I've Tested Hundreds of Summer Perfumes—These 17 Will Earn You Compliments

Key notes: Citrus, apricot, rose, magnolia, blossom and musk

Soho is vibrant all year round, but it really comes to life in the summer, so it makes sense that one of its most iconic streets is the namesake for Ouai's seasonal offering. This is a truly delicious perfume that features a mouthwatering array of notes. At first sniff, it's like a chic fruit cocktail of apricot, grapefruit and mandarin before a floral sweep of rose, magnolia and violet settles in. It all sounds very sweet, but once it's dried down, you'll notice it has a warm, musky finish that keeps it feeling grown-up. I absolutely adore it.

Key notes: Bergamot, yuzu and Ceylon tea

This Loewe perfume was the fragrance of summer last year, with the fashion set sharing it all over Instagram. This year, I've fallen back in love with it, and see this being a staple scent for years to come. This is a universal summer scent that I truly think anyone would adore. It combines notes of bergamot, yuzu and Ceylon tea to make for a lively and refreshing spritz that smells great without being overpowering.

Key notes: Sea salt, citrus, jasmine, pine tree and labdanum

Forget coconuts, pineapples and all of those other sweet accords that often creep their way into summer perfumes. This offering from Dior is fresh, woodsy and decidedly more sophisticated than that. It smells like warm, salty skin at the end of a long day at the beach with a welcome hit of greenery from sun-dappled trees. 

Key notes: Lemon, bergamot, blood orange, mandarin, orange blossom, black pepper, jasmine, orris and musk

Picture this. You've just met your friends for that first summer brunch, you sit outside and chat while drinking mimosas all morning in the sparkling sunshine. That's exactly what this scent smells like. It's a bright, fresh, citrusy fragrance with hints of lemon, blood orange, mandarin and orange blossom.

Key notes: Bergamot, rose and musk

There couldn't be a perfume more suited to the British summertime than this London-inspired drop from Zara. Created by Jo Malone CBE, Vibrant Cities is a collection of eight fragrances inspired by the scents of Europe's most fashionable capitals. Fashionably London is a love letter to summer in the city: a juicy blend of bergamot, rose and musk.

Key notes: Green tea accord, bergamot, orange blossom, jasmine, benzoin and moss

I'm a big fan of Maison Margiela's Replica collection and the way that all of the fragrances evoke memories of specific times and places, but I wasn't hugely excited to see that this scent was inspired by matcha—a scent that, traditionally, I'm no lover of. How wrong I was. This is a fresh summer scent that, yes, definitely smells of green tea but has so much more going on. It contains ripe bergamot and mandarin, lush jasmine and orange flower and even a hint of sweet white chocolate. To me, it smells like enjoying a matcha latte in the garden on a sunny Sunday morning—both comforting and uplifting and a real joy.

Key notes: Leather, iris, cedar and raspberry

While I'm yet to get my hands on the classic Diptyque summer collection, I have been lucky enough to try this unexpected scent from the French fragrance house, and I'm head over heels for it. Since it's inspired by journeys through the Middle East, I was expecting this to be a heady fragrance more suited to autumn or winter. In fact, when I read leather, saffron and cedar, I was anticipating an oud-inspired perfume that wouldn't really be up my street. Instead, this is a balmy, vibrant fragrance that smells like strolling through a Moroccan market in the height of summer. If you like your perfumes to have a little spice and a lot of warmth, then you'll adore it. 

Key notes: Basil, lemon, jasmine and moss

A homage to the humble lemon, this is a bright, zesty perfume that smells like sunshine in a bottle. And while many lemon fragrances that I've tried in the past can veer into cleaning-product territory, this one transcends its citrus notes with touches of musk and a jasmine and lily floral bouquet.

Key notes: Bergamot, orange, basil, lavender, rosemary, geranium, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver and moss

Despite this scent being unashamedly citrus with its punchy bergamot and tangerine notes, it's delightfully herbal, too—almost like a fancy cocktail. As well as fruitiness, it has aromatic hints of rosemary and vetivert, which lends it an almost earthy feel. It's unexpected and absolutely delightful.

Key notes: Iris, mandarin, neroli and benzoin

Floral lovers will adore this elegant iris scent. Honestly, I couldn't really tell you what iris smells like before stumbling across this perfume, but it's this: soft, powdery and subtle. Sure, it's flowery, but the modern mix of mandarin and neroli means that I think this summer perfume will have widespread appeal. 

Key notes: Ambrette seeds, sea salt and sage

Inspired by the great British seaside, the Jo Malone summer collection is cottagecore vibes in a bottle. Take in the scent of the coastline with the sea salt notes, whilst the sage notes add a woodiness to balance out the fragrance. This scent almost has you hearing crashing waves. 

Key notes: Sicilian bergamot, mandarin, green apple, cedarwood, violet, oakmoss, musk and amberwood accord

In my opinion, all perfumes are unisex, but this fragrance from Parfums de Marly definitely goes out of its way to avoid any notes traditionally coined as masculine or feminine. Instead, it's a riotous concoction of tangy green apple, sun-soaked mandarin and Sicilian bergamot with a musky base of oak moss, amber and cashmere wood. I think it's the perfect scent to spray on during a balmy summer afternoon as you transition from day to night. 

Key notes: Bergamot, mandarin, jasmine sambac absolute, amber, tiare flower, vanilla and coconut 

Genuinely, what would a roundup of best summer perfumes be without the iconic Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess? When most people think of summer fragrances, it's this one that springs to mind, and it definitely delivers on seasonal spirit. It's a tropical tirade of vanilla and coconut, sweet tiare flower and sunny bergamot—but it's that amber base that provides its trademark warmth. I come back to it every year, despite smelling it on so many people because it truly reminds me of summer.

Key notes: Dark rum, davana, honey, cinnamon, sandalwood, vanilla bean and cocoa absolute

For me, this is a summer perfume that's made for when the sun goes down—in fact, it kind of smells like enjoying a dark and stormy at a beachside cocktail bar. It combines dark rum and deep berries with hints of honey and cinnamon for a sweet-yet-spicy warmth. It's delectable, and it comes in a travel-friendly size that is perfect for taking abroad, or popping into a handbag for on the go spritzing.

Key notes: Saffron, jasmine sambac and mimosa

Warm and spicy, this fragrance evokes the heat of summer with a scent blend that includes notes of pepper, saffron, and cardamom alongside crowd pleasers like jasmine and mimosa.

Key notes: Wild fig, lemon,  ​black pomegranate, jasmine petals 

This has been my go-to affordable summer fragrance for years. Wild fig, jasmine and pomegranate mixed with dry tobacco leaves and lemon results in a truly intoxicating finish.

Key Notes: Cedarwood + mandarin

This fragrance always transports me to a tropical destination. It has a zesty and fresh citrus tone but is also aromatic, velvety and smooth.