health scares, and me (on a much more insignificant level) after finding sensorial respite from the sleepless Manhattan scene in the Catskill Mountains region of New York with a few transformative scents.

According to a 2024 article from Harvard Medicine, it takes a mere moment for a scent from decades ago to evoke memories or cause a physical response. “Smell can instantly trigger an emotional response along with a memory, and our emotional states have a very strong effect on our physical well-being,” Brown University neuroscientist Rachel Herz, PhD, writes.

There are elements of fragrance that trigger memories, and others that elicit fantasies. I don’t live in Upstate New York (to my dismay), but my recent trip to Accord feels mere moments away when I wear the following three scents—each closer to a gulp of fresh mountain air than a spritz of perfume. But as I continued to wear these fragrances in the Big Apple, I noticed that other people were just as drawn to them as I was. Though I got away to escape the ceaseless Midtown traffic, the endless to-do lists, and the flurries of people passing by at all times, I wasn’t mad at how many times I was stopped with the question, "What perfume are you wearing?"

3 Escapist Scents That Won't Stop Attracting Compliments

The Signature

A dive into crystal blue water, the sight of summertime hydrangeas, freshly cleaned linens, and lush mountainscapes—all visions that flood my mind when I douse myself in this crisp aquatic scent. A marine iteration of the brand’s hero fragrance, 11 11 Eau de Parfum, this scintillating, serene scent quickly became my summertime signature. Each sparkling spritz erupts in a cloud of fresh greens and rare florals (a hyacinth-bergamot combo is hard to find) before drying down to a woody-sweet, sophisticated aroma. “It’s an addictive, magnetic skin scent that attracts compliments,” Somer states. “We designed it as the ultimate wearable good-luck charm, meant to help manifest strength and confidence in everything you do.”

While I’m still working on the manifestation part, I can attest to this perfume’s magnetic field. At least one person will lean over and ask what perfume I’m wearing, whether it’s a friend on the train, a coworker, or even a stranger at the coffee shop. Despite its aquatic identity, the fragrance's floral and musky undertones are a siren song no matter the season, making this a great choice for anyone seeking out a signature scent.

“The essence of 11 11 Azure is freedom, renewal, and possibility. It’s that feeling of standing at the edge of the ocean—powerful, grounded, and limitless all at once,” Somer adds. It’s almost a portal between worlds: One minute I'm standing in my small NYC apartment, and with a spritz, I’m among the flora and fauna.

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The Summer Spritz

Clearly, I have a thing for scents inspired by the sea. While my mountain escape wasn’t exactly oceanside, this scent offers the strongest callback to the sophisticated wooden cabin I called home during my stay on the lush Inness retreat grounds. Unlike the eau de parfum above, this pale blue bottle houses a hair-and-body mist—meaning you can go heavier with the application without risking nose-crinkling potency. Its fragrance profile is a swirl of clary sage, earthy sandalwood, light grapefruit blossom, and of course, fig and sea salt. “The salted fig at its heart gives it a lush, addictive quality, while the airy, sunlit notes around it create a sense of lightness and flow,” muses Somer. “It’s uplifting yet grounding, like a deep breath that reminds you you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.”

What separates this mist from its more concentrated sister above is not only its sheer application, but the nourishing ingredients infused in its formula. Glycerin is one of the shining stars of this formula, softening your skin and hair in just a few mists. But choosing body mists over perfumes won’t just serve your skin—Somer vouches that the act itself is inherently one of self-care. “It’s designed to be a daily ritual—set an intention, mist, and step into your day feeling in sync with yourself and the world.”

If you’re like me and always try to look for the deeper meaning in things, you’ll notice the trend of numerology threading these fragrances together. “For me, seeing repeating numbers feels like a wink from the universe—a reminder that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be and to trust the process, even through challenges,” says Somer. She explains that this fragrance captures the essence of “333” because of the calming yet invigorating benefits tied to its notes. I align with this notion so wholly that I keep a bottle in my gym bag for post-yoga meditations—one spritz (okay, seven), and I’m back on that peaceful porch overlooking the plains.

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The Party Perfume

Now, I’m not too proud to admit that sometimes my happy place is a dance floor with my best girlfriends. When I want to summon a certain joie de vivre that can only be found under a setting sun and the fractal light of a glittering disco ball, I shower myself with a few sprays of 11 11 Lychee. This alluring concoction melds the sweetness of raspberries and lychee with the warmth of sugar crystals, ambrette seeds, and Hinoki wood—an unusual combination of sticky-sweet and earthy elements that morphs into a borderline sensual skin scent as it dries.

“The essence of 11 11 Lychee is pure joy and connection,” Somer explains. “It’s that instant lift you feel when something or someone makes you smile—bright, effortless, and a little bit flirtatious. It’s about carrying an optimistic, radiant energy that draws people in.” Similar to its oceanic sister, this fruity cocktail possesses a magnetic pull that keeps the “You smell so good” comments coming all night long. I’m calling it now: This subtly sweet yet warm fragrance family will be trending this year after Bella Hadid’s latest Ôrəbella scent, Eternal Roots, debuted with an extremely similar array of notes.

These transportational perfumes are practically portals to happier destinations, whether it's the sapphire seas, a mountainside retreat, or a sunset balcony with friends. As quoted in Harvard Medicine, there's a direct through line between wellness and fragrance—as Harvard professor of neurobiology Sandeep Robert Datta, MD, PhD, states, “We’re dependent on it for a sense of well-being and centeredness in the world.”

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